Gotmar Mela

Gotmar Mela

Its beginning is considered to be around 17th AD.

Legends

There are many types of legends regarding the organization of this fair. The most popular and common legend among these legends is that a tribal girl from Savargaon had fallen in love with a boy from Pandhurna. Both of them got married secretly. Pandhurna's son was going to Savargaon with his friends and was taking the girl away with him. At that time there was no bridge on the Jam River. There was neck-deep water in the river, which could be crossed by swimming or sitting on someone's back and when the boy was going through the river with the girl, the people of Savargaon came to know about it and started attacking the boy and his companions with stones. Did. On receiving the information, people from Pandhurna side also started pelting stones in response. These two lovers died in the middle of the Jam river due to the shower of stones between Pandhurna Paksha and Savargaon Paksha.

After the death of both the lovers, people from both sides realized their shame and the dead bodies of both the lovers were picked up and kept in the court of Maa Chandika at the fort and after offering prayers, both of them were cremated. Probably, in memory of this incident, Gotmar fair is organized by worshiping Goddess Chandika.

Where?

Sixty five kilometers from district headquarters of Chhindwara in MP state of India, in the headquarters of ‘Pandhurna’ tahsil.

When?

A unique fair (mela in hindi) by name ‘Gotmar Mela’ is celebrated every year on the second day to ‘Bhadrapad’ New Moon day. 

How does it start?

This fair is celebrated on the banks of the river ‘Jam’. A long Palash tree is erected in the middle of the river with a flag at its very top.

 The residents of the villages ‘Savargaon’ and ‘Pandhurna’ gather on either bank of the river, and start pelting stones (‘Got’) at the persons of the opposite village.

Its beginning is considered to be around 17th AD. The other side of the river in the middle of the city is called Savargaon and this side is called Pandhurna. Pola, the festival of bulls, is celebrated with great pomp here on the day of Krishna Paksha. On this day, the people of Sabargaon cut down the Palash tree and bury it in the middle of the Jam river. The tree is worshiped by offering red cloth, festoon, coconut, garland and bushes. Next day, as soon as the morning dawns, people worship the tree and the flag and then the game of throwing stones at each other starts at 8 in the morning.

Amidst the beating of drums, with slogans of Bhagao-Bhagao, sometimes the players of Pandhurna move forward and sometimes the players of Savargaon move forward. Both try to push each other back by throwing stones and this sequence continues continuously. The enjoyment of the audience increases between 3 to 4 in the afternoon. Players try to reach the flag with a gleaming sharp ax to break it. As soon as these people reach near the flag, the players of Sabargaon shower huge amount of stones on them and drive the Padhurna people back.

The whole activity happens amidst the chanting of the sacred name of Chandika Devi, a form of Maa Durgaji. 

How does it end?

In the evening, the players of Pandhurna side push back the people of Savargaon side with full force, chanting 'Chandi Mata' and 'Bhagao-Bhagao', The village whose resident succeeds in removing the flag will be considered victorious. and the players who break the flag cut the flag with an axe. As soon as the flag is broken, both the parties reconcile by stopping stone pelting and carry the flag to the temple of Chandi Mata accompanied by musical instruments. In case of failure to break the flag, Gotmar is closed by the administration at 6.30 pm by reaching a mutual agreement.

Several people get wounded in this celebration they brought back to the Chandi mata Temple, their faith is that once the angara (Yagna Ashes) is rubbed on the wounds it will heal.

District Administration's stand

On Gotmar Mela, one day leave is given to the local residents. 

Other than People's faith, the District Administration organize medical camps for injured one's first aid, standby Ambulance for serious injury, Police and Fire safety teams ready for quick reaction.

The District Administration makes elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of this rare fair.

To avoid the Youth's involvement district Administration organize various games in the pandhurna city.

Being connected to faith, the administration and the police, unable to stop it, are unable to do anything except watch helplessly as people shed each other's blood. Administration and police officials also have to use force to stop stone pelting within the stipulated time period. Many times the administration had provided thirty thousand small size rubber balls instead of stones, but the people of both the villages did not use balls and instead used stones. After getting tired, the administration started providing stones on both the banks of the river to the people of both the villages. 

But in the year 2009, following the instructions of the Human Rights Commission, Chhindwara District Administration imposed Section 144 in the fair area for six days, prohibiting the throwing of stones in the Gotmar fair held between Pandhurna and Savargaon.