Nagpur: The streets of East Nagpur erupted with chants of “Eeda, peeda gheun jaa ge Marbat” (Take away all social evils and human miseries) on Saturday, August 23, as thousands of citizens poured out to witness the fiery spectacle of the traditional Kali and Pili Marbat procession.
The 145-year-old festival, celebrated only in Nagpur, once again turned into a vibrant mix of devotion, protest, and satire, with massive effigies of Kali (black) and Pili (yellow) paraded through the city before being burnt to symbolize the destruction of evil forces.
Targeting evils, old and new
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18 Aug 2025
This year’s Marbats reflected the common man’s angst against a range of issues, inflation, corruption, soaring power bills, smart meters, and the menace of addiction. People carried placards and raised slogans, turning the festival into a platform for collective frustration and social commentary.
Adding a global twist, the Badgyas, smaller effigies representing contemporary villains, took aim at international and national figures. Among them was a special effigy of former U.S. President Donald Trump, criticized for imposing 50% import tariffs on Indian goods. Another set of Badgyas symbolically condemned the terrorists responsible for the recent Pahalgam attack, blending satire with outrage.
The Kali Marbat, led by the Shri Devasthan Panch Committee, Itwari Bardana Market, Nehru Putala, and the Pili Marbat, organized by Nagoba Devasthan, Tarhane Teli Samaj, started from different routes before converging at Nehru Putla Square. As the two towering effigies met, citizens celebrated the symbolic union by showering flower petals on them.
The joint procession wound through major city squares, Nehru Putla, Kotwali, Gandhi Putla, T-Point, and Amravati Road, with crowds dancing to the thunder of Dhol-Tasha and the beats of DJ music.
A people’s voice through tradition
Organizers stressed that the Marbats are not just a cultural tradition but also a voice of the people. “Every year, these effigies reflect the burning issues tormenting society, whether it’s rising prices or political decisions. The Badgyas allow us to vent our fury through satire,” they explained.
The climax came when the Kali and Pili Marbat effigies were finally set ablaze, their crackling flames cheered on by thousands, as if to signal the collective desire to purge society of its ills.
Even after more than a century, Nagpur’s Marbat festival continues to be more than just a spectacle, it remains a rare blend of tradition, resistance, and people’s power.
