Dhamtari, 23 February (HS). There was immense enthusiasm in the Dhobi community on the birth anniversary of Saint Gadge Baba. A grand Kalash Yatra was taken out in the city on 23 February. A stage program was also held at Samaj Bhavan located on Aama Talab Road.
It is noteworthy that Saint Gadge is known as Maharaj and Gadge Baba. He was born in a washerman family in Shedgao village of Anjangaon Surji taluka in Amravati district of Maharashtra. On his birth anniversary, a grand procession was taken out by the Dhobi community. This procession started from Samaj Bhawan located at Aama Talab, which reached back to Samaj Bhawan via Risaipara, Shiv Chowk, Dhobi Chowk, Nayapara. In the procession, children, girls and women were dancing and singing to the tunes of the DJ. Women were walking behind carrying Mangal Kalash on their heads. After this, a stage program took place in the Samaj Bhawan, in which, while addressing the people, the President of the Samaj, Khamhan Lal Rajak, said that Gadge Maharaj was a traveling social teacher. He used to travel on foot with torn slippers on his feet and an earthen bowl covering his head. And this was his identity. Whenever he entered a village, Gadge Maharaj would immediately start cleaning the gutters and roads. And after the work was over, he himself used to congratulate the people for cleaning the village. Talented students and those who have done remarkable work in other fields were honored in the program. A large number of people including Bhagwat Rajak, Kamlesh Rajak, Panchuram Rajak, Basant Rajak, Dinesh Rajak, Vijay Rajak, Pappu Nirmalkar, Bhagwat Nirmalkar, Shakun Bai, Sarita Bai, Saroj Bai Nirmalkar participated in the program.