Bhils’ Gavri Festival
The Bhil community of Mewar in Rajasthan annually celebrates Gavri, a 40-day ritual festival. This event involves dance-dramas, songs, and religious ceremonies dedicated to their deity Gorkhiya Mata. For the first time, this vibrant tradition has been showcased to a wider audience through a photo exhibition at the India International Centre Art Gallery. The exhibition marks the rich oral literature and cultural heritage of the Bhils.
The Gavri Festival and Its Significance
Gavri is performed after the full moon night of Raksha Bandhan in August. It honours the goddess Parvati, whom the Bhils regard as their sister. The festival is a deeply spiritual and social event where Bhil troupes travel to villages across Udaipur and nearby districts. They perform khels—dance-dramas filled with trance-like states, songs, and religious rites. These performances invoke the deity Gorkhiya Mata and celebrate Bhil identity and faith.
Performance and Social Dynamics
The Gavri festival creates a carnivalesque atmosphere. It combines dance, parody, and humour to challenge caste and class hierarchies. No authority figure, including kings and gods, escapes satire. Male performers enact female roles due to the patriarchal nature of the society, creating rare moments of gender fluidity. During the festival, Bhils are revered as gods, a status that contrasts sharply with their usual social position.
Cultural and Historical Narratives
Popular dance dramas like ‘Badliya Hindwa’ express the Bhils’ deep connection to nature. Others, such as ‘Bhilurana’, narrate their historical resistance against invaders like the Mughals and the British East India Company. These plays end with salutations to the goddess and warnings against violating nature or Bhil sovereignty. The festival thus serves as a medium for cultural preservation and political expression.
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