People of Pandhurna and Sawargaon throwing stones at the Gotmar fair on Jam River.
Highlights
The fair is played every year on the second day of Pola festival. The identity of Pandhurna is incomplete without the Gotmar fair. It started a day earlier on the evening of 2 September.
Nai Duniya, Chhindwara (Pandhurna News). The Gotmar fair, which has gained recognition in the country and abroad, was played on the banks of the Jam river in Pandhurna on Tuesday as well. People of both the villages pelted stones at each other in the Gotmar fair. 320 people were injured by stone pelting in the fair which started at 10 am. The condition of 4 is critical. 4 health camps were also set up in the fair. X-rays of 11 people were done. Among these, bones of hands and legs of 3 people were found broken. All of them are being treated at the civil hospital.
People kept pelting stones at each other
On the bridge of Jam river, people of Pandhurna and Sawargaon kept pelting stones on each other. A young man arrived wearing a cricket kit to save himself from the stones. This game continued till evening. Police force of 6 districts was deployed in the fair. The fair has been organised traditionally for the past 300 years. In this, people of Sawargaon and Pandhurna sides pelt stones on each other.
There are many legends about this bloody game played
The world famous Gotmar fair is held every year on the new moon day of Bhadra Paksha. There are many legends about this bloody game played between people from both sides of the Jam river in Pandhurna, and there is also a love story behind it.
…so he considered it a blow to his reputation
It is said that a boy from Pandhurna was in love with a girl from Sawargaon on the other side of the river. When the girl’s family did not agree to convert their love affair into marriage, the boy tried to elope with his girlfriend from Sawargaon to Pandhurna to make her his life partner. But when the people of Sawargaon came to know about it while crossing the Jam river on the way, they considered it a blow to their prestige. After this, the people of Sawargaon pelted stones on the boy. As soon as the boy’s family came to know about this, they also started pelting stones to save the boy.
Both lovers died in the middle of the Jam river
These two lovers died in the middle of the Jam river due to the shower of stones between the Pandhurna side and Sawargaon side. The bodies of these two lovers were picked up and taken to the court of Maa Chandika and after performing Puja, the last rites were performed. In memory of this incident, the Gotmar fair is celebrated by worshipping Maa Chandika and this tradition has been going on for many years.
The side that gets the flag on the tree wins
During the fair, after worshipping Goddess Chandika, a flag and a palash tree are planted in the middle of the Jam river and then the people of Pandhurna from one side and the people of Sawargaon from the other side pelt stones at each other, in which many people get injured in this stone pelting. In the end, the one who succeeds in getting the flag is declared the winner.