Diyas, lamps, rangoli, mouthwatering sweets, new clothes, and colourful firecrackers depict grand Deepavali festivities in urban India. Yet, the celebration unfolds vastly differently in the rural regions where tribal communities thrive. Let’s look at ten different Deepavali customs & traditions of Tribal communities in India.
1. Diyari Tihar – Bastar, Chhattisgarh
The tribal community of Bastar celebrates its unique version of Diwali, known as ‘Diyari Tihar.‘ During this festival, they engage in rituals that include worshiping the crocodile to ensure the safety of life and property, as well as praying to Shitala Mata at the Gudi, their place of worship, for the well-being and prosperity of the village. Locally, the Mahalakshmi Puja in Bastar is referred to as “Raja Diyari.” The Diyari Festival, celebrated by the tribal community in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, lasts for about one and a half months, marking the harvest of paddy. It begins with the villagers praying to their Kul Devi for prosperity after the new crop is brought home. Rituals include placing paddy in a bamboo basket, bathing livestock, and feeding them khichdi. The festival unfolds over several days: on the first day, villagers gather at the main temple for prayers; the second day features house decorations and footprints made with rice flour. The third day is designated for a communal feast called “Basi” Tihar, where any absent guests are later fed the same dishes. The celebration emphasizes livestock, with men adorning cows with peacock feathers and women preparing khichdi with new rice and tubers.
2. Budhi Diwali – Himachal Pradesh
The Hatti community, residing in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, celebrates the week-long tribal festival of Budhi Diwali. The festival gets kicked off with rituals on Maounce (Amavasya), where villagers prepare the traditional dishes including Badoli, Cidkoo, Malpuda, Patande, and various types of Muda dishes. Following tradition, the villagers visit the temple of Kuldevta, light a ceremonial fire, and perform a ‘havan‘ by offering roasted grains. Throughout the festival, various folk traditions, including Rasa, Naati, and Swang, are performed, and married women return to their parents’ homes to join in the festivities.
3. Diwali – Warli & Gor Banjara Communities In Mumbai
Diwali celebrations among the Warli community in Aarey Milk Colony and the Gor Banjara community in Cuffe Parade reflect their deep connection to nature and traditional practices. The Warlis begin with poojas by male community members at local shrines – the Gaondevi and Waghoba shrines, offering blessed food and performing animal sacrifices. They prepare dishes using freshly harvested produce, such as sweetened ‘tavshi‘ cucumbers. In contrast, the Banjaras celebrate ‘Dawali‘ with vibrant dances and rituals focusing on respect for nature and ancestors.
Both the Warli and Banjara communities hold their cultural traditions dear, even as influences from mainstream culture may be reshaping their Diwali festivities. This festival is closely linked to the harvest of rice grains, ragi, and vegetables like chawli.
4. Sohrai Porab – Santhals Of Jharkhand
Sohrai Porab, celebrated by the Santhal community in Somai Jhopri, occurs after Diwali and honors cattle integral to their lives. Festivities last five days, starting with villagers cleaning and painting their homes with natural colors. Cows are gathered and worshipped with lamps, songs, and decorations on the first day. The cows are adorned with oil and vermilion. Married daughters visit their parents on the second day, while the third day allows the animals to roam freely. The penultimate day features singing and dancing, and on the final day, villagers address any mistreatment of cattle, ensuring respect for these cherished animals. The festival reinforces their deep bond with livestock. Sohrai Porab celebrates the return of cattle to the tribal villages.
5. Diwali – Dahi, Madhya Pradesh
In the Dahi region of Madhya Pradesh, the 62 tribal villages celebrate Diwali for two months, a tradition reflecting their cultural heritage. The village head determines the festival’s timing, which occurs after the harvest. Livestock worship is central to the celebration, with villagers buying clay dhavas and majalis from potters to adorn their animals. Cows, buffaloes, and bulls are beautifully decorated and honored in ceremonies. On Diwali, they especially honor Mahalakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Lord Ganesha, the god of happiness and prosperity. Families prepare delicacies to offer to their Kuldevi and Isht Devtas while enjoying the festivities with singing and dancing, creating a vibrant and joyful atmosphere throughout the extended celebration.
6. Diyali – Southern Odisha
The tribal festival of Diyali is celebrated by the Paraja, Saora, and Gadaba tribes in southern Odisha. This three-day festival prominently features the worship of cattle. On the first day, households wash their cows and adorn them with decorative jute ropes, offering rice. The second day focuses on cleaning the cowshed and performing rituals with red clay and rice flour designs, followed by feeding the cow khichdi in a bamboo pot; leftovers are considered prasad. On the final day, the cowherd becomes the center of attention as he collects the decorative rope and sings and dances door-to-door, with households donating rice and staples to him. In the hilly regions, locals burn pieces of deodar and pine wood on small slabs of rock in every home, symbolizing their prayers for peace and prosperity.
7. Diwali Dandar Festival – Chandrapur, Maharashtra
In Chandrapur, the Diwali Dandar festival begins enthusiastically on Bhogi day in Yellapur, featuring around 75 to 80 tribal dolls. On the second day, Gaigondan was celebrated with tribal members wearing new clothes and offering prayers. Villagers decorated their cattle, lighting incense and breaking coconuts for worship. Homemade food was offered to the cows, and worship continued at every household. The community gathered at the village Patla’s house, where cowherds were honored. Women worship Gaigondan, adorned in new attire, with various deities acknowledged in a distribution system. Matri Shakti is revered, allowing menstruating women to participate freely in the celebrations.
8. Dandari-Gussadi Festival, Adilabad, Telangana
The tribals of the former Adilabad district eagerly celebrate the Dandari-Gussadi festival, a significant cultural event that begins about a week before Diwali. The festivities commence with a visit to the Padmalpuri Khako shrine, where offerings are made to the Godavari River. The week-long celebration starts with the Sakshe Akadi ritual and concludes on the dark moon day with the Devadi ceremony. Dancers, wearing traditional Gussadi topi made of peacock feathers, form Dandari troupes. The festival is marked by vibrant music and unique instruments, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the tribal communities.
9. Diwali – Bharuch, Gujarat
In Bharuch, tribal communities celebrate a unique 15-day Diwali festival that emphasizes health and nature. Instead of firecrackers, they burn various types of tree wood, believing the smoke purifies the air and promotes well-being. Each day, villagers greet one another, and traditional dances are performed. Tribals from regions like Netrang and Sagbara offer liquor and grains to their deities and worship their cattle, which are vital for farming and sustenance. Additionally, they honor trees and water sources, viewing the earth and sky as their primary gods. The festival culminates with a religious procession to ward off evil from their villages.
10. Diwali – Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
The Tharu community in the Kumaon region has transformed their observance of Diwali from a day of mourning to a vibrant celebration. Previously, they marked this day as Shardaiya Amavasya, offering “roti” to deceased family members and conducting last rites. However, over time, traditions have evolved, and now the Tharu people celebrate Diwali with enthusiasm, enjoying sweets and bursting crackers. According to community leaders, this change reflects broader transformations within the Tharu society over the past 40 years, as they embrace the festival of lights, departing from their earlier customs of remembrance for the departed.
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