PERNEM
But it was different on Saturday, as it was the last time that they celebrated the festival at the site, which has been earmarked for the Mopa airport. Many Dhangars felt sad to participate in their last Dussehra festival at Mopa.
"There are 14 houses of Dhangars on Mopa plateau and of them, 6 Dhangar households celebrate the traditional Dussehra," said Dhaku Babu Varak, a member from the Dhangar community.
"This place is considered god's place and we do not keep goat milk, fuel and liquor at home. If we touch these things, we wash our hands with cow dung and then enter our homes," he added.
"On Dussehra eve, we worship a stone which symbolises our ancestors and set up a matoli, similar to ones during Chaturthi. Later, all dhangars visit houses in the locality."
"On Dussehra day, family members gather at the plateau and worship god and our ancestors by offering them coconuts, chewing paan and betul nut. After the ceremony is performed, Dhangars perform traditional dance to the beats of drums," said Varak.
