Recreation and Cultural Facilities
Chaugaon has no recreational facilities like cinemas or video halls.
Chaugaon has no cultural facilities like sports-clubs, stadium or auditorium. The village has a tradition of conducting Helyachi Takkar (Male Bull's Head on fight) on the occasion of the Diwali festival, outside the village. The villagers gather in large numbers to watch the fight on the river bankside where this fight is conducted.
As milk production is also a major profession for this village, the farmers specially rear the male buffaloes for this fight.
Chaugaon population consists of various communities - Kunabi, Mali, Gawali, Bhil, Koli, Sutar, Shimpi, Harijan. There are separate temples of their faith or deity, constructed by each community in and around the village site Gaothan, where the cultural programmes take place. These programmes are sponsored by individual communities and take place almost every year; however these programmes are attended by almost all other communities. At times adjoining villages also participate on invitation. These programmes include Bhajan (Devotional songs), Kirtan (Saint lead religious discourse), Bhandara (Community sponsored lunch) etc. The duration of these programmes ranges from a day to week.
Chaugaon has an annual fair in the month of Chaitra (March/April) of the Hindu calendar in reverence to the goddess Bhavani maata. In this fair the Tagatrao the country-made chariot is pulled by the pair of bulls from the village to the temple of the goddess about two km away. The pulling of the Tagatrao is not an easy job as it is both heavier and larger than a regular cart. It is also an honor for any villager to engage his bulls for pulling Tagatrao up to the temple. It is a two day celebration when the wrestling competitions are conducted by the village elders. In this wrestling competition rewards consisting of utensils and cash are paid to the winners. Wrestlers from the adjoining villages and taluka participate in this competition. A large crowd gathers to see and cheer the participants. This event has been going for time unknown.
The second day of the village fair is celebrated by the villagers when the Tamasha - a local countryside performance of folk dance and drama - is performed in the village. The Tamasha party is invited well in advance and their show is generally booked.
Another but waning annual cultural programme that used to take place is of drama performance. Everything from directors, musicians, singers, dancers, makeup men etc., all are the villagers themselves.
The spirit behind these all cultural activities is clearly seen from the fact that, the villagers contribute in cash as per their capacities for the expenses.
Needless to say Chaugaon is typical example of showcase of vibrant and traditional rural life in Dhule district.
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