| Pandhurna | |
| — city — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| District(s) | Chhindwara |
| Population | 40,906 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Area |
• 474 metres (1,555 ft) |
Pandhurna is a city and a municipality in Chhindwara district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
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Pandhurna is located at .[1] It has an average elevation of 474 metres (1555 feet).
As of 2001[update] India census,[2] Pandhurna had a population of 40,906. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Pandhurna has an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 78%, and female literacy is 66%. In Pandhurna, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
This is a typical Indian village with farming as the major occupation of the populace. A lot of farmers grow oranges and cotton as the Kharif crop since the black soil is suitable for its production.other crops are soybean, cabbage and wheat. The village also has a few oil and cotton mills, food processing plats. Pandhurna is home for many cotton ginning and pressing factories.
Gotmar literally means stone throwing('got' = small stone & 'mar' = beat). This is an event unique to this place. Every year a tree trunk is placed in the middle of the river Jam which flows through this village. A flag is tied on top of this tree. People from neighbouring village Savargao, and Pandhurna gather on either side of the river banks in the morning. They try to pull the flag on the tree top but are prevented by people throwing stones from either side. The village which is able to pull the flag is the winner. This festival is celebrated every year. This is a very bloody custom and there are usually several deaths and hundreds of injuries every year.[3]
The local authorities had not interfered until recently. After attempts in 2001 and 2002 to get the villagers to use rubber balls instead of stones failed, the authorities banned the festival in 2009 & 2011.Ninety-Seven km from Chhindwara, in the headquarters of 'Pandhurna' tahsil a unique fair (mela in Hindi) by name 'Gotmar Mela' is celebrated every year on the second day to 'Bhadrapad' New Moon day. This fair is celebrated on the banks of the river 'Jam'. A long 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 who try to cross into the mid of the river and remove the flag on top of the tree trunk. The village whose resident succeeds in removing the flag will be considered victorious. The whole activity happens amidst the chanting of the sacred name of 'Maa' Durgaji. Several people get wounded in this celebration and the District Administration makes elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of this rare fair. People are often left dead or injured so the festival has now been banned.[4]
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