MPHRC Bans Gotmar Festival
Bhopal: The traditional Gotmar festival – an annual stone pelting competition, scheduled to be held at Sawargaon – Pandhurhna villages in Chhindwara district on Friday, has been banned after the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) described it as “inhuman and criminal”.
One person was killed and hundreds others were wounded in the festival last year, which involves heavy stone pelting between residents of the two villages attempting to seize control of a tree in the middle of a river dividing the two hamlets.
Though the origin of the annual event is suspect, many believe the first Gotmar was triggered by a feud between the families of two young lovers dwelling on the either side of the river.
The Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) has directed the Chhindwara district administration to put an end to the practice.
