Garuwasi Paabni-Depawali Festival Of Rajbanshi Community

Depawali Festival is Known as Garuwasi Pabni in Rajbanshi language. It is celebrated among the people of Rajbanshi Community on the day of Kartik Chaturdashi by worshiping Goddess Laxmi and God Kuber. They celebrate this festival by collecting the Jute stick and making tripod (Tekthi) out of that and a torch (Hukka Hukki) . Those tipods made up of jute canes are used to hold lighted clay lamps (Dhifa ) during evening time before beginning the Laxmi puja. The Rajbanshi peoples visit their farmland during evening time where they builds a temporary Jute canes temple and keeps five horse made up of a type of aquatic plant named Kuiliya inside that temple. Rajbanshi peoples believe that the resemblances of horse is of God Gram Devata who visits the villages of Rajbanshi people and protects them from every type of evil powers and unforeseen diseases. In that temple the following Gods are prayed : Gram Devata, Lakhi Mata, Kali Mata, Tangwa tangwani, Syhal Thakur, Madan Thakur, Hulman, Shiva Bhagwan. Some Rajbanshi peoples offers Ganja (Narcotics ), Wine etc. for the lord Shiva in their farmland. They also offers Duck eggs in the farmland, cow shed and also offers colcasia (kachu) plant in the farmland. During that eve they also through mustard dust (Khaila) and Dried leaves of Citrus plant (Makash) after crushing it into powder. They lighten the way with Jute canes and they believe that the insects and pests will be attracted towards the light and will minimize the harm to the crops. They also chants a prayer slogan ----- Huka le re huki le.... Dado dadi ulile,

Haser Dima kachur Futi Asgge lakhi hamar biti, Kaachu sager helhela maha lakhi ra khel khela...khata lama sora..... it means that They remembers their grand parents and foreparents by worshiping them with the flame of that torch..... and they calls laxmi the lord of wealth to protect their yeild and also prey for their good health and prosperity. After they returns back from their farmland they worship the cowboys and other servants who look after their farmland and then they worship the cow inside the cowshed. They also offers a new set of uniforms Dhuti and Gamcha for them and feeds them with delicious sweets as they believes that those servants are guards to cultivate their land. Then after those servants leads the children to the barren field to play Huka Huki ( a flamed torch of Jute stick) and the children shouts the same slogan again and again. The houses are decorated with colour ful lamps, Dhifa, and other luminous lights. The firecrackers and other guns were also fired on that occasion.

The next day of Garuwasi Pabni is called Gariya puja in Rajbanshi Language. On the very day they worship Ox and decorate them with colours and edible oil in their horns and garlands of flower in their neck and clothes nacklace (Galarhar), Sinhara , Ghanti. The Ox are feed with Bakhor - a type of roots which have high medicinal value for keeping them healthy and strong.

The special food Gajji Muri -Gram and pop rice is prepared in every house hold along with delicious sweets like nariyol laru, pitha, sel ruti, mal pua, garjarer halwa, daler bari, kachusager helhela etc, according to available materials and economic condition.
Traditional Dances like Hudurdhura, Temki, Dholsahana, natuwa are performed by the artists in villages reaching every households.
Women and girls adorned with traditional ornaments biccha, paiju, karu matha, chandra haar, sipti taar, goth malla and other golden ornaments.