The tribals residing across Bokaro have geared up for the harvest festival ‘Tusu’. The festival is basically celebrated as a harvest carnival, with traditional fanfare and gaiety. Primarily celebrated by unmarried tribal girls of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa, this festival is noted for its colorful songs, which express the stories and the experiences of livelihood.
The three-day festival kicked-off on Sunday with great fun-fare will continue till 14 January while in a few parts it will be observed for a week. The small and moderate scale hotels literally close down their shops, as most of the labourers go on holiday during the festivity here.
Young girls prepare the idols of Goddess ‘Tusu’ with clay and later go to a nearby river where they then sanctify themselves by taking a dip. After taking a bath, the females start praising the Goddess by singing various local songs. These songs are known as Tusu in Bengal.
A plate of rice is also offered to the deity on the occasion, said Anand Mahato a resident of Bhatua Basti at Bokaro Steel City.
Tusu Parab in Bengal does not involve any kind of musical apparatus as such and is enriched by vocal variations only. Having a rich and religious significance, Tusu Parab acts as a medium of devotional expression of the girls, he said.
For its rituals people thronged the banks of rivers on Sunday. Fairs were also organized on the bank of the river which draws a lot of people every year, said Mahato.
Anil, a resident of Balidih said, Mela is a traditional part of Tusu, it is organised with an aim to bring the traditional tribal culture and tribal artisans to the limelight.
“Tusu Parab derived its origin from the cultural roots of Birbhum district; celebrated during the holy occasion of Makara Sankranti and performed only by the girls,” he added.
Makara Sankranti depicts the auspicious harvest season of rural Bengal. The girls of every peasant family participate in Tusu Parab with the hope that the Goddess will shower holy blessings on them.
On this auspicious eve, various tribal groups carried the idol of Goddess Tusu for immersion.
The festival is celebrated as a harvest carnival, with traditional fanfare and jollity every year, he said.
