NONESUCH EXPEDITIONS   FOUNDED IN 1962
  
 
 
University of Bristol Trans-Continental Expedition 1960-61
 PUSEGAON, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
Shri Sevagiri Fair 1960

Pusegaon is famous throughout Maharashtra because the Sevagiri Temple and annual fair attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims. The fair is a festival held at the end of December for two years running and then in early January every third year. The central piece of the event is the drawing of the ceremonial ratha through the streets, carrying priests and the wise men.

Here you will find a short account of the fair in the time when Pusegaon had approximately 2,500 inhabitants. Even then half a century ago crowds filled the streets for 13 days from the 13th to 27th December

 

Picture on Ektachrome - 6 x 6 processed by Kodak, Mumbai, 1960. Black and white negatives were processed by Tony Morrison in Pusegaon
CLICK ON A THUMBNAIL TO SEE A LARGER PICTURE

From the 1960 'photo' diary of Tony Morrison 'Pusegaon fair Dec 15th - 27th Procession Dec 17th

Village population 2,500. Fair day as an estimate 50,000 . Animals the cattle show in the region 5,000. A large chariot (ratha) - coloured blue silver and white is drawn through the streets by the crowds.On this are seated the religious leaders and wise men of the village - standing are other people to receive money. Thousands of rupee notes are strung finally all over the decorations. Other gifts are given or presented to the saint, notably mirrors and a cobra (live).

Along the streets other people dance, play music and there are magicians and horn players - a huge horn or 'trumpet' as we were told is about 3 feet six inches in diameter.

Children with balloons, streamers of a variety of colours with red being dominant. All were wearing best sarees and turbans with many decorations and jewellery

Stalls with a variety of sweetmeats in the main streets. laru, jelabi, bajees (potato, herbs, turmeric - fried)'

Peter Krinks made a short report 'The Pusegaon Annual Fair'. It was large and well organised . There were impressive displays of cattle and other livestock ; colourful wrestling matches; a magnificent religious procession with bands and dancers.

On the night of 17th a famous Marathi play,' Lagnarchar ' was presented by about 12 actors and 8 musicians from outside, hired by the villagers for about Rs 1000 [1000 rupees] Photos were not taken at night

The text and most of the images are © Copyright
For any commercial use please contact
THE NONESUCH - FLOWER OF BRISTOL
AN EMBLEM FOR ENTERPRISE