Introduction
Bail Pola is a festival celebrated in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. It’s a festival in which the farmers give honor to their bull that has helped them plow the land. As we all know, cows are sacred in Hinduism. Bull is the Vahana (vehicle) of Mahadeo. His name is Nandi, and you will see Nandi in every Shiv temple. Without Nandi, the Shiv temple is incomplete. This festival is deeply rooted in agricultural traditions. The festival is celebrated mainly in the eastern Maharashtra region, like Vidharbha and Marathwada. A similar type of festival is celebrated in other states with different names, such as Mattu Pongal and Godhan.
Why is the festival called Pola?
The term Pola comes from the word Pol, which means a type of wooden plough used for training the young bullocks.
History
From the Vedic period, we get references to cattle and their importance as they were the livelihood. So lots of respect and dignity are given to cattle. In the Vedic Era, cattle were considered a source of wealth and prosperity. The origin of Pola is not possible to get, but roughly two thousand years back in the 1st century BCE, this practice was followed by the farmers of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. We can see the slow, gradual development in the following Pola festival. In the Yadava period the agriculture was promoted, and cattle- honoring became prominent. Many rituals related to cattle honoring and community practices were documented in the Yadava history.
After that, we can see that in the Maratha period, when agriculture was promoted on a large scale and rural life flourished under Shivaji Maharaj, customs like Pola started to be celebrated on a large scale. Even though we see that during the British colonial period, when most customs were at their decline stage bail Pola remained strong due to its deep cultural roots.
Decoration of bulls
Bail Pola or Bendur is celebrated in the month of August on the new moon day, which is also known as Shraavana Amavasya. In Maharashtra, the Bail Pola is a holiday. On this day, the farmers clean their bulls with water after bathing them. They bring the bulls home and start oiling and dressing them. Colourful dresses are adorned by the bulls, whose horns are painted to look attractive. Changing the tie of the neck and a new tie is given new bell is also given to the bull. It’s like an occasion celebrated once a year when the Bull gets the honour from his owner for serving him the whole year and supporting him in his process of cultivating the land. In some of the villages, various kinds of competitions were organised for entertainment purposes.
Competitions
Different types of competitions are organised on Bail Pola day to celebrate this day joyfully.
The competitions involve;
- Bull racing – In many villages of Maharashtra, the races organised of bullock cart, on Bail pola, earlier a ban was brought on this by the court, but later in the year 2021, the Supreme Court unbanned it, and once again the bull race was started.
- Bull decoration competition – In almost all the villages, this competition is celebrated, in which the most attractive and unique-looking bull gets the award. So people ready their bulls nicely, colour their horns, and wear them in various colourful outfits. A turmeric paste and oil mixture is applied to the body of the bull. It’s a traditional method followed by them. The bulls are decorated with lots of ornaments.
How bail pola is celebrated
On this day first bathing of the bull is done. Afterwards, it is decorated as we earlier read about it. At the end, the women of the house decorate the houses and draw Rangoli outside the house. After that, the worship of the bull was done by the farmer and her wife. Aarti of the bull was done, and ghee lamps were lit on this day. Afterwards, a special food is given to the bull on this occasion. It’s a mixture of vegetables, lentils, and jaggery specially created for the bull. On this day, the bull is given a day off, and no work is done. The farmers celebrate by preparing Puranpoli, a sweet dish, and they serve dal, rice, ghee, papad, koshimbir, and spicy potato curry.
A special type of milk is also prepared, which is made from turmeric and saffron, and is drunk at the last of the meal. We can see the modern influence also in this tradition few more dishes were prepared, such as onion bhajis and okara fry.
What is the cultural significance of Bali pola?
The festivals like Bail Pola teach us about the philosophy of Indian rural life. It shows that everyone in nature should be treated well. We should honour everyone who helps for survival in this world. By celebrating such festivals the humans show their gratitude towards the animals. In such a type of festival, we can see the human gathering taking place.
A unique aspect is Bali Pola, where we can see some villages, this tradition is one day before the Bail pola. Bal Pola is celebrated in which the children’s decorate their wooden bulls or clay bulls and take them in a small processions.
Relevance
In the modern world, tractors are introduced, which do the work much faster compared to a bull and with efficiency. But still, bullocks have their importance in heart of rural people. Still, the people who have a small area for cultivation use bullocks only. We can see from 2022 that there is growth in culture tourism, due to which lots of people of the new generation also visit rural areas to celebrate such festivals and enjoy.
Conclusion
Bail Pola is far more than a festival. It is an emotion deeply embedded in the heart of Maharashtra’s rural life. It represents gratitude, co-existence, prosperity, and devotion.
Through its rituals, processions, and heartfelt traditions, Bail Pola reminds us that progress is not only about machines, productivity, or technology. True progress comes from recognizing the value of every being who contributes to our journey.
References
- source: district balaghat https://share.google/slpquAhZD8YOWf327
- Source: utsav.gov.in https://share.google/2zUTr53fitgxCb2Sl
- Source: Wikipedia https://share.google/sKTDaKfPjaclsf8WI
- Source: Maharashtra Tourism https://share.google/SgW3FaqofEvFvVP7H