Bokaro: Preparations for Bhagta festival celebrated in Bokaro have started. It is celebrated every year in the month of Chait in the ancient Shivalaya located at Singhpur in Kasmar block. This time this festival will start from 12th April. But today this puja will start with the falling of Dhumal at seven o’clock in the evening. In a way, Dhumal is a sign of the beginning of the puja. The tour of Paat (wooden idol) will start from the fourth day of Dhumal (8th April).
Apart from Singhpur, the tour takes place in villages like Khairachatar, Goriyakudar, Harnad, Bhawanipur, Dumarkudar etc. Under this, in the form of Mother Parvati, a special shape of wood is carried on the head. Before the trip, he is taken to a Karmali family in Singhpur and a nail is hammered into him. This is called ‘pat welding’. After this Bhagatiya takes him to Shivganga (Shair Dam) and then to Shivalaya.
The tour starts from there. The people of Bauri family carry the paat on their shoulders. These are called Pat Bhagatiya. There is another opinion among some people regarding this pot. According to him, it is also considered to be the symbol of Banasur, the supreme devotee of Shiva.
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The priests believe that since nails cannot be driven into the idol of Parvati or any of her symbols, Lord Shiva had given a boon to Banasur that whenever such a worship is done, he will also be worshiped by keeping him next to it. Therefore there has been a tradition of keeping his symbol. However, since ancient times, as a common belief, it has been worshiped as a symbol of Mother Parvati. Flower Susari Manoj Kumar Singh told that preparations for the release of Dhumal have been completed.
what is dhumal
Every evening after the dusk, 11 different musical instruments are played in front of the Shivalaya using three types of musical instruments like Dhak, Nagara and Shehnai. Devotees also dance to its tune. It is called ‘Tengte-Nakur’. Everyone from village children to old people participate in it. From the first day of Dhumal till the end of the puja, i.e. for 11 days, the entire responsibility of playing Dhak-Baja rests with the Dom family of the village. Chhatru Dom got the jagirdari of this work. Presently his descendants i.e. the entire Dom family of Singhpur do this work together.
In Dhumal, incense and incense sticks are mainly burnt in the Shiva temple. Along with Dhumal, in the surrounding villages including Singhpur, the consumption of meat, mandira and garlic-onion is automatically and completely stopped until the puja is over. During this period, pure vegetarian food is prepared in every house. Not only in these villages, devotees living in far away places also stop consuming non-vegetarian food after the onset of smoke. Besides, cleanliness and purity are also taken full care of in the village.
The festival will be celebrated from 12th April
This time Bhagta festival will start in Singhpur from 12th April. Sanjat is celebrated on 12 March. On this day, the tradition of Lotan Seva is performed from the local Shayar Dam. Bhagatiyas and devotees will worship with strict worship on 13th. Bhagata Jhulan will be sacrificed on 14th and goat will be sacrificed on 15th.