Adivasis observe Shivabodi to protect from diseases

Adivasis hang goat to a tree along with discarded baskets

The Adivasis observes the typical ‘Shivabodi’ event to ward off evil forces and for the protection of their villages and people from seasonal diseases which were prevalent in the rainy season.

The Adivasis even today appease evil forces with sacrificing goats and chicken to get rid off from their effects.  

To get rid off ill- effects of witchcraft, Adivasis offer goat, chicken to the evil forces on the outskirts of the village to feed the evil forces and prevent them from entering the village.           

Adivasi hang ‘killed’ goats and chicken along with the discarded basket and other damaged items to the trees on the outskirts of their villages. Adivasis perform Shivabodi event during the in all the gudems.

Adivasis will stuff the goat with the leaves and giving a shape like a goat after skinning and taking all the meat out of it and hang the ‘goat’ to the tree along with the discarded material.

“Adivasi leader Atram Bhujangarao said Adivasi perform Shivabodi in the beginning of the Akadi (Tholi Ekadashi) to ward off evil forces as it was the time  people and cattle get affected with diseases and died or fell sick.

‘The Adivasis believe that evil forces and witchcraft cause diseases but the  fact is poor sanitation, drinking contaminated water and lack of immunity power,said Bujangarao and added that government should create an awareness among the Adivasis against evil forces and witchcraft and about sanitation and eating traditional food grains they cultivate to improve their immunity power’.

On the Shivabodi, the Adivasis start walking on the walking stilts (made of Bamboo) during the rainy season to avoid getting affected with the diseases caused by slush and dirt in their villages. 

After one month, the Adivasis of the village will go to the same place where they hanged the goat and throw away walking stilts there on day of Polala Amavasya.