Devidhura Bagwal concludes in eight minutes as thousands witness traditional fruit-pelting ritual
Devidhura Bagwal concludes in eight minutes as thousands witness traditional fruit-pelting ritual
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Aug 28
The historic ‘Bagwal’, the traditional stone-pelting festival at the Kholikhand ground of the Varahi Devi temple in Devidhura, Champawat district, was held on Thursday, with the ritual lasting for around eight minutes. More than 12 quintals of fruits and flower petals were hurled at each other by members of the participating groups during the ceremony.
“The Bagwal began at 1:48 p.m. and concluded eight minutes later at 1:56 p.m.,” said Champawat District Magistrate Manish Kumar.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, along with more than 90,000 spectators from different parts of Kumaon and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, witnessed the traditional event, the district magistrate said.
‘Bagwal’ is an age-old ritual associated with the Varahi Devi temple and is believed to have originated centuries ago. According to local tradition, an elderly woman once pleaded with Goddess Varahi to save her only grandson from being sacrificed at the deity’s altar. The goddess is believed to have granted her wish, declaring that human sacrifice would no longer be performed if the villagers shed an equivalent amount of blood through the annual Bagwal ritual.
The tradition has since been carried forward by four local clans—Chamyal, Gaharwal, Lamgariya and Balig—who have traditionally organised and participated in the festival, said Devendra Oli, a researcher on the history of Champawat.
According to Oli, the Varahi Devi shrine at Devidhura is an ancient Shaktipeeth and is believed to have been established by the local landlords of the region.
“Devidhura is the only place in the Kumaon region where this unique traditional stone-pelting ritual has survived. In recent years, however, stones have been replaced with fruits and flower petals to make the ceremony safer while retaining its traditional character,” Oli said.
The ‘Bagwal’ is held annually at the Kholikhand ground following prayers and rituals at the Varahi Devi temple and remains one of the most distinctive cultural traditions of the Kumaon region.
