Bali Raja festival and fair held at Temani village in Gondia tehsil

Gondia, 13th: The Bali Raja festival was celebrated at Temani village in the tehsil on Balipratipada (the 9th), as it is every year. Various social organisations marked the festival on the village boundary, on the occasion of the fair held after Govardhan Puja. The stated aim was to strengthen the bond of the original Sindhu (Hindu) people, such as farmers, working people and labourers, with Bali Raja's egalitarian and justice-based order.

A garland of flowers was offered to the statue of Mahasamrat Bali Raja. He was remembered with gratitude to the cry of "Ida pida tale, Bali ka rajya aaye, Mahasamrat Bali Raja ki jai ho".

Khemendra Katre, convener of the OBC Adhikar Manch, set out the background to the festival and explained Bali Raja's cultural significance and the bond of the country's farmers, working people and labourers with his culture.

Headmaster Ravi Ambule Mali explained the struggle between Bali Raja and the non-Vedic culture of this country. He said the struggle that has run from Bali Raja's time down to the farmers is very important, and that, in view of this whole background, people should recognise their enemies. He said that a handful of people of the same tendency that killed Bali Raja still do not let the welfare of the majority OBC, Dalit, Adivasi, women, farmer and working communities be thought of. He said this should be reflected upon.

The event was organised by Naresh Parihar, an office-bearer of the OBC Adhikar Manch in Temani. Kailas Bhelave of the OBC Sangharsh Samiti, the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch of Temani, the village police patil, and the presidents of the dispute-free committee, the school management committee and the service cooperative society, along with respected villagers, were present.