GONDIA

The district is home to rich natural vegetation, diverse fauna, and several wildlife sanctuaries, making it a significant habitat for various bird species. Each winter, migratory birds embark on their journey from Siberia to India, covering thousands of kilometers. These birds typically arrive in November, December, and January, with their return migration commencing around Basant Panchami. Some species, such as the Sarus crane, extend their stay in Gondia, particularly around the Boldalkasa Forest Range and lakefront.

In December, the Directorate of Tourism, Divisional Office Nagpur, organizes the Boldalkasa Bird Festival (Saras Pakshi Mahotsav). The event includes guided birdwatching tours, nature excursions, discussions on bird tourism in India, a cleanliness initiative, and an exhibition showcasing bird photography. Additionally, a Dandar Folk Dance performance is held, along with various other programs, such as a wildlife filmmaking workshop. The festival attracts nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

The Sanskruti Mahotsav is an annual cultural festival held in Gondia, Maharashtra, dedicated to preserving and celebrating the state's rich traditions of lok geets, dance, and theatre. The event provides a platform for distinguished artists to showcase their talents while engaging audiences with Maharashtra’s vibrant folk heritage.

The Pournima Festival, organized annually by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), is a prominent cultural event in Gondia that marks the full moon and the harvest season. The festival aims to showcase the region’s cultural heritage while providing a platform for local artists to present their traditional art forms.

Held at the Bodalkasa Dam, a popular tourist destination near Tiroda in Gondia District, the festival attracts around 300 attendees. The town comes alive with vibrant festivities, creating a lively and immersive atmosphere.

The event features an array of cultural performances, including folk dances, classical music, and theatrical acts. Additionally, community feasts and traditional games are organized to foster a sense of unity and celebrate the harvest season.

The Madai Festival is a highly anticipated cultural event celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Gond community. Over time, participation has expanded to include all villages in the region, making it a significant communal gathering. The festival takes place between December and March, traveling from one village to another in a series of celebrations. Originating in Chhattisgarh and eastern Vidarbha, the festival holds deep cultural and religious significance for the indigenous communities of the area.

A central aspect of the festival is the puja of the Gram Devta. The celebrations begin with wrestling matches and traditional games, followed by a grand procession held in an open field. After the procession, a pujari or designated religious figure performs the puja of the devi.

Once the puja concludes, the festival comes alive with cultural performances, including folk dances (Dandar), traditional theatre (Zadipatti Natak), and folk songs. Given the large number of attendees, the event is hosted in a vast open space where people come together to celebrate the harvest season.

As a traveling festival, the Madai Festival moves from one location to another, allowing different communities to partake in its unique festivities.

A notable aspect of the festival is its traditional hospitality. Guests are welcomed with boiled singhada (water chestnuts) and jalebi, both of which are cherished delicacies associated with the celebration.

Birsa Munda Jayanti is one of the most significant festivals observed in Gondia District, celebrated with deep reverence by the tribal communities of the region. The festival marks the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda (November 15), a legendary tribal leader and freedom fighter known for his relentless efforts in advocating for tribal rights, social justice, and cultural preservation during British colonial rule.

As a district with a strong tribal presence, Birsa Munda Jayanti holds immense cultural and historical importance. The Deori and Salekasa blocks, home to a substantial tribal population, serve as focal points for the celebrations. Many villages organize cultural programs, while some tribal communities incorporate the Mandai Festival into the observance as a tribute to Sahid Birsa Munda. The festivities begin with prayers, traditional rituals, and cultural performances, bringing together people from diverse tribal backgrounds in a spirit of unity and communal harmony.

The Marbat Festival, a unique tradition with historical significance, is celebrated across Vidarbha, including Gondia. According to the Shalivahan Shaka Panchang, it takes place on the second day of Shravan Amavasya, following the Pola festival. On this day, the effigies of Kalr (Black) Marbat, Peeli (Yellow) Marbat, and Badgya are carried in grand processions through the streets, accompanied by enthusiastic chants and slogans. The festival concludes with the symbolic burning of these effigies.

In rural areas, the celebration takes a more traditional form, where villagers create clay statues of the Marbats and collectively burn them outside the village.

The festival marks the beginning of the Kharif season, during which farmers in the Gondia district observe several agricultural festivals, aligning with different stages of the cropping cycle.

This two-day yatra is held on January 1, marking the New Year, deep within the forests of Girola, Haiti.

According to local residents, this location has over a century of history and religious tradition. The Mama-Bhacha Devasthan Samiti has been organizing this pilgrimage for the past 18 years. Just one kilometer from Girola, two tall trees stand in the forest. The larger tree represents "Mama", while the smaller tree represents "Bhacha." These trees serve as a puja sthan for people, who seek aashirwad for themselves and their families.

The Kachargarh Yatra was initiated in 1984 during the Magh Purnima festival when five leaders from Gond community first hoisted the Gondi flag in the village courtyard. The yatra was inspired by the efforts of Gond ruler Vasudev Shah Tekam, Dada Markam, Sunher Singh Taram, Gondi Dharmacharya, the late Motiravan Kangali, and scholar K. B. Maraskolhe.

Over the years, the Kachargarh Yatra has gained immense popularity. Today, the Gondi Dharm Sammelan Koyapun (Badadev) Yatra is held annually on Magh Purnima. It is considered Central India’s largest organized pilgrimage. The Gond community perform their traditional dances at the Kachargarh fair as part of the celebrations.

The Kachargarh cave, located in the forested Salekasa Taluka of Gondia District, is a sacred site for the community. For the past 40 years, pilgrims from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and beyond have traveled here to worship and pay homage to their ancestral deity, Pari Kopar Lingo. The five-day yatra celebrates tribal culture, traditions, and spiritual heritage.

Kachargarh Cave is recognized as one of Asia's largest caverns. According to locals, the Gond culture and community originated here. On January 23, 2017, the Maharashtra government designated this devasthan as a 'B' category religious site.

Pratapgad is a village in Arjuni Morgaon Taluka, Gondia District, Maharashtra. Every year, the Pratapgad Yatra takes place on Mahashivratri. Many people from nearby villages gather to perform puja for Bhagwaan Shiv and participate in the yatra. The main attraction is a tall murti of Bhagwaan Shiv, rather than a mandir, where people pray and receive aashirwad.

Mahashivratri is observed on the fourteenth day of each lunar month, the day before the new moon. Among the twelve Shivratris in a year, Mahashivratri, which falls in February/March, holds the most spiritual significance. It is considered a night of deep spiritual energy.

The area around the Shiv ji Murti is illuminated with lights and candles, enhancing the sacred atmosphere. The main attractions include food vendors and stalls selling homemade items.