Hareli

The Hareli festival of Chhattisgarh is celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. The word 'Hareli' comes from 'Haryali' in hindi which means greenery. It is mainly a festival celebrated by the various communities of farmer in the month of Shravan, corresponding to the months of July and August in the Gregorian calender. To be precise, the Hareli festival in Chhattisgarh occurs on the new moon day of the month or the Sravana Amavasya. This is, actually a festival of harvest focusing on the monsoon of a year. The Goddess 'Kutki Dai' is the presiding deity worshiped during this festival for good crops.

Chhattisgarh Hareli festival is of special importance among the Gond tribes. The farmers of Chhattisgarh worship their equipments used for farming and cows in the Hareli festival. The theme is manly nature - centric and the basic prayer by the simple, innocent people of Chhatisgarh in Hareli festival is for a good harvest. The manifestations in rituals are simple, though the prayers are ardent.

During the Hareli festival the people of Chhattisgarh place branches of Bhelwa tree on their respective fields. They also place branches of Neem tree on the entrance of their houses as Neem has medicinal properties and wards of diseases as well as insects. The Baigas or the traditional medical practicioners of Chhattisgarh teach and appraise their students. The Hareli festival of Chhattisgarh is also marked by the interesting 'Gedi'. Mounted on sticks, the children of Chhattisgarh walk round the fields and also take part in the Gedi race.