On Friday, thousands of people thronged the streets of Nagpur, Maharashtra, to celebrate the Marbat festival with religious zeal.
According to custom, believers march in a procession carrying effigies of demonic entities. The primary attractions of the procession are the clay effigies or ‘Marbats’ of Kali (black) and Pivli (yellow), which are burned by the villagers. The 150-year-old celebration is solely held in Nagpur.
According to local legend, these statues absorb negativity and societal problems as they parade through the streets, and the organizers frequently highlight various social and national issues through this celebration.
The effigies, which are displayed across the city, follow a predetermined itinerary before meeting at the city’s Nehru Chowk. The effigies are burned at the end of the celebration.