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Fruits and stone pelting witnessed at Bagwal fair
The devotees at the Bagwal fair in Champawat take to stone pelting as a ritual to appease the local deity.
It was a unique scene at the traditional Bagwal fair at Devidhura (Champawat) on Monday when hundreds of participants divided in groups pelted fruits at each other. Traditionally the participants would pelt stones at each other shedding blood all over under the superstition that the local deity Barahi is appeased when blood is shed by her disciples. This fair is held on Raksha Bandhan every year.
“The tradition of blood shedding was held to replace the tradition of human sacrifice that prevailed earlier,” said manager of Bagwaql fair committee, Khim Singh Lamgaria.
According to the eye witnesses, although the stone pelting has been replaced with fruits and flower petals after the court order, the devotees still do not deter from taking to stones. More than 300 participants were injured during stone pelting that lasted for nearly 8 minutes. The 12 days long festival that began earlier this month will conclude on August 15.
