CHANDRAPUR

During the rule of the British in India, the city of Chandrapur was known as Chanda. According to local texts, the city had been called "Lokpur" and even "Indpur" before becoming Chandrapur.

Near Chandrapur lies the city of Ballarpur, which was previously named Balharshah after King Balharshah, the tenth ruler of the Gond dynasty of Chanda. King Balharshah was known to suffer from tumors, a skin ailment.

One day while hunting in the northwest of Ballarpur, the king became thirsty and searched for water. He rode up to the dried river Jharpat and discovered water flowing from a hole in the ground. After drinking and washing his face, hands and feet in the water, the king had a very good sleep that night. When he awoke, his wife Queen Hiratani noticed that the parts of his body touched by the water had healed of his tumors.

The king and queen decided to visit the site again. After clearing away grass and mud, they found five holes set in solid rock, with continuous flowing water that looked like the footprints of a cow. It was believed this was the resting place of the dev Achaleshwar, dedicated to Shiva. Hence, Queen Hiratani decided to build a mandir over the healing waters and King Balharshah sent officers to collect skilled artisans for the construction. The mandir was later renovated by Queen Hirai using limestone and she added panels depicting stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata on the outer walls.

King Khandkya Balharshah would often ride across from Ballarpur, to supervise the work on the Achaleshwar mandir, he also used to always bring his favorite dog. One day, when the king was riding back to Ballarpur, a hare suddenly came out of a bush and started chasing his dog. The dog was running in panic, and the king followed the chase with astonishment. The dog sometimes ran in wide circles, while the hare took a shorter and more zigzag path. Once the hare managed to close in on the dog, but the dog quickly shaken off. The race continued until both animals were exhausted. It ended around the same place where they started after running for about 12 km back and forth, it was not far from the mandir. At last, the dog jumped and grasped the hare and killed it.

The king went back to Ballarpur and told the story to his queen. Queen Hiratani once again figured out the actual meaning of the events that had just occurred. Taking it as an omen sent by the devtas, Khandkya Balharshah changed his capital and built a fortified city around the mandir of Anchaleshwar. The chase is thought to be a metaphor for the town planning that the king was meant to follow. The walls of the city were built over the tracks of the  hare along with strong bastions in the places where the dog ran in a circle. Moreover, special fortifications had been done, where the hare had closed in on the dog and where the dog at the end killed the hare. It is thought that these spots would always be danger zones in the new city. This is how the city of Chanda or Chandrapur was founded, others believe it actually signifies the milky white spot on the hare's forehead.

The first structure of Chandrapur Mahakali mandir is believed to be built by Khandkya Balharshah when the Anchaleshwar mandir was also being built. However, the present structure is built by Queen Hirai remembering the victory of her husband, King Bir Shah, over their son-in-law.

It is said that King Bir Shah and Queen Hirai had a daughter named Mankunwar, who was married to Durgpal, the zamindar of Deogarh (near Wairagade). However, Mankunwar returned when Durgpal insulted her. King Bir Shah prayed to devi Mahakali and vowed that in the event of success, he would present her with Durgpal's head and make a bigger mandir as well. As promised, after winning the battle the king ceremoniously presented Durgpal's head to Mahankali. Later, a stone head of Durgpal was carved in on the shrine, gazing eastwards towards Deogarh, when Queen Hirai constructed the mandir.

Tragically, on the day of King Bir Shah's second wedding, he was murdered by his nobleman, Hiraman. Therefore, Queen Hirai, in memory of her husband, built her husband's tomb at Chandrapur near the Anchaleshwar mandir, and her son, Ram Shah also built a tomb for her.

The Seven Sisters Hills came to being when a rakshas, who was allegedly the son of a king, threatened the safety of women in nearby villages. The seven sisters, Ambai, Nimbai, Umai, Gaurai, Muktai, Pawarai, and Bhiwarai, bravely confronted the threat in the hills and defeated the rakshas, ensuring the safety of the women. These hills symbolize a dedication to women's safety and the unwavering courage of the seven sisters who risked their lives to protect their community.

In the humble village of Ingle, a young boy named Manik was born to Namdeo, a poor tailor. Manik's early life was marked by a strong affinity for music and spirituality. Despite his father's wishes for him to pursue education, Manik would often sit in mandirs, singing songs and learning the art of playing the khanjiri, a small, six-inch diameter instrument with a thin animal skin diaphragm played by one hand and held by the other.

As Manik grew older, he became fascinated with the teachings of the great saint Shri Adkoji Maharaj of Varkhed. He accepted Maharaj as his Guru and began to compose his own songs on the rhythm of the khanjiri, entertaining the villagers with his instant compositions.

After several years, Manik left his home and spent years in dense forests, seeking eternal knowledge (atmagyan). Upon his enlightenment, he returned to public life, becoming extremely popular for his easy-to-sing bhajans that resonated with the villagers. Mahatma Gandhi himself would often invite Manik to meetings and greatly appreciated his bhajans.

Manik's Guru, Shri Adkoji Maharaj, bestowed upon him the name Tukdoji, which he cherished deeply. As Tukdoji Maharaj, he entered the independence movement, inspiring people to participate in the struggle for independence. He wrote patriotic bhajans that awakened the villagers and compiled the volumes of "Gramgita," a book that became a spiritual guide for the villagers.

Tukdoji Maharaj's influence extended beyond India. He participated in the Vishwa Dharma Parishad (International Convention of Religions) held in Japan in 1955, receiving applause from the international community. During times of national calamity, he would help those in distress.

One of his most famous bhajans, "Mani Nahi Bhaav, Mhane Deva Mala Pav, Deo Bajarcha Bhaji pala Nahire," translates to "You have not made up your mind to give up your ego, and you want Bhagwaan to bless you, why? Do you think Bhagwaan is like vegetables available in any market?

Debuji Zhingraji Janorkar, popularly known as Sant Gadge Maharaj or Gadge Baba, was a remarkable figure who dedicated his life to the service of humanity. He was not a saint from the beginning, but his life took a transformative turn after a series of events that led him to adopt a path of spiritual growth and social reform.

Gadge Baba's journey began when he arrived at a farm early in the morning to help protect the jowar crop from predatory birds. As he sat on the machan, he felt the heat and grew drowsy. Suddenly, a stranger approached him, wearing a white kafni and long hair. The stranger's smile gave Debuji courage, and they began to talk. The stranger revealed that he had everything he needed and did not require anything from Debuji.

Later, Debuji went to Daryapur, but while he was away, a stranger came to the village, calling out for Devidas. The villagers told him that there was no one by that name. This stranger was indeed a mysterious figure, with long and disheveled hair and a torn and soiled kafni.

Debuji then attended a kirtan at the mandir, where the deeply devotional songs of Kabir and Tukaram's abhangas resonated deeply with him. He sat outside the mandir, lost in thought, as the night deepened. His mind was struggling to find a way to liberate the soul, and he was drawn to the teachings of the great saints of the past.

Gadge Baba's life was marked by two phases: his initial self-preparation through sadhana and his later role as an educator, social reformer, and preacher. He was guided by the teachings of Tukaram, a great Marathi saint, whose abhangas he often quoted in his Kirtans. Gadge Baba carried a broken earthen pot on his head, which served as a dish for food and a skull cap, making him easily recognizable.

Throughout his life, Gadge Baba earned his bread by working for the people. He would help a potter knead clay, a carpenter saw wood, or a blacksmith operate his bellows. He would also assist peasants in their fields and relieve old women of their heavy loads. When he did not find work, he would beg for food, calling out "Bhakar vadh ga baya" (o lady of the house bring bread for me).

At night, Gadge Baba would begin his Kirtans with the slogan "Gopala Gopala ! Devakinandan Gopala." He would ask various questions, such as "How many devtas are there?" and the people would respond in chorus, "One." He would then explain that this one Devta is the human.

Gadge Baba's teachings were simple and practical, making them accessible to even the uneducated and illiterate. He used his Kirtans to educate people about moral values like service to humanity, compassion, and the importance of not following blindly..

A huge pipal tree grew on the outskirts of Chandrapur. Under its sprawling branches, a strange murti called the Daitya Dev lay on the ground. This murti, fashioned from a single piece of stone, had a distinguishing feature, a vermilion mark known as shendur on its forehead, representing protection. It was believed that placing the murti on a farmer's field would unlock its ultimate power. As the crops fluttered in the gentle breeze, the farmers would make sacrifices to Daitya Dev, hoping for abundant harvests and protection for their land.

During the threshing season, when the golden grains were separated from the chaff, a part was always reserved for the asur. This offering, intended as a token of appreciation and appeasement, guaranteed that the threshing process went smoothly and successfully.

The most intriguing element of Daitya Dev was his notion that he could not be seen by mortals. Only a few, those chosen worthy by the Bhagwan, were supposed to have seen his full form. Some spoke about a towering, muscular creature with burnished bronze skin, while others spoke of a shapeshifting entity capable of taking on the form of a violent beast or a wise old elder.

The locals also thought that Daitya Dev had two different manifestations; Daita Hava and Vytur. Daita Hava was the Bhagwan's beneficent aspect, a defender of the lands and people. Vytur, on the other hand, was the more dangerous and unpredictable side, a formidable foe for those who dared to cross him.

As centuries went by, the tale of Daitya Dev flourished, becoming an important element of the village's cultural heritage. The murti stood silently in the shadows of the pimpal tree, seeing the people's joys and sorrows and reminding them of the secrets that still lie there.

As the first rains of the year fall, the Gond tribe gathers to prepare their pudya - a mixture of various seeds harvested from the field.

After conducting the Dandok to honour their devas, the Gond elders take the pudya and quietly walk around the villages, gently distributing a small piece at each farmer's doorway. This Bijur  is thought to be a blessing from the ancestors and the land itself. By dispersing the seeds silently, the Gonds beseech the spirits to protect the crops and ensure a fruitful harvest. When the farmers wake up in the morning, they fetch the Bijur powder and blend it into the seeds they will plant that day.

Bijur is a vidhi in which the Gonds honour their deep connection to the ground, passing along traditions that have sustained their community over generations.