BHOPAL: A centuries-old tradition rooted in a mythological love story resulted in injuries to around 1,000 residents of two riverside villages in MP’s Pandhurna on Saturday. As has been customary, the famous Gotmar Fair was held on the banks of the Jam River on Bhadrapada Amavasya.The fair, linked to the mythological tale on the killing of two young lovers, saw residents of Pandhurna and Sawargaon villages indulge in the ritualistic battle of stones. It reportedly resulted in injuries to around 1,000 people in total. Two critically injured villagers, identified as Nilesh Janrao and Jyotiram Uike, have been rushed to hospitals in Nagpur.Knowing well that the fair, like the previous years, will result in injuries to a large number of people, the local authorities had created six temporary health centres, where 58 doctors and 200 medical/paramedical staff have been deployed. Although the Pandhurna district collector, Ajay Deo Sharma, had imposed prohibitory orders and deployed over 600 police personnel across the riverside fair area, the battle of stones still resulted in injuries.The fair began with the worship of Chandi Mata in the Jam river. As part of the ritual, residents of Sawargaon carried a freshly cut Palash tree from the forest and planted it in the middle of the river, marking it as their sacred flag.They subsequently defended the tree as their daughter, while Pandhurna, seen as the “boy’s side,” launched a barrage of stones to seize it. The clash continued until the flag broke, after which both sides united in worship, closing the circle of violence and faith.The fair has its origin in a 400-year-old legend about a youth from Pandhurna and a girl from Sawargaon trying to elope. As the couple reached the Jam river, villagers hurled stones to stop them killing them in the process.The tradition has not just resulted in injuries but also claimed few lives. Since 1955, at least 13 people, including three from one family have reportedly died in it.
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