Sandeep Nema
Just before Holi, the festival of colours, the three districts of Alirajpur, Jhabua and Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh host a tribal festival called Bhagoria. Apart from having all the trappings of a colourful and kitschy village fair, the festival serves as a matromonial platform, for couples who have been seeing each other, secretly or otherwise. On the day of the fair, one sees young men with ghungroos (bells) around their feet and waists, high on toddy, dancing to the beat of drums and flutes. As men enter the fair, they keep joining the group for a round of dancing.
The Bhil tribe
Tribe Bhil
Geography Central India
State Madhya Pradesh
Bhil is one of the largest tribes in South Asia and constitutes 40% of the total population of Rajasthan. This tribal community can be located in the Aravalli Ranges of Rajasthan. The word Bhil is derived from the Vil or Bil, which means bow. In the history of India, the Bhil tribe were highly valuable as fighters against the Mughals, Britishers, and the Marathas.
