West Bengal News: Pakurdiha village of Bankura district of West Bengal still follows a tradition whose roots are linked to an emotional and adventurous story of three hundred and fifty years ago. In memory of the rigorous penance performed by a sister to save the lives of her brothers, even today the youth of the village perform penance by dipping their hands in boiling ghee on a special day of the month of Magh. This unique and painstaking tradition attracts thousands of people every year.
About 350 years ago, when this area of ​​Taldangra block of Bankura was surrounded by dense forests, the people of the village were completely dependent on the forest. There was a tribal family among them. Seven brothers and his only sister. One day the seven brothers went hunting and did not return till late at night. There was always a danger of wild animals in the surrounding dense forests. Therefore, the sister began to fear that perhaps some wild animal had attacked her brothers.
Sister’s penance and return of brothers
Due to this fear and worry, the sister started observing a strict fast. She not only kept giving up food but also kept praying to her gods for the protection of her brothers.
The elders of the village believe that due to this penance and the power of sacrifice, after a few days all the seven brothers returned home injured but alive. This unique sacrifice and love of the sister influenced the entire village.
Brothers started fasting in honor of sister’s sacrifice
To express their gratitude towards their sisters, the seven brothers took a unique pledge. He decided that every year he would observe a fast in the month of Pausha and on a fixed day in the month of Magha, he would dip his hands in boiling ghee, praying for the good health and long life of his sister.
This ritual is called “Gurpeeth Vrat”. In this, the youth dip their hands in boiling ghee and bake them on a pitta made of jaggery. This fast not only demands courage, but those who observe it have deep reverence for their sisters.
The village youth carried forward the tradition
With the passage of time, this penance of the seven brothers became a traditional custom. Other youth of the village also started participating in this fast. He believed that this is not just a religious ritual but a unique honor to the sister-brother relationship. Gradually this tradition became so popular that people from many nearby villages also started coming to see it.
fair like atmosphere in the village
On this special day of the month of Magh, a large number of people gather in the grounds of Pakurdiha. People of different religions and communities come to see this unique event. With time this entire program has taken the form of a big fair. It is a matter of surprise for people to see young men putting their hands in boiling ghee, but the villagers believe that this tradition is auspicious and sacred.
Rare example of sister-brother relationship
In today’s time, such fasts are rarely seen where brothers pray for the well-being of their sisters even after enduring physical hardships. This custom of Pakurdiha is a unique and rare example of its kind not only in Bengal but in the entire country. This tradition shows that age-old values—love, sacrifice and family—are still alive and passed down from generation to generation.
