KHANDOBA - JEJURI

Here the staffs of Khaires of Supa, Holams of Sangamner and the Holkars of Indore enjoy precedence. When all the staffs are gathered together in the courtyard of the temple, the staff are raised up so as to reach the shikhar of the shrine. As soon as this rite is over the trek downwards starts. Literally hundreds of staffs, small and big are brought by various families and places. All along several musical instruments like tasha, marpha, sanai, dapha are blaring a queer symphony: halad, the yellow powder is sprinkled so much that everything, the faces, ornaments, dresses, palanquins, even the street becomes yellow. The dances of muralis provide the entertain- ments that would be still required. There are certain additional features to some of thesefestivals.

For example, on the occassion of the Pausha-yatra a very big market for donkeys is held near the plains of the Jejuri hills. Merchants all the way from Saurashtra trek down to this bazar with large flocks of donkeys. Hundreds of these animals change hands during the yatra and it is perhaps the biggest donkey- exchange’ held in western Maharashtra.

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