Nagpur's historic Marbat festival, a 145-year-old tradition of banishing evil, has received an unprecedented civic upgrade with a ₹2 crore allocation from the Municipal Corporation to promote it globally.
- The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) allocated ₹2 crore to elevate the festival's profile.
- The procession featured the iconic Kali and Pili Marbat effigies through the old city.
- High-profile attendees included CM Devendra Fadnavis, Jackie Shroff, and foreign diplomats.
For nearly a century and a half, the city of Nagpur has observed the Marbat procession during Tanha Pola, a ritual designed to symbolically purge the city of evil, disease, and misfortune. Rooted in deep folk beliefs and surviving through the transitions of the Bhonsle dynasty and British colonial rule, the festival has evolved into one of Central India's most distinctive cultural markers. This year, however, the ritual transitioned from a community-led event to a civic-sponsored spectacle.
The procession saw towering effigies—the Kali Marbat and Pili Marbat—accompanied by smaller figures known as 'Badgyas', winding through the narrow alleys of the old city. The air was filled with rhythmic chants of "Ida pida gheun jaa ge Marbat" (take away all evil) and "Rog rai gheun jaa ge Marbat" (take away all diseases). Spanning 6.5 km, the route culminated in the burning of these effigies at sites like Harihar Mandir and Naik Talao, symbolizing the total destruction of negativity.
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows that the integration of folk traditions into municipal budgets signifies a shift toward 'cultural tourism' as a tool for urban development. By investing ₹2 crore, the NMC is attempting to brand Nagpur not just as an industrial hub, but as a custodian of rare intangible heritage, potentially attracting international scholars and tourists.
"The Marbat festival is a living archive of social resistance and collective psychological healing through ritualistic purging."
Historical Background and Narratives
According to Rahul Jambhulkar, an IIT Bombay scholar, the festival's origins are debated across three primary narratives. The first suggests an agrarian root, where farmers burnt clay dolls to ward off pests. The second links the Kali Marbat to Baka Bai of the Bhonsle dynasty, reflecting public resentment over her surrender to the British. The third narrative posits the festival as a form of clandestine political resistance; the Tarhane Teli community used the religious guise of Marbat to assemble people when the British had banned public gatherings.
| Feature | Kali Marbat | Pili Marbat |
|---|---|---|
| Height | Approx. 14 Feet | 18-20 Feet |
| Introduced | 1881 | 1885 |
| Organizers | Kali Marbat Utsav Committee | Tarhane Teli Community |
Beyond the spectacle, the festival maintains intimate domestic traditions. A small fair typically surrounds the Pili Marbat, where women make offerings to the effigy. Unlike the destructive nature of the burning, this aspect of the ritual is viewed as auspicious, with the effigy believed to be capable of granting wishes and bringing prosperity to households.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the primary purpose of the Marbat procession?
A: The ritual is intended to symbolically gather all the diseases, evil spirits, and misfortunes of the city into the effigies and then destroy them by fire.
Q2: How has the festival changed this year?
A: It has received a significant financial boost of ₹2 crore from the NMC and has seen a surge in high-profile celebrity and diplomatic attendance.
