Sunday, April 17, 2022

Tribal Fairs and festivals of Purulia

 Purulia is a land of tribal festivals in West Bengal. Read this article to know about the tribal festivals in Purulia.


Here are the main tribal fairs and festivals in Purulia district of West Bengal.

Shiber Gajan: Gajan or Shiber Gajan is a famous festival in Purulia district.This festival is also popular as Chait Parab, Charak Puja. Shiber Gajan is held between middle of March to end of May every year.






Disum Sendra: This is a hunting festival of Santhals at Ayodhya Hill in Purulia during Baishakhi Purnima. Disum Sendra is also known as Shikar Parab.

Puja of Dharma Thakur and Mela: This local festival of Purulia is held from mid of April to mid of May every year.


Rohini Utsav: This festival in Purulia is celebrated by cultivators. On 13 Jaistha every year, the cultivators sow seeds and celebrate this Rohini Utsav festival.

Erohk Sim: This festival is similar to Rohini Utsav and this festival is celebrated by Santhals in the month of Asad (15 June to 15 July).


Batauli: Mundas celebrate the sow seed festival.





Manasa Puja: On the last day of Shravan month (15-16 August) every year,  puja of Manasa, the Goddess of snake is performed.


Karam Parab: This festival is celebrated in Purulia after completion of paddy cultivation.

Chata Parab:  Funds of this festival comes from rich people of the society.  Chata Parab is celebrated throughout the night with dance and songs.









Bhadu: Bhadu is goddess among the backward classes like Bagdis and Bouris. Bhadu Puja is a famous festival in Purulia and also in nearby district Bankura.

Bandhna Parab: Bandhna Parab is also a local festival in Purulia which is held every year after the Kali Puja. This festival or parab is famous among the Kurmi, Bhumij, Korha, Lodha communities. The same festival for Santhals and Mundas is known as Sohray.

Jathel Utsav: Jathel Utsav is mainly celebrated by Santhals in Purulia during 15 November to 15 December every year.


Raas mela: Raas Utsav or Raas Mela is celebrated in many parts of West Bengal and Purulia district is one of them. Raas mela is celebrated mainly in Purulia town in Purulia district during Agrahayan Purnima.





Tushu: Tushu Puja is celebrated by rural women in Purulia district. Tushu songs are very popular in Purulia.


Bhansingh Puja and Parab: In Purulia, Bhansingh is regarded as God of cattle. This Puja and festival is normally celebrated during the month of Magh according to Bengali calendar. Magh month falls during 15 January to 15 February.


Akhan Jatra: Akhan Jatra is regarded as an auspicious day in Purulia which falls on the first day of Magh month according to Bengali calendar.


Chandi Puja: Chandi Puja is celebrated during the month of Magh according to Bengali calendar. A popular fair is associated with this Chandi Puja in Purulia.

Magh Sim: A famous festival of Santhals which is held every year during the month of Magh according to Bengali calendar.


Baha: Baha is a spring festival to Santhals in Purulia. Night long dance and songs are associated with this festival. The same festival of Mundas is known as  Sarjan Baha.

Bhejabindha: Cock fight is very popular among the tribal in Purulia. Bhejabindha is a festival of Santhals and cock fighting is the main event of this festival.


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Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary: Where Water, Wings, and Time Meet Some places announce themselves with mountains or monuments. Bharatpur does not. It reveals itself slowly — in ripples of water, in the sudden lift of wings, in the quiet patience of a bird waiting for the right moment to strike. Located in eastern Rajasthan, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, popularly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is one of those rare landscapes where nature and history have grown together. It is not untouched wilderness, nor is it purely man-made. It exists in between — shaped by geography, altered by humans, and perfected by birds. A Land Shaped by Geography Before It Was Shaped by Humans Bharatpur lies at an ecological crossroads. To the west stretch the ancient Aravali ranges, among the oldest mountain systems in the world — worn down, rocky, dry, and quiet. To the east begin the fertile Gangetic plains, flatter and more water-abundant. Between these two regions lies a gentle depression in the land, where seasonal rivers like the Gambhir and Banganga once spread their monsoon waters. This region was never meant to hold deep water. Instead, it absorbed floods, released them slowly, and returned to grassland. That natural rhythm changed in the 18th century, when the rulers of Bharatpur constructed the Ajan Bund, an earthen dam built to protect nearby settlements from flooding. Unintentionally, a wetland was born. Water lingered longer than expected. Silt settled. Aquatic plants appeared. Fish followed. And soon after, birds began to arrive — first seasonally, then in vast numbers. From Royal Hunting Ground to Protected Sanctuary During the 19th and early 20th centuries, this wetland became a favored duck-shooting reserve for the Maharajas of Bharatpur and British officials. Ironically, this exclusive use prevented farming and urban expansion, allowing the habitat to survive while many other wetlands disappeared. The turning point came when Dr. Salim Ali, India’s pioneering ornithologist, recognized the extraordinary ecological value of the site. His advocacy transformed perceptions of the wetland — from a hunting ground to a sanctuary deserving protection. This led to a series of recognitions: Declared a Bird Sanctuary in 1976 Designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 What makes Bharatpur unique is that it proves conservation does not always begin with untouched nature — sometimes it begins with correcting our relationship with altered landscapes. A Wetland Designed by Water, Perfected by Birds Keoladeo Ghana is a shallow wetland, rarely deeper than one or two meters. This single feature explains much of its biodiversity. Shallow wetlands warm quickly, grow food rapidly, and create a variety of micro-habitats: Open water for ducks and geese Mudflats for waders and sandpipers Marshes and reed beds for nesting birds Wooded patches for roosting and breeding colonies The sanctuary is a mosaic rather than a uniform lake, and birds occupy it with remarkable precision. Every species seems to know exactly where it belongs. The Arrival of the Migrants Each winter, Bharatpur becomes a global meeting point. Birds arrive from Siberia, Central Asia, Europe, and the Tibetan plateau, following the Central Asian Flyway. Some travel thousands of kilometers, crossing deserts, seas, and the towering Himalayas. Bar-headed geese, famous for flying at extreme altitudes, descend gracefully onto the water. Northern shovelers and teals form floating carpets across the marshes. Painted storks and Asian open-billed storks feed methodically in the shallows. The elegant Sarus crane, India’s tallest flying bird, performs slow, ritualistic dances that seem untouched by time. Once, the sanctuary welcomed the Siberian crane — tall, white, and fragile. Their disappearance from Bharatpur is a quiet tragedy, reminding us that even the most faithful migrants cannot survive when wetlands vanish along their journey. The Aravali Connection: Dry Hills Supporting Wet Wings Though Bharatpur is a wetland, its story cannot be told without the Aravali range. The Aravalis may appear barren, but they regulate climate, slow desert winds, and feed seasonal water systems. Birds adapted to dry forests and scrublands — larks, pipits, bushchats, raptors — depend on wetlands like Bharatpur during migration, breeding, or drought periods. Thus, Bharatpur functions as a refuge ecosystem, supported by the broader Aravali landscape. Wetland and woodland, water and stone — both are necessary for regional biodiversity. More Than Birds: The Invisible Web of Life While birds are the most visible residents, the sanctuary’s foundation lies beneath the water. Fish recycle nutrients and sustain higher predators. Amphibians and reptiles control insect populations. Wetland plants purify water, trap carbon, and stabilize soil. Even microorganisms play their role quietly, maintaining balance. This unseen life is what allows the spectacular bird diversity to exist. A Wetland That Needs Care, Not Neglect Unlike untouched forests, Bharatpur survives through active management. Water must be released at the right time. Invasive plants must be controlled. Seasonal rhythms must be respected. Climate change, upstream water diversion, and declining rainfall pose new challenges. The sanctuary today is a lesson in modern conservation — showing that protection alone is not enough. Understanding ecological processes is equally vital. Why Bharatpur Matters Today In a country where wetlands are rapidly disappearing, Bharatpur stands as proof that: Man-made wetlands can support rich biodiversity Landscape-level conservation is essential Migratory birds connect continents, not just countries Water is the most powerful driver of life in dry regions Leaving Bharatpur When you leave the sanctuary, it does not follow you loudly. There are no dramatic cliffs or roaring rivers to remember. Instead, there is a quiet realization — that life persists not through force, but through balance. Bharatpur teaches patience. It teaches listening. And above all, it teaches that when water is allowed to stay, life will always return.

  Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary : Where Water, Wings, and Time Meet Some places announce themselves with mountains or monuments. Bharatpur does n...