In our first month as fellows in Sukma, my co-fellow Akanksha and I were invited by a coworker Bhima at Shiksharth to attend Aam Pandum, a local festival celebrating the mango harvest. Excitement bubbled within us as we were eager to immerse ourselves in the culture we had heard so much about. This visit offered our first real glimpse into the tribal practices and traditions that shape everyday life in this region.
This photo story invites you on a journey to capture the village’s beauty and the vibrant Aam Pandum celebrations through my lens.
First Encounter With The Majestic Mahua Tree
It was our first time standing so close to a Mahua tree, which is in full bloom during March.
Akanksha stood beneath its wide branches, admiring the Mahua flowers, which are vital to the local community’s culture and traditions.
A few children followed us as Bhima ji, led us to the Mahua tree where his family gathers flowers. In the picture on right, you can see Bhima ji’s mother, carefully collecting the fallen Mahua flowers. Below is an image of Bhima’s house and its front facade.
The Arrival
We arrived about an hour before the celebrations began, so I decided to take a little tour. As an architect, I have always found myself drawn to mud walls and thatched roofs. Standing there, I couldn’t help but get excited at the thought of sketching the external wall sections of the house!
The outside of the house was as fascinating as it could be. A wooden plank fence enclosed the yard, where villagers spread Mahua flowers out on the ground to dry. Seeing them, I couldn’t help but think, “one day, I’m definitely going to try the drink made from these flowers!” Villagers laid out Imli (tamarind) pods on the asbestos roof to dry, as they are a key ingredient in local dishes. To my surprise, the mango trees were full of the fruit, hanging heavily from the branches.
It was a good decision to step inside for some shade, as the temperature under the Mangalore-tiled roof was at least 3-4 degrees cooler. Before heading out for the ceremony in the forest, we took a moment to drink water and hydrate. We drank water from clay pots placed on a simple wooden stand, positioned beside a mud wall coated with lime plaster. The plaster not only gave the wall a charm but also helped keep the inside of the house cool.
It was finally time to head to the forest for the ceremony.
It was a 10-minute walk from the village to the tree in the forest where the ceremony was to take place. They held the ceremony under a tree known as मर्द माडम (mard madam) in Gondi. Bhima ji’s father carefully laid out some metal rings called टापर (taapar) at the base of the tree. Family members gathered around him as he began chanting prayers.
A Ceremony Under The Tree
After the prayers under the tree, we returned to the village temple, a simple shelter built around a Mahua tree. A few clay idols stood there, known as सेवक (sevak) by the villagers. Villagers believe that these idols—representing a tortoise, elephant, horse, and bull—protect their families and the village.
In the first picture, Bhima ji’s father prepares holy water, called जात पानी (jaat paani – which has nothing to do with caste, I assure you!), traditionally made by mixing cow’s milk with water. However, due to the unavailability of milk these days, the villagers use the sap of the Mahua tree instead. They consider the Mahua tree sacred, referring to it as देंग गोआट (deng goaat) in Gondi — देंग (deng) meaning “high” and गोआट (goaat) meaning “cow.”
In the second picture, Bhima ji is playing with his nephew. Bhima joined the organization in 2018 as a rural fellow and hails from the village of Nilawaram, located 11km from Sukma. Now climbing the professional ladder, he works as a STEM Coordinator at Shiksharth, where he oversees the community educators.
Family members joined the ceremony, seeking blessings by placing their hands on the pot of जात पानी (jaat pani) for the ceremony. They refer to this act as मिलान (milaan). Villagers believe this ceremony unites families, helping them set aside worries and disagreements while seeking forgiveness from the gods.
Time To Harvest
The ceremony was over, and now it was time to harvest the mangoes from the trees. Villagers wait for the mangoes to fully grow before they harvest and enjoy them after the ceremony. This practice is just one of many that reflects the community’s deep connection with nature.
A happy face after tasting the first mangoes of the season.
A bit of shenanigans occurred as we headed out for aam pandum, stealing the imli along the way.
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