A Long ago, the dense forests of present-day Mogarkasa were home to an Adivasi (tribal) family consisting of four brothers and their only sister. Their names were Mograkasa, Feshbaraja, Bhajimokasa, Jhadbaraja, and their sister, Pandharipen, also known as Bhuridevi.

They lived a humble life, surviving by digging for forest produce. In those ancient times, clothing was scarce, and the family covered themselves with leaves from the trees.

Every day, the brothers worked deep in the forest while Pandharipen stayed back. To maintain privacy and avoid any embarrassment due to their lack of clothing, the brothers had strictly instructed her not to come near their worksite unless she first played the “tapir” or “dabdi” — a sound-making tin sheet — from a safe distance. This was her signal, so they could prepare for her arrival.

One day, while carrying Shidori (a lunch bundle) for her brothers, Pandharipen forgot the warning. Curious and concerned, she decided to surprise them and walked into their workspace without playing the dabdi.

Startled and embarrassed, the brothers, who were working unclothed, scattered in panic:

• • Feshbaraja ran and hid in the dense Bhandarbodi forest
• • Bhajimokasa escaped toward the Ghogra hills
• • Jhadbaraja fled into the forests of Seoni
• • Jhadbaraja fled into the forests of Seoni

From that day onward, the forest where Mograkasa chose to stay hidden came to be known as “Mogarkasa.”

This tale, passed down through generations of local tribal communities, continues to echo the region’s deep connection with its ancestral roots, culture, and the land itself.