Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participate in ‘Bagwal’ festival
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participate in ‘Bagwal’ festival
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Aug 19
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the traditional ‘Bagwal’ festival known for its’ stone war as chief guest at Devidhura temple in Champawat district today.
“The ‘Bagwal’, played with fruits and flowers petals, started at 2.6 PM and concluded at 2.16 pm,” said Girija Joshi, District Information Officer, Champawat.
According to information, a total of 75 ‘Veers’,( Brave participants of ‘Bagwal’) were injured during the ‘Bagwal’ that took place for only 10 minutes.”While most of the injured have been treated on the spot by traditional herbs, some had to take medical help from the first aid camps set by the administration,” said Kriti Ballabh Joshi, chief priest of Barahi temple at Devidhura.
“Bagwal, the stone pelting fair, held at Devidhura in Champawat district on the ‘Raksha Bandhan’ festival day every year, was initiated by Gaharwal clan of Devidhura from as ancient time to worship their clan goddess ‘Barahi Devi’. Other 3 clans of Balig, Chamyal and Lamgaria have later accepted Barahi as their clan godess,” said Kriti Ballabh Joshi, chief priest of Barahi temple at Devidhura.
According to the priest, the settlement in Devidhura area of Kali Kumaon is over 2000 years back.” With the settlement of people in this area, Devi Barahi emerged here as she is female version of ‘Baràh’, the second incarnation of Lord Vishnu,” said the priest.
According to legend since ancient times it was the tradition with locals to sacrifice a human at the altar of goddess every year and when the turn of an old lady’s only son came, she requested the deity to save her only son as he was only to provide her in her old age. The goddess accepted her request but asked her devotees thereafter to shed blood equal in one person’s body, by the rituals of ‘Bagwal’ , or throwing stones on each other after forming two groups .”Although, the ‘Bagwal’ after court orders is played with fruits and flowers these days but the goddess would only pleased when blood equal to one man’s body is shed through the ritual,” said the chief priest. A total of more than 200 devotees were injured in the ‘Bagwal’ today.
