Prohibitory order clamped in MP town for stone pelting fair

Authorities today clamped prohibitory order in Pandhurna town for peaceful conduct of the 'Gotmar' fair, where stone pelting by people as part of a centuries-old tradition has left many dead and injured in the past.
The fair will be held tomorrow in the town, about 90km from here.
"Prohibitory order under section 144 of the CrPC has been clamped in Pandhurna," District Superintendent of Police Gaurav Tiwai told PTI.
The order forbids sale of liquor and carrying of weapons in the town, where security has been stepped up for peaceful conduct of the annual event, he added.
'Gotmar' is one of the bloodiest fairs in the world, where around 15 people were reported to have died during the stone pelting tradition and more than 500 injured in recent years.

Health centres have been set up at Pandhurna to deal with any medical emergency.

In the fair, the people of Sawargaon village and Pandhurna gather on either side of the Jaam river. A tree, with a flag atop, is put in the midst of the river.
Both the sides run towards the tree to remove the flag by pelting stones at each other. And those who grab the flag first are declared winners.
The local legend goes that the ritual started some 300 years ago after a boy of Pandhurna, then a village, went to Swargaon and kidnapped a girl.

When he was returning home wading through the river water, the Sawargaon villagers spotted him and threw stones at him. On seeing their village boy under attack, the people of Pandhurna also hurled stones at the other side.
The boy, along with the girl, reached his home safely. To keep the legend alive, the villagers celebrate the tradition with the violent act.