Shani Eknath Sonavane

Author

Mamta Pared

Medha Kale

Editor and Translator

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As the Maai&nbsp;month ends, we eagerly wait for the festival of Shimga. In our Warli language, the twelve calendar months are Chait, Vaishaakh, Jeth, Aakhaar, Shraavan, Bhaadwa, Ashwin, Kaartik, Makasheer, Poos, Maai, and Phalgun (also called Shimga).&nbsp;A week or two weeks before the day of Shimga, we collect wood and erect and burn miniature bonfires called holi. We spend the entire night playing traditional games such as aatya paatya. Coming together on the full moon’s night, the fifteenth day of Phalgun, we build a large bonfire by arranging wooden branches and twigs. Only men take part in this ritual. A long bamboo with its leaves is brought from the forest. A garland of flowers, sugar crystals known as gaathi and rice crackers are tied to the bamboo. A small chick of a black hen is also tied at the tip. This bamboo is placed right in the centre and wood collected from the surrounding forests is arranged around it.&nbsp;This structure is called holi. People worship the holi by breaking open a coconut. A pudharkhi, an elder from the village makes the announcement (dawandi) in the entire village and the holi is lit.In old times, all people from the village and its hamlets lit a common one and celebrated the festival together. Those who are married before the Shimga&nbsp;come and worship it by going around the lit holi five times. The real festivities start in the night with a lot of banter and fun. Men and women of all ages spend the night pulling pranks, cracking jokes and flirting with each other. That is how we celebrate the joyous occasion. Small children in different attires go house to house and humour people. In turn they demand some gift or money. Shimga festival brings much joy and laughter to all.

People sing many songs on this occasion. A few of these songs were recorded by PARI reporter late Mamta Pared in 2022 while documenting the Dawar language as spoken in Talasari taluka of Palghar district. A Warli Adivasi herself, Mamta reported on the lives of the vulnerable communities, including her own. (Read: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/article/in-memory-of-mamta-pared-1998-2022">In memory of Mamta Pared: 1998-2022</a>)The day after holi, in every house, the most respected person of the family makes preparations for another ritual. This one is to celebrate the arrival of the first fruit of the season. It is mostly mango. The fruit is worshipped and shared with each and every member of the household. We do not eat mangoes before this ritual. Through all these rituals we worship nature and therefore the Warli community is known as ‘nisarga poojak’ - one that worships nature. The fifth day after holi&nbsp;is the festival of colours, the ranga-panchami. This day marks the end of the Shimga festival.

Song 1: Celebrating ShimgaSinger: Sanjay Raghu Morgha Language: Dawar Location: Vevaji (Katelpada), Taluka: Talasari, District: Palghar, Maharashtra Recording and Interview: Mamta Pared May 2022

Song 2: Give and takeSinger: Navasu Ramesh Bendga, Devku Raghu Morgha Language: Dawar Location: Vevaji (Katelpada), Taluka: Talasari, District: Palghar Recording and Interview: Mamta Pared May 2022

About the paintingArtist: Shani Sonavane, Khanivali, taluka Bhivandi, District ThaneThe painting depicts the festival of Shimga with all its festivities and fun. From the top left corner, you see an old person enjoying a few puffs of his beedi. Some people are splashing water on each other. A newly married couple arrives in a bullock cart and those in the procession are dancing to their heart’s content with drum beats (left bottom). At the centre, one can see a few men lighting the holi with the bamboo at the centre. A garland of flowers and the small black chicken on its tip is shown. A joyous occasion is expressed through this painting.&nbsp;

The story was originally reported in Marathi.&nbsp;English Translation of songs: Namita Waikar and Shani SonawanePARI's Endangered Languages Project (ELP), is part of an initiative supported by Azim Premji University.&nbsp; It aims to document the vulnerable languages of India through the voices and lived experiences of people who speak them.&nbsp;Dawar (also spelled as Davar/Davari) is a variety of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://language.census.gov.in/showMTSIdata">Warli</a> (also spelled as Varli/Varali) spoken in the border areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat and is a potentially vulnerable language. These songs are documented as spoken in Palghar, Maharashtra.&nbsp;

Welcoming spring the Warli way

وارلی گیتوں کی بہار

વસંતનું સ્વાગત વારલીમાં

வசந்த காலத்தை வார்லி முறையில் வரவேற்றல்

ਵਾਰਲੀ ਸਮਾਜ ਇੰਝ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਬਸੰਤ ਦਾ ਸਵਾਗਤ

ବସନ୍ତର ଆଗମନକୁ ୱର୍ଲି ଢଙ୍ଗରେ ସ୍ଵାଗତ 

വർളി ശൈലിയിൽ വസന്തത്തെ വരവേൽക്കുമ്പോൾ

वारल्यांची होळी आणि वसंताचं स्वागत

ವರ್ಲಿ ಜನರ ವಸಂತದ ಸಂಭ್ರಮ

वारली गीतों का वसंत

बसंत के स्वागत वारली इस्टाइल में 

বসন্তের আগমনী উৎসবে সরগরম ওয়ারলি পাড়া 

ৱাৰ্লিসকলৰ বসন্তোত্সৱ 

Palghar

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Welcoming spring the Warli way

Shimga, celebrated at the onset of summer, is a special festival for many communities in Maharashtra. Here is how Warli Adivasis celebrate it

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