TFP Bureau, Raipur, July 24, 2025: This year’s Hareli festival in Chhattisgarh saw a unique fusion of tradition and technology in Balod district, where three women — popularly known as the “Drone Sisters” — offered prayers to a modern agricultural drone alongside traditional farming tools. In a first-of-its-kind gesture, the trio worshipped the drone with incense, lamps, and coconut, and offered jaggery cheela, symbolizing gratitude and reverence for modern farm machinery.
The Hareli festival, traditionally celebrated on the new moon day of Sawan, honors Chhattisgarh’s deep connection with agriculture, nature, and rural heritage. Across the state, farmers observed the occasion by performing rituals for tools like the plough, hoe, and sickle, praying for a prosperous harvest. However, in Balod, sisters Chitrarekha Sahu, Bhavana Sahu, and Ruchi Sahu brought a modern twist by incorporating the drone — now a crucial tool in their farming activities — into the celebration.
Trained under the central government’s Drone Didi Yojana, the trio has become a symbol of technological empowerment in rural Chhattisgarh. Regularly using drones to spray nano fertilizers and monitor crops, they have significantly improved agricultural productivity while reducing time and labor.
“Tradition teaches us to respect the tools that sustain us,” said Chitrarekha Sahu. “Today, drones are an essential part of farming. Worshipping it during Hareli reflects the blend of our values with innovation.”
Echoing her sentiment, Bhavana Sahu shared her vision of expanding drone use across the district. “Drone technology is transforming agriculture. On this special day, we pledge to train and support more farmers in using this advancement.”
Ruchi Sahu, the youngest among the three, said the initiative had not only empowered them economically but also instilled confidence. “We’re grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. The Drone Didi scheme has made us self-reliant and brought prosperity to our lives.”
The Drone Sisters’ heartfelt tribute has given this year’s Hareli celebration a new meaning — one that bridges the past with the future, and tradition with transformation — showcasing Chhattisgarh’s progressive stride in agriculture.
