Pandhurna

Pandhurna
city
Pandhurna

Location in Madhya Pradesh, India

Coordinates: 21°36′N 78°31′E / 21.6°N 78.52°ECoordinates: 21°36′N 78°31′E / 21.6°N 78.52°E
Country  India
State Madhya Pradesh
District Chhindwara
Elevation 474 m (1,555 ft)
Population (2001)
 • Total 40,906
Languages
 • Official Hindi
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)

Pandhurna is a city and a municipality in Chhindwara district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

Geography

Pandhurna is located at 21°36′N 78°31′E / 21.6°N 78.52°E.[1] It has an average elevation of 474 metres (1555 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001 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.

Economics

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, groundnut, cauliflower, gram and wheat. The village also has a few oil and cotton mills, food processing plants. Pandhurna is home for many cotton ginning and pressing factories. Pandhurna is basically surrounded by Vidharbha, hence the local language is Marathi. Economic factors are also affected by it.

Gotmar

Gotmar literally means stone throwing('got' = small stone & 'mar' = beat). This is an event unique to this place. Every year a tree trunk (flag) from one of the Savargao family placed the middle of the river Jam which flows through this village and pandhuran vilalge. 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. Savargao people try to save the tree (flag) from pandhurana people through throwing stone , and Pandhurana people try to push back Savargao people and cut the tree (flag ) and bring into pandhurna.If pandhurana people could pull the tree(flag) till evening 5:00 ,6:00 PM then they are the winner , after pulling tree (flag) into pandhurna people carry this flag to Chandika Mata temple , If pandhurana people could not able to cut the tree and bring into pandhurana side till evening then mutually both side people cut the tree and bring into Chandika mata temple. 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]

References

  1. ↑ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Pandhurna
  2. ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  3. ↑ "Deadly Indian stoning festival banned: local official", Khaleej Times, 20 August 2009.
  4. ↑