Every village in India has its own peculiar rites and rituals connected with their village deity. Such rituals are unique and are intrinsically linked to the identity of the village deity and its people.
Sindhudurga district, known as south Konkan region of Maharastra, has one such peculiar ritual called ‘Gav -palan’ literally meaning “ Running (away) from the village”. Why do people want to run away from the village? And from whom are they running away?

Let us find out.

This unusual practice of ‘gav- palan’ is practiced in Chindar, Achara, and Vaigani villages of Sindhudurg district. No one knows how old is this practice, but during ‘gav- palan” ritual for three days and three nights the whole village moves out of the village (runs away from) and temporarily settles down  outside the village boundary. All the communities belonging to various religious sects take part in this ritual of temporary exodus. Gav-palan ritual takes place every three years. The village elders along with various community heads, chief priest of the shrine and the oracle who is the medium between the man and the god, gather at the shrine of Shri Ravalnath- which is the main deity of Chindar village. Villagers then consult Ravalnath through the oracle for his permission to conduct the ritual of gav-palan’. If the God responds positively through the oracle, the ritual date is fixed by the chief priest of the village. On the day of “gav- palan” a group of men begin drumming a huge drum to announce the time to shift out of the village. People immediately gather all their family members along with their livestock and pets and enough ration and firewood for three days. Locking their homes they place a coconut leaf mat in-front of the main-door indicating the house is now empty and no living beings are inside the house. Thus for three days and three nights the whole village turns into a ghost town with not a living thing in sight. Why would the whole village abandon their homes for three days and three nights with no living creatures left behind?
The village elders explain the origin of this ritual through this tale.

The lore says – long long ago, an evil spirit in the form of a wild boar (varah) started troubling the villagers of Chinder by destroying their plantations and killing people. Tired and frustrated by the wild boar’s evil deeds people left the village. But an old lady who was too old to walk, stayed behind in the village. She lived alone in the Chinder village. One day a man and his nephew who had lost their way in the jungle while hunting landed in Chindar village in the night. When they saw the old lady’s home they approached her for night shelter. The old lady welcomed them and gave them food and shelter. She also told them about the evil spirit- a wild boar, and his evil deeds . The man and his young nephew reassured her that they would eliminate the boar and bring peace to the village. They killed the boar and eventually settled in the village of Chinder. Village also came to be known as “Mama-bhachyache ganv” meaning ‘Village established by the Uncle and his Nephew’ in local parlance. However, the wild boar was the leader of the bhutas and pishachhas or the evil spirits and goblins. The spirits then approached the village god Ravalnath asked him  “Now that our leader is killed, where do you want us to go? We have no place to live?” Ravalnath assured them that the villagers will leave the village for three days and nights when bhutas can occupy the village on those days. Thus the ritual of ‘gav-palan’ was established. It is believed by leaving the village for the ghosts and other spirits for three days, God Ravanath made a pact with the spirits to establish peace in the village.

Interestingly another ritual conducted by the end of the three days period is called as ‘dev-palan” literally meaning “running (towards) the god”. As the three day period comes to an end – the village elders along with priests and the oracle go to the Ravalanath temple. There they consult the god again asking his permission for the villagers to return to their homes. As the god agrees, people start returning to their homes; but then the oracle scoots away to the village boundary. The village head, priests, shamans follow the oracle. This act is called as ‘dev-palan’ running towards the god or seeking the god. For the next three days and three nights. The village head consults the god Ravalnath through the medium of oracle on problems related to village administration. God Ravalnath, thus resolves the issues by speaking through the medium.

This unique rituals of ‘Gav-palan’ and ‘Dev palan’ brings people and communities together for three days and nights. Families and friends enjoy it as a family outing playing , singing and cooking special foods.
Story collected by : Vidya kamat
As narrated by : Makarand Kelkar
Location Sindhudurg- Maharashtra
Image Copyright :Vidya kamat