THE traditional festival of Hareli Tihar, Chhattisgarh’s first folk festival, was celebrated with grandeur at Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s official residence in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar on Wednesday, with the premises transformed into a vibrant showcase of the State’s rich rural culture and traditions. The Chief Minister’s residence was decorated to resemble a traditional Chhattisgarhi village, with neem and mango leaves, marigold flowers, agricultural implements and rural ornaments. Folk music, traditional cuisine, cultural performances, swings and indigenous games added to the festive atmosphere. Farmers and people from across the region participated in large numbers. Chief Minister Sai, Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh, Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam, Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade, School Education Minister Gajendra Yadav, Technical Education Minister Guru Khushwant Saheb and chairpersons of various boards, corporations and commissions attended the celebrations. The programme began with the worship of Gauri-Ganesh and the Navagrahas. Amid the chanting of mantras, Sai performed the abhishek of the Shivling and worshipped traditional agricultural implements, including the plough, rapa, pickaxe and spade. He also offered prayers to Chhattisgarh Mahtari, Lord Shiva and Gau Mata for good rainfall, a bountiful harvest, farmers’ prosperity and the well-being of the people. Extending greetings to the people on Hareli, Sai said the festival symbolised the deep bond between Chhattisgarh’s agricultural culture, nature and rural life. “Hareli gives us an opportunity to express gratitude towards our land, livestock, agricultural implements and nature.

 

Chhattisgarh is the Rice Bowl of the country and the livelihoods of a large section of its population are linked to agriculture. The prosperity of farmers is the foundation of the prosperity of villages and the State,” he said. As part of the festival’s message of environmental conservation, Sai and Dr Raman Singh planted Parijat saplings at the CM’s residence complex. Sai also inspected stalls put up by the Agriculture Department and other departments and enquired about modern agricultural machinery and its utility. He presented a cheque of Rs 16 lakh to Raipur farmer Indra Kumar Verma as subsidy for the purchase of a harvester. He also interacted with ‘Drone Didi’ Chandrakali Verma at the Agriculture Department stall. Adding a unique touch to the celebrations, Sai, dressed in traditional attire, travelled from the residence complex to the venue in a pink auto-rickshaw driven by Sangeeta Yadav, a woman auto-rickshaw driver. The gesture drew considerable attention from the gathering. Traditional rural games and activities, including Gedi, Billas, Goti and Bati, were organised for visitors. A Gedi race and swings were among the major attractions, while the traditional Rahchuli swing recreated the atmosphere of a village fair. A cultural programme featuring folk artists further enlivened the celebrations. Technical Education Minister Guru Khushwant Saheb joined Raut Nacha artists in dancing to folk tunes, drawing cheers from the gathering. The celebrations highlighted Hareli’s significance as a festival celebrating agriculture, nature, livestock and the traditional way of life of Chhattisgarh.