About Pola ( Pithori Amavasya )
.... India is probably the only country in the world, where the
festivals are celebrated to pay respect to the animals. Pola is
one such festival, when farmers pay respect to Bullocks. This
Pola festival (Pithori Amavasya) is a very popular festival in
the rural parts of India.
India is a
country with focus on Agriculture as main source of income.
Economic conditions in India largely depend on Agricultural
income. Although some parts of India now use mechanical
equipment for farming, in many parts bullocks are used for
farming. Hence farmers celebrate this festival of Pola aslo
known as 'Bail Pola' .
Pola or ( Pithori Amavasya )
is celebrated on the new moon day (Pithori Amavasya) of Shravan
month (usually falls in August). On the previous evening
farmers remove the 'vesan (rope put through the nostrils of
bull), apply the paste of turmeric powder prepared in ground nut
oil, to the shoulder of the bull. Give a hot water bath. Give
khichadi of bajari to eat.
On the day of
Pola or (Pithori Amavasya), farmers take their bullocks to the
river & clean them thoroughly, worship their bullocks. Decorate
them by painting their horns, putting ornaments in the horns.
Decorative shawls are put on their body. Flower garlands are
put around the neck of bullocks. Then in the evening, all the
bullocks are taken through the streets in a joyous procession
with the farmers playing drums, bugles, lezim (a typical Indian
musical instrument) etc...
On this Pola or
(Pithori Amavasya) evening in the rural parts of India, fairs
are conducted, wherein some competitions & outdoor games like
volleyball, wrestling, kabaddi, kho-kho etc...
In the urban
parts of India, many people bring wooden or earthen bullocks &
worship them & celebrate this festival.Most popular sweet dish
prepared for on Pola day is Puran Poli.
