Saleksa: The center of faith of tribals in Kachargarh / Dhanegaon, located in Saleksa tehsil on the border of Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh, is organized in Kachargad from February 14 to 18 this year by Mahagongona Koyapoonem Mahapuja Kachargad Trust Saleksa following the COVID rules. In which the Gondian society has been urged that in this Mahapuja, men in their Gondian garb like yellow and white colored dhoti, kurta, gamchha and women will be allowed to enter the Mahapuja only by wearing yellow and white colored jhela.
In the worship, only turmeric, rice, lemon and mahua flowers can be offered. Similarly, devotees have been urged by the trust that they will be able to attend the worship by following the rules of COVID. An appeal has been made to the devotees to take advantage of Mahapuja, by Pari Kopar Lingo Maa Kali Kankali Penthana (Devsthan), Kachargarh, Dhanegaon.
It is noteworthy that in the country of India, Kachargarh was known as Gondwana Kingdom. It was spread over present-day Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Gondwana was the kingdom of Gond tribals and even today glimpses of the history of this empire are visible in these areas. One such glimpse is found in the caves of Kachargarh.
The Cachargarh Caves are located on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in the Saleksa tehsil. These caves are situated amidst the greenery and natural beauty of the hills. Not many people know about the Cachargarh caves. But once a year, this place becomes the center of tribal activities, when in the month of February, the Gond tribal society’s Mahakumbh is held here. In this fair, more than five lakh people of Gond community from every corner of the country participate.
Situated at an altitude of 518 meters, it is believed that the first Guru of the Gond community, Pahandi Pari Kopar Lingo, discovered this cave hundreds of years ago and liberated thirty three crore children of Mata Kali Kankali.
Thirty three crore gods and goddesses were named after the tribal community children were freed from the cave. Today these deities are worshiped in Gond society. In every house, village-city and locality, there is a temple in the form of trees-plants, water, forest, land, river, pond, mountain-mountain and trident, furrow, arrows, weapons and agricultural implements. Apart from this, gods and goddesses also reside in animals and plants. In the Gond society, things made by nature and man are worshiped, because it is believed that gods and goddesses reside in them all.
The religious places of the Gond tribals located in the cave are presented to Kali Kankali. The Gond naturalistic religion was established in this cave. Lingo is known as Kachargarh Cave. The religious guru gathered small Gond communities and combined them all to form a new religion. After this, the Gond kings established their own small kingdoms and divided the royal system into 4 departments – Yerguttakor, Ummoguttakor, Sahimalguttakor and Afokaguttakor. Every year during the Kachargarh fair, the people of the Gond community celebrate and keep alive their cultural traditions in the form of music, song, dance and theatre.
Events from 14 to 18 February
Asia’s largest cave is in Kachargad. A grand fair is organized here every year in the month of Magh. Tribal people from many states of the country including Maharashtra come to this fair in Mahapuja. This Mahagongona Koyapoonem Mahapuja has been organized by the Kachargad Trust from 14th to 18th February this year in Kachargad, the center of faith of the tribals.