When is Hareli?
Hareli is a regional public holiday in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh on the Sravana Amavasya, the new moon at the start of the month of Shravan, a holy month for Hindus. This means it falls in either July or August in the Gregorian calendar.
Traditions of Hareli
Hareli is an agricultural festival celebrated by the many rural farming communities in the state.
The name of this popular and famous festival comes from the Hindi word "Haryali" which means greenery, which abounds at this time of year as the annual monsoon season is in full swing. Fittingly it is Kutki Dai, the goddess of crops who is the focus of worship during the festival as the farmers seek her help in ensuring they will have plentiful crops.
Hareli festival is of special importance among the Gondi people, one of the main ethnic groups in the state. During this time the farmers of Chhattisgarh worship their equipment. The farmers pray for a good harvest and the basic theme of this festival is nature-centric. The rituals are simple, though the importance of a good crop ensure the prayers are ardent.
During the Hareli festival, people place branches of the Bhelwa tree in their respective fields. They also put branches of Neem tree on the entrance of their houses. Neem has medicinal properties that prevent diseases as well as insects.
The Hareli festival of Chhattisgarh is also marked by playing 'Gedi', a game where small children use bamboo sticks as stilts and walk around the fields.
