Bailpola

 Pola or Bailpola is a festival of bulls celebrated on the new moon day of Shravan or Bhadrapada new moon day, depending on the region. It is a Marathi festival expressing gratitude towards bulls and is celebrated on a grand scale especially in Vidarbha , and also in the Madhya Pradesh and Telangana border areas bordering Vidarbha. Those who do not have agriculture worship a clay bull. Along with the festivals of Nagpanchami , Narali Pournima , Rakshabandhan, Gokulashtami , 'Pola' is a Sarja-Raja festival celebrated on Pithori Amavasya in the middle of Shravan throughout Maharashtra.

Appearance-                                                                                                                                                  This day is a day of rest for the bulls. The bulls are invited (invited) on the day before the bulls are taken to the river/river and bathed. They are then given pasture and brought home. On this day, the shoulders of the bull (the part where the neck is attached to the body) are roasted with turmeric and ghee. This is called 'Khand Shekne' or 'Khand Shekne'. They are given an embroidered shawl, ochre dots all over their bodies, a beggar on their horns, a bashing on their head, a garland of kavadya and ghungar around their necks , a new vesan , a new kasra (a rope for covering the bells), and silver or kardoda toda (a rope made of copper) on their feet. They are offered sweet puranpoli and delicious food to eat. The 'Bailkari', who takes care of the bull, is given new clothes.

Tanha Bail Pola is celebrated in Vidarbha. In many parts of Vidarbha, Bail Pola is celebrated for two consecutive days. On the first day, there is a big Bail Pola and on the second day, there is a small Bail Pola. On the day of the big Bail Pola, farmers decorate and worship the bull, while on the day of the small Bail Pola, the farmers' children decorate the clay bulls they have brought for them and take them from house to house. In return, people please these Bakgopals by giving them money or gifts. There is enthusiasm among the farmers for this festival. Farmers buy decorations for their bulls according to their means to make them stand out. They decorate the bulls and participate in the procession of the Pola. A large mango leaf toran is built on the field (akhara) near the village border. On this festival day, a mango leaf toran is built for every house in the villages of Maharashtra. All the bullock pairs in the village are brought together near it, playing the Vajantri, Sanai, Dhol, and Tashe. At this time, there is a custom of singing ' Jadatya ' (songs of the hive). After that, the 'Manavaik' (the one who is respected in the village - the village Patil/rich landlord) breaks the pyre and the hive 'bursts'. Then the bulls are taken to the temple of Maruti and then taken home and waved. The bull driver is given 'Bojara' (money). This festival is considered to be of special importance among the farmers and is celebrated with great enthusiasm.

Karnataka-                                                                                                                                                   In some areas on the Maharashtra - Karnataka border, for example in Kolhapur district, Karnataka Bendur is celebrated. This festival is celebrated on the second day of Vat Poornima . On this day, bulls are given a rest from agricultural work. Bulls are decorated and paraded like a beehive. In the evening, there is a tax-cutting program.

Pola is a thanksgiving festival celebrated by farmers in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, to acknowledge the importance of bulls and oxen, who are a crucial part of agriculture and farming activities. It falls on the day of the Pithori Amavasya  in the month of Shraavana. During Pola, farmers don't work their bulls in the farmland and the day is a school holiday in the rural parts of Maharashtra.

The festival is found among Marathas in central and eastern Maharashtra. A similar festival is observed by Farmers in other parts of India, and is called Mattu Pongal in south and Godhan in north and west India. In Telangana, a similar festival is celebrated on full moon day and is called Eruvaka Purnima

Celebrations- Children with Figures of animals made for Pola Festival, ca. 1916. In preparation for the festival, bulls are washed and massaged with oils. They are decorated with shawls, bells, and flowers, their horns are coloured, and they get new reins and ropes. The decorated bulls and oxen are walked in procession to the village field accompanied by music and dancing. The first bullock to go out is an old bullock with a wooden frame tied on its horns. This bullock is made to break a toran, a rope of mango leaves stretched between two posts, and is followed by all the other cattle in the village.

Homes in the village are decorated with rangolis and toran on top of doors. Puja thalis with kumkum, water, and sweets are prepared, and when the cattle is returned from the procession they are formally greeted by family members, with an earthen lamp with ghee for puja and aarti. On the following day, children decorate wooden bulls with beads and flowers. Ornaments for decorating cattle during pola.

On this day in Chhattisgarh, Lodhi Rajputs bring home-made sweets and dishes like thethri, khurmi, chakli to the homes of their sisters and daughters.