Friendly Stone War Fair - Gotmar Mela of Pandhurna Madhya Pradesh India

Friendly Stone War Fair - "Gotmar" Mela of Pandhurna 

Madhya Pradesh India 

It is a war , war with stones but still a friendly war between two villages separated by a river.  "Got" means stone and "Mar" means to beat.  This is celebrated  every year as festival in the Chhindwara district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and popularly known as "Gotmar Mela". Not only that, many people get severely injured, some die even but this tradition of past 300 years continues even after ban on it. 

Courtesy :patrika.com

This is an event unique to this place. Every year a tree trunk is placed by people of Sawargaon in the middle of the river Jam. The river Jam flows through Pandhurna and Sawargaon. A flag is tied on the top of this tree trunk. People gather either side of the river bank in the morning - one side from Pandhurna and other side from Sawargaon. People from Sawargaon try to save the tree trunk with flag from the people of Pandhurna through throwing stones. People of Pandhurna try to push back Sawargaon people and try to cut the trunk with flag and bring into Pandhurna till evening they are the winner. After pulling the tree trunk with flag  into Padhurna , people carry this flag to Chandika mata temple. If people of Pandhurna are unable to do so  till evening then mutually both side people cut the tree trunk and bring it to Chandika mata temple. This is a very strange custom in which many people get severely injured and some of them die even.

Courtesy:youtube.com

"Gotmar Mela" is celebrated every year on the second day to 'Bhadrapad' new moon day.

But one question suddenly but naturally  comes into the mind of every one. Why is this mela celebrated?

Courtesy:chhindwara.net

According to some historical facts , it is believed that once upon a time a ruler of Pandhurna came to know about the beauty of the daughter of Emperor of  Sawargaon. After hearing the beauty, the ruler of Pandhurna could not stop himself, crossed the river and abducted the girl. After learning this incident people of Sawargaon chased him but by that time he had crossed  river Jam. Frustrated villagers of Sawargaon started throwing stones at him . Meanwhile people of Pandhurna also gathered on the other side of the river bank and began to throw stones on the people of Sawargaon to protect their ruler and allow him to reach his palace safely. 

From that day onwards, this bloody tradition has come to be known as "Gotmar Mela".