Nagpur’s Marbat Festival: The Fiery Celebration That Burns Away Evil

Akanksha Tiwari

Aug 24, 2025, 13:55 IST

The Marbat Festival of Nagpur is a 150-year-old fiery tradition where giant effigies symbolizing evil are paraded through the streets and burned in a grand spectacle. Once meant to ward off epidemics, today the festival highlights both spiritual and social evils, uniting the community in a powerful celebration of hope, cleansing, and renewal.

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In the heart of Nagpur, every Shravan season, something extraordinary happens. Streets fill with colors, music, and giant effigies as locals celebrate the Marbat Festival, a 150-year-old tradition unlike any other in India. What makes it special is not just the fiery spectacle of burning Marbats but the deep symbolism of defeating evil, purifying society, and strengthening unity.

What is the Marbat Festival?

urs-festival, Ajmer

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The Marbat Festival, observed primarily in Nagpur, is celebrated on the second day of the Shravan month according to the Hindu calendar. The festival features massive effigies called Marbats (made of bamboo, hay, paper, and cloth), which symbolize evil forces, negativity, and social evils. These towering figures are paraded across the city before being set on fire, signifying the destruction of evil and the triumph of good.

The Origins of the Festival

Auspicious festival

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Historical accounts trace the festival back to the mid-19th century during a time when epidemics like cholera and plague plagued Nagpur. People believed that such disasters were caused by demonic forces or negative energies. To counter this, the community began creating effigies of evil spirits and burning them to drive away illness and darkness. Over time, this practice evolved into today’s vibrant Marbat Festival.

The Grand Procession

Vibrant Hindu festivals

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The festival day is nothing short of electrifying. Two giant effigies, the Kali (black) Marbat and Pivli (yellow) Marbat, are carried through the city in a huge procession. The streets echo with dhol beats, chants, traditional songs, and dancing. Local artisans spend weeks creating these effigies, painting them in bold colors to represent demonic energies or even social evils of modern times—ranging from corruption to inflation.

Social Commentary Through Marbats

India Hindu Festival

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What makes the Marbat Festival unique is how it adapts to the times. Effigies don’t just represent mythical demons—they often reflect current political, social, and economic issues. For example, some Marbats have been crafted to symbolize global warming, rising prices, or even corrupt practices. This ability to combine tradition with modern relevance makes the festival stand out as a living cultural commentary.

A Festival of Unity and Spirit

The Marbat Festival is not bound by religion or caste, it belongs to everyone in Nagpur. The burning of Marbats is more than ritual; it’s an act of collective hope, faith, and resilience. It brings together people across communities to remind them that evil, whether personal, social, or spiritual, can be defeated when society stands united.

A Fire That Purifies Society

The Marbat Festival is more than a spectacular display, it is a timeless tradition that blends history, faith, and social relevance. As the effigies rise in flames, they take with them the fears, evils, and negativity of society, leaving behind only hope, unity, and renewal. That’s why, for over 150 years, this fiery celebration has remained the pride of Nagpur and a symbol of the city’s spirit.

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Nagpur’s Marbat Festival: The Fiery Celebration That Burns Away Evil

Akanksha Tiwari

What is the Marbat Festival?

The Origins of the Festival

The Grand Procession

Social Commentary Through Marbats

A Festival of Unity and Spirit

A Fire That Purifies Society

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