A delegation of Goncha Mahaparva Organising Committee led by Jagdalpur MLA Kiran Dev paid a courtesy call on CM Vishnu Dev Sai at his residence tonight. The delegation extended an invitation to the Chief Minister to attend the Goncha Mahaparva at divisional headquarters Jagdalpur. He said that this festival, which is being celebrated continuously for more than six hundred years, is a symbol of social harmony and love in Bastar.
The festival, the longest after Bastar Dussehra, began on June 11 with the Chandan Yatra. The representatives informed that as part of the festival, Netrotsav Puja will be held on June 26 and Shri Goncha Rath Yatra on June 27. The Mahaparva will conclude with Bahuda Goncha Rath Yatra on July 5. On this occasion, the delegation felicitated CM Vishnu Dev Sai by presenting him ‘Tupki’ as per the tradition of Bastar.
It is noteworthy that there is a centuries-old tradition of dripping in the Goncha Mahaparva. The tribals of Bastar prepare a drip from a poly bamboo tube, into which the fruit of a particular plant is inserted and pressed forcefully, producing a cracker-like sound. CM Vishnu Dev Sai while expressing gratitude for the invitation extended warm greetings on the occasion of Goncha Mahaparva.
The delegation included 360 Ghar Aranyak Brahman Samaj President Ved Prakash Pandey, Goncha Samiti President Chintamani Pandey, Hemant Pandey, Rajneesh Panigrahi, Narendra Panigrahi, Sudarshan Panigrahi, Purushottam Joshi, Mukteshwar Pandey, Banamali Panigrahi, Dinesh Panigrahi, Dileshwar Pandey, Prashant Panigrahi, Devshankar Panda, Vijay Pandey, Atmaram Joshi, Dev Krishna Panigrahi, Jayaprakash Padhi, Vaibhav Pandey, Chuman Pandey, Som Prakash Joshi, Venudhar Panigrahi, Pradeep Padhi, Somesh Joshi among others.