A Konkan village empties out every 4 years only to be born again

Achara's residents and livestock temporarily relocate to its outskirts every 3-4 years for Gaavpalan festival (December 15-17), leaving the settlement empty

Mumbai: Achara, a village situated along the serene coastline of Malvan tehsil, in Sindhudurg district of Konkan, Maharashtra, will slowly fill up with its own people on Wednesday, after a three-day Gaavpalan or village migration.

A Konkan village empties out every 4 years to rejuvenate it

Traditionally, every three to four years, as part of Gaavpalan, Achara, home to around 10,000 people, becomes still. Houses, schools, banks, shops and streets lie empty, and in this time (December 15 to 17, this year) the agrarian folk, who grow paddy and mango, vacate their homes along with livestock and pets, food and other essentials to settle on the periphery of the village.

Achara is left untouched and allowed to rejuvenate. Villagers believe through this 400-500-year-old practice, rooted in cultural and ecological ethos, the village’s natural resources – air, water and soil – become purified. The tradition has thrived propelled by the village’s famed Inamdar Shri Dev Rameshwar Sansthan Temple of Lord Shiva. The temple’s chief priest, Kapil Gurav, says the migration can begin only after the deity issues a Kaul or “divine order”.

“By halting all human activity, nature gets rest. We aim to cleanse our environment and break the chain of pathogens,” says Gurav.

Stone inscriptions and oral history hint at the origin of such traditions to plagues, cholera and other epidemics in India from the 14th to 19th centuries. Gurav believes the practice became ingrained as a divine mandate to ensure compliance and long-term health benefits. “Our ancestors recognised the need to isolate themselves when epidemics struck. This self-imposed lockdown allowed the environment to recover while reducing the spread of illnesses,” Gurav says. “People are more likely to follow rules when they believe it’s a command from God. Our ancestors knew this and framed the practice as a divine order to ensure participation.”

The great migration

The ritual of Gaavpalan takes place during the full moon in December. Fifteen days prior to the migration, villagers complete their farm work and other responsibilities and temporary shelters are constructed on the outskirts of the village – near the river, seashore or hills.

“These shelters are often made of reeds and bamboo; some also set up modern tents these days. Affectionate names such as Surve House, Parab Home, Kadam Bhavan and Ajobanchi Wadi are given to these make-shift homes,” says Gurav. “In ancient times, in the absence of electricity, the migration took place under a moonlit sky.” A line of ash is drawn outside each house to demarcate one from the other.

Time for reflection

Apart from ecological restoration, Gaavpalan also offers the community an opportunity to bond – in a laidback state, villages brainstorm social and cultural issues and organise traditional entertainment among themselves, making a clean break from distractions of televisions and mobile phones. As modernity leads to an inevitable disconnect with environment, such practices, feel villagers, offer valuable lessons in sustainability and mindfulness.

Gurav adds, historically, for women, it was also a rare opportunity to move freely outside the confines of the village.

The three days away from their homes give women a chance to express themselves, says Vrushali Acharekar, who grew up in the village and is a part of a women’s self-help group. “We played kabaddi and kho-kho, and also staged cultural shows,” says Acharekar. “This is a time for all women to showcase their skills. Many look forward to these events.”

This year, Mumbai-bred and Gurgaon-based advertising professional Amit Sawant visited Achara, where his ancestors hailed from, for the first time to witness the ritual. The 45-year-old, who had only heard about Gaavpalan from his grandfather, was struck by the village’s “amazing fresh air”.

“I travelled from Delhi just to be part of this. It’s a refreshing escape from the bustle of city life and a reminder of the importance of living in harmony with nature. This tradition not just benefits ecology but also one’s mental well-being,” he says, emphasising the need for similar endeavours in cities as “small changes can have a big impact on environment”.

Over the years, word has spread and nearby villages such as Chindar and Shirole have adopted this practice to preserve their villages’ ecology. In fact, government medical teams often visit these make-shift homes during this period to conduct health programmes. A tuberculosis awareness camp was held on Monday.

Drawing parallels with the Covid-19-driven lockdown, Gurav said, “Our ancestors understood the importance of ‘lockdown’ centuries ago. This tradition reflects their foresight in protecting both human and environmental health.”

As the villagers return to Achara on Wednesday after a three-day migration, they will carry with them a renewed sense of purpose and connection—to their community, their environment, and heritage. The empty streets of Achara will once again be filled with life.

Ecologist Madhav Gadgil says, while “there hasn’t been a detailed scientific study on the effects of Gaavpalan, the idea of giving nature a break is compelling”. “It allows for the self-cleaning of sources of water, air, and other natural resources,” says Gadgil, pointing out that similar practices exist in villages across Goa and Karnataka, underscoring a regional ethos of ecological mindfulness.