The Bhils in the Adivasi calender have their indigenous feasts and festivals celebrated throughout the year. One such indigenous festival is Akha Teez which is called Bhil New Year in their terminology. The Bhils being agrarian and land owners, begin their New Year by appeasing the tribal ancestors, initiating agricultural activities in a symbolic manner and enjoying as usual by dancing and drinking home brewed Daru (country liquor) out of Mohwa tree flowers.
The exact activities for welcoming and celebrating the Bhil New Year in the district of Jhabua (MP) take place like this:
On the Akha Teej day that is Akshya Tritiya a feast of the Hindus for purchasing of the properties, ornaments, etc the Bhils assemble under some huge trees both men and women folks. The women as usual sing folk songs and perform folk-dances in honour of their folk-festival while menfolk sit under the trees, offer savaiya(sweet noodles) to their ancestors, cooked at home or under the trees. They also weave ropes out of hun(flex), read omens and signs in nature about coming of monsoon and the crops, try and train young bulls for ploughing, the rope to which they tie bull if it enlarges then they believe that the future crops shall yield well, if not contrary, prepare the fields for ploughing, and remove the husk, etc of the last crops from the fields which they pick up in the dankness of the night and burn it, spread cow dung manure, etc.
Under shadow of the trees they made fire over which they burn part of the savaiya( sweet dish ) as burn offerings to their own individual clan ancestors, offer them country liquor by drooping it on the ground or else they shall harm the crops or delay coming of the monsoons, etc. While these activities go on among the men folks, women folks of the village community sing and dance, men of the village share the liquor brought from the houses, make bride and bride grooms out of Khakhara leaves, marry them in usual Bhil Phera styles, and leave them there, boil corn and depart home for continuing field works.
The Bhil children have few more rituals and children games connected to the Bhil New Year which falls on the Hindi festival of Kha Teez (Akshya Tratiya). Sad to to the cultural rites are under damage due to various forces and hence they cultural, social expression of the tribal India are at a great loss.
