{"id":126047,"date":"2025-05-06T11:25:29","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T09:25:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magikindia.com\/?p=126047"},"modified":"2025-05-08T10:16:02","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T08:16:02","slug":"holi-in-the-satpuda-hills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magikindia.com\/en\/holi-in-the-satpuda-hills\/","title":{"rendered":"Holi in the Satpuda Hills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just one month ago, I was staying with the people of the Satpuda Mountains (Maharashtra) for the Holi celebrations and the enchantment has still not faded! The Adivasis, the indigenous people of India, have a different way of celebrating Holi<\/a>: here, there is no flood of coloured powders, the celebration is expressed through ecstatic dances to the rhythm around a sacred bonfire. The colors are somehow transposed onto the extravagant costumes worn by the gheriyas (dancers) composed of impressive headdresses and belts made of gourds.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
The Vasava gheriyas with their red dress code<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From the very beginning of my journey, the signs were already promising.<\/strong> On the road between Rajpipla and Satpuda, in a remote village, I had the chance to witness the dances and songs of the Vasava gheriyas (dancers), whose dress code is red. The rest of my travels would be exceptional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
Le chemin menant \u00e0 notre maison d’h\u00f4tes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To reach the venue of the festivities, we have to cross the undulating landscapes of the Satpuda mountain range,<\/strong> which rises in eastern Gujarat, crosses the border between Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and ends in Chhattisgarh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To my great surprise, I discovered a truly mountainous region<\/strong>, composed of steep cliffs and winding roads. Our car reached the top of these mountains after two hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
Our guesthouse, a traditional Vasava house<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our destination is bucolic, dotted with small hamlets inhabited by the indigenous Bhils and Vasavas.<\/strong> There aren’t any hotels in sight. It’s a region that’s still unspoiled, and I’m glad about that. It’s becoming increasingly rare to find an authentic corner in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I suddenly feel like an adventurer in an unknown land.<\/strong> I thank my lucky stars that I was able to find a friend at the last minute who knows the area, otherwise the adventure could have been cut short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
My host preparing chai over a wood fire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was he who found us a homestay:<\/strong> a traditional bamboo, brick, and adobe house inhabited by a charming Vasava family. For three days, I immersed myself in the lives of my hosts, but that’s another story to be told later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
The dances of the gheriyas with their impressive headdresses and belts made of gourds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In this region, Holi festivities take place only during the night and last until sunrise.<\/strong> Adivasis from different parts of the Satpuda Hills, as well as from the border states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, gather to celebrate the spring festival with great pomp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
The gheriyas arrive at the place of festivities<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The men arrive in small groups and perform circle dances, punctuated by whistles, foghorns and percussion instruments, not forgetting the astonishing belts of bells and gourds.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
Round dance of the gheriyas with their belts of bells<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Aside from these rows of gourds, the gheriya dancers wear very tall headdresses <\/strong>studded with peacock feathers, pompoms, and flowers, or made of strips of tissue paper in which LED lights flicker. These can reach several meters. It’s a spectacle in itself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
Headdresses made of tissue paper<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For the indigenous peoples of India, Holi is primarily considered a harvest festival.<\/strong> It’s a time of relaxation, joy, and letting off steam after months of hard work in the fields. During the festivities, this is expressed by men dressed in saris carrying threshing baskets of wheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
Men dressed as women with threshing baskets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Previously, these Satpuda festivals were also an opportunity for young people to choose their life partners<\/strong>. However, according to my friend, this tradition seems to be falling out of favour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Bhil women<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Gheriyas stay awake all night,<\/strong> but they take several breaks and then set off again for another round, until early morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The dancers rest before setting off again for a tour around the sacred Holi fire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The denouement of this long night comes before dawn<\/strong>. Participants fill a pit with tree trunks, forming the Holi pyre (Holika Dahan). At its center is a 15-meter sacred bamboo stalk, harvested from the forest and having undergone preparatory rituals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the Gheriyas gather and swirl frantically around the fire<\/strong>; it’s best not to be in their path at that moment! The bamboo stalk, consumed by the flames, eventually falls. If its fall points east, it is a sign of a bountiful harvest for the coming season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Satpuda\"
La longue tige de bambou plac\u00e9e au centre du b\u00fbcher <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The bamboo stem catches fire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As the fire dies down, the gheriyas tear a calabash from their belts and hollow it out with their wooden swords.<\/strong> It will be used to collect some sacred embers. They also place a black tilak made of ash on their foreheads as a sign of blessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A participant digs a gourd to collect embers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Satpuda\"
A gh\u00e9riya collecting embers with a calabash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Satpuda\"
The embers are harvested<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Satpuda\"
Participants will place a black tilak (line) on their foreheads with the ashes of the Holi fire as a sign of blessing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Day breaks, the faces of the troops of men are drawn, their eyes unfocused<\/strong>. They still readily comply with my photographic demands. It must be said that I am the only “gauri” (foreigner) on site, and my presence arouses curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The first rays of sunshine after a long night<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
First daytime photo of the dancers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dawn is the best time to connect with the participants,<\/strong> especially the ladies who, for the occasion, have donned a farandole of silver jewelry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Bhils Women’s Silver Jewelry Farandole<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Late in the morning, the participants head home for a well-deserved rest.<\/strong> Some make the journey on foot, while others try to squeeze through already packed jeeps! And all of this is always accompanied by all sorts of sounds!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And for my part, well, I appreciate how lucky I was to be able to observe these timeless ceremonies<\/strong> which, I am sure, will remain etched in my memory forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Last photos of participants before hitting the road again<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n

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