Almora. Stone war is played on the day of Govardhan Puja in Vijaypur Patiya village of Takula development block of Almora. The historical stone war i.e. Bagwal is played on the lines of Devidhura of Champawat. The team of Local 18 had a special conversation with the local people here. People told that the tradition of stone fighting has been going on in Patiya village for centuries. People from 4 villages take part in this stone war and stand on both banks of the Pachghatia river and throw stones at each other. In this stone war, whichever team member first enters the river and drinks water, that team wins.
Actually, on the day of Govardhan Puja, people of Patiya and Kotyuda villages fiercely throw stones at each other. Like every year, this time too a large number of small children as well as elders participated in this war. This time the stone war lasted for about 45 minutes, in which people from 4 villages took part. In which villagers of Patiya, Bhatgaon, Kasun, Pilkha and Kotyuda are present in it. This time around five people also got injured.
Local resident Jaideep Bisht said that this has been a practice that has been going on for many years. There was a lot of terror here due to a king named Bagwali. The people of that time formed a group here to defeat the king and fought a war with the king and many of the king’s soldiers were also killed in the stone war. Stone war is played every year in this Pachghatia. Every year on the day of Govardhan Puja, stone war is played and the young generation of the village is working to promote this tradition. There is a lot of enthusiasm in playing this war, from small children to adults. People of four villages take part in this war.
Amit Pandey, who came from Gurgaon, told that he had migrated from the village and he had come to see this historical stone war of the village. He has come here to see and understand the village tradition. He felt very happy to be here and he also took part in this stone war. He also says that the young generation should know about it and they should also participate in it as much as possible.
Ranbankure told that when he was very young, he has been watching this stone war and today he takes part in this war. People from four villages take part in this war and people throw stones at each other. If someone gets injured, the injury gets cured by applying mud here and it also gets cured within 3 days.
What is the reason for playing war?
Almora region was once ruled by a few dynasty kings. At that time, some foreign robber king used to come to these villages and loot the people. Frustrated with that, one day the people of these 5 villages drove away the robber king and the soldiers by pelting them with stones. 4 to 5 people had died in that war. A lot of blood was shed at this place, after which the tradition of stone fighting started here, which continues even today.
FIRST PUBLISHED : November 3, 2024, 2:25 PM IST
