Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participate in \u2018Bagwal\u2019 festival<\/p>\n
B.D.Kasniyal<\/p>\n
Pithoragarh, Aug 19<\/p>\n
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the traditional \u2018Bagwal\u2019 festival known for its\u2019 stone war as chief guest at Devidhura temple in \u00a0Champawat district today.<\/p>\n
“The \u2018Bagwal\u2019, played with fruits and flowers petals, started at 2.6 PM and concluded at 2.16 pm,” said Girija Joshi, District Information Officer, Champawat.<\/p>\n
According to information, a total of 75 \u2018Veers\u2019,( Brave participants of \u2018Bagwal\u2019)\u00a0 were \u00a0injured during the \u2018Bagwal\u2019 that took place for only \u00a010 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.<\/p>\n
“Bagwal, the stone pelting\u00a0 fair, held at Devidhura in Champawat district on the \u2018Raksha Bandhan\u2019 festival day every year, was initiated by Gaharwal clan of Devidhura from as ancient time to worship their clan goddess \u2018Barahi Devi\u2019. Other 3 clans of Balig, Chamyal and Lamgaria\u00a0have later accepted Barahi as their clan godess,” said Kriti Ballabh Joshi, chief priest of Barahi temple at Devidhura.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0 here as she is female version of \u2018Bar\u00e0h\u2019, the second incarnation of Lord Vishnu,\u201d said the priest.<\/p>\n
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 \u00a0to shed blood equal in one person’s body, by the rituals of \u2018Bagwal\u2019 , or throwing stones on each other after forming two groups .”Although, the \u2018Bagwal\u2019 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 \u2018Bagwal\u2019 today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participate in \u2018Bagwal\u2019 festival B.D.Kasniyal Pithoragarh, Aug 19 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the traditional \u2018Bagwal\u2019 festival known for its\u2019 stone war as chief guest at Devidhura temple in \u00a0Champawat district today. “The \u2018Bagwal\u2019, played with fruits and flowers petals, started at 2.6 PM and concluded at …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92,33,1284,91,39,59],"tags":[2448,156,2450,102,2300],"class_list":["post-5362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-international","category-international-political-national","category-national","category-tourism","category-uttarakhand","tag-bagwalfestival","tag-champawat","tag-devidhuratemple","tag-uttarakhand","tag-uttarakhandchiefministerpushkarsinghdhami"],"yoast_head":"\n