The Holi festival, which corresponds to the Carnival, being held in
spring at the end of the Hindu year, is observed by Gonds as well
as Hindus. In Bilaspur a Gond or Baiga, as representing the oldest
residents, is always employed to light the Holi fire. Sometimes it
is kindled in the ancient manner by the friction of two pieces of
wood. In Mandla, at the Holi, the Gonds fetch a green branch of the
semar or cotton tree and plant it in a little hole, in which they put
also a pice (farthing) and an egg. They place fuel round and burn up
the branch. Then next day they take out the egg and give it to a dog
to eat and say that this will make the dog as swift as fire. They
choose a dog whom they wish to train for hunting. They bring the
ploughshare from the house and heat it red-hot in the Holi fire and
take it back. They say that this wakes up the ploughshare, which
has fallen asleep from rusting in the house, and makes it sharp for
ploughing. Perhaps when rust appears on the metal they think this a
sign of its being asleep. They plough for the first time on a Monday
or Wednesday and drive three furrows when nobody is looking.