Gujarat Gaay Gauri Mela called off over Covid restrictions

Context

• Gujarat Gaay Gauri Mela is called off over Covid restrictions. People say that they will decorate cattle and offer prayers indoors.

Key Heighlights of the festival

• The annual Gaay Gauri Mela is a customary tribal event to mark the New year after Diwali.
• This festival is much similar to the famous annual Spanish bull run festival.
• In this festival, the cows and bulls are bejewelled and decorated with hand-paintings.
• The annual festival held a day after Diwali to mark the Hindu New Year.
• The bulls, painted bright and their horns adorned with peacock feathers and glitter.
• Farmers burst firecrackers to trigger the animals to run over those prostrating before the herd.

Why it is celebrated?

• Villagers colour their cattle and feed them good things and sweets in the morning and seek forgiveness for the troubles they give them throughout the year
• Then we allow them to run over us as compensation for the troubles they bear for them.
• If their feet stamp over our backs, it is considered to be the blessings from the gods and goddesses

What are the restrictions put up by administration?

• The use of airborne firecrackers during the event, especially rockets, are prohibited since 2012.
• The prohibitory order that is in place as part of the Disaster Management Act also applies to this event.