MPSC officer's Training | Field Visits | trailer | Chandrapur

documenting my experiences as a probationary officer. A life changing experience.
Jiwti, Chandrapur, Maharashtra
Got a chance to visit a place called Shankarlodhi in Jiwati Tahsil yesterday.
This unpretentious village is located in Paramdoli Gram Panchayt about 28 kms from Jiwati Tahsil Head Quarters admist the Sahyadri hills in the deep forest. It is the seat of the cave temple that is believed to have been formed naturally 25,000 years ago according to Adivasi belief. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Jangu Bai a wish-granting Goddess, which is reverer by the Raj Gond, Kolam, Pardan and other tribes from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Telegana and Madhya Pradesh.
The annual month long yatra is held every year in the Poos or Paush maas the tribals congregate every year after trekking hundreds of miles and by bullock carts to worship the deity.The fair kick-starts with tribals performing ‘Devve Niruswal’ or lighting of the lamp, which represents the deity at the temple. The ethnic tribes ceremoniously worship the deity Jangu Bai, and take a holy dip in a tank locally known as Toplakasa before entering the temple. The stream is considered very sacred and bestowed with medicinal properties. A dip would cure all the ailments are the belief of the tribes. Most of the tribes trek all the way wearing no footwear to the cave from their village
A major proportion of devout reach the temple carrying bamboo baskets on their heads, beating drums and playing traditional instruments such as Sannayi, Kaliko and Tudum. The basket contains ingredients required for performing the prayers. The ingredients include rice milled through traditional methods, wheat, jaggery and oil extracted from either sesame or castor seeds. The rituals associated with the worshipping the goddess is very tough. The tribals perform puja with dedication and adhere to the rules and regulations while entering the cave. The devotees conduct mass dining after taking darshan of the deity and participating in the prayers. They dance to drum beats and sounds of musical instruments and as per the custom.- Vidyut Varkhedkar.
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Music: www.chosic.com...