Makar Sankarti, Tusu & Akhan Yatra: Manbhum

Makar Sankarti, Tusu & Akhan Yatra: Manbhum

People in Baghmundi,Ajodhya Hills fervently wait for the  Makar day. The festive mood gets momentum as it nears to the end of Pous month. In Manbhum Tusu worship starts with the  beginning of Pous and runs throughout the month and ends on the day of Makar Sankarnt.

Tusu-festival is the biggest festival in Manbhum areas. It is religiously, strictly and merrily celebrated among the kurmi-community who are  well settled  in Purulia,Bankura and West Midnapore. This festival is also pompously celebrated in Jharkhand and its adjacent areas falling in Odisha and Bihar.  I have had the opportunity to see Tusu in Arsha block (Deughata), Joypur ,Jhaldah and Baghmundi  in earlier occasions. This year I missed it. I missed the melodious tusu songs. However, I feel the clarion before Makar  Sankarnti : ‘Wait two days.. Makar is coming’ ( Asche maker du din sabur kor’.. yea.. the virgin girls – the devotees of Tusi are waiting for one month.. they will finally end their  last rituals on Makar Day. On that day girls will go to the river, sacred place for immersion of Tusu Deity. They will bid farewell to their adorned Tusumoni.  Farewell will take place in gorgeous procession. This is the women-led  function. They will wear new attires,  carry colourful Choudals in group.  They will compete each other in terms of decorative Chodals and sizes. I have seen 20- 40 ft. Tall Choudals being carried by them. In many places rewards are given to the toppers. I could recollect the prize money as high as Rs.50,000 for the best Choudal. However,   participation is counted more than money.

Choudal is as good as four-square temple tapering in the top. It is made by the locally available San-Kathi  & Baka Bhera sticks. It is covered by beautiful colored papers. Its outlook is finished with bamboo-crafts. No mud is touched within or outside the Choudal. No deity is placed within the Choudal. 

Tusu- festival is traditional  and its beginning period is unknown. There are legends, folk-witnesses, historical , mythological  and anthropogenic  attempts to codify  Tusu-festival’s origin. All  have not furnished  dates of origin. However, these are beyond my comprehension. Only I found Tusu is loved, adorned by all. She is the symbol of purity and chastity. She was brave and marvellous in look.

The merit I found in Tusu festival is the collective action of Women. Women power and respect is honoured irrespective of genders and boundaries.

Every day in the evening girls sit together, light up candles and sings in the name of Tusu. An earthen pot filled with Tush and cowdung  made two balls represent Tusu & Tusumoni. These are coveed with marigold flowers . In the final day they come out with their collective power in the streets. They sing and dance  happily. They immerse the pots after taking holy dip. At the same time Choudals are brought & immersed.

I have seen long processions in the bank of Subarnarekha,where Choudals are immersed. Before that Girls bathe in the water ,wear new cloths and   bid to their Choudals. Where rivers are not flowing some sacred tanks or ponds are earmarked for tusu immersion. In Jhaldam Churlaghata is a sacred place for immersion. Now a days Choudals are immersed partly. That is Choudals are kept for some other days  carrying forward the program for some days. In Jhalda I saw Choudals are initially taken to  Churgaghata. Partial rituals on Tusa are made there on Makar day,then  these are brought to Satighata next day for final ceremony.  Similarly ,I was informed that many keep their Choudals to attend Bansingh Mela.  At Bansing  fabulous rewards are given to the best ones.  Similarly, the tradition of Tusa has been extended to Satya Mela . Satya Mela is celebrated in the name of freedom fighters. 

I wish to be in Manbhum, particularly in Ajodhya surroundings for two reasons: one for celebrating Tusu  & another for Pithas.  There are diverse delicious pithas are made in every home. Khapra pitha, gurpitha, Charpas like Mansa Charpa, Laucharpa, Kachu charpa, sim charpar are delicious recipes.

Makar Sankranti is the last day of Kurmi-calender. After Makar New Year starts , it is named Akhan Jatra.

Wishing all a happy maker sankranti.