DEVIDHURA MELA

Venus : Varah Devi Temple in Devi Dhura (Almora). On the Day of : Rakshabandhan Unique Features : Image of Goddess kept in Locked Brass Casket Main Attraction : Bagwaal Fair, The stone Pelting Game

The Devidhura Fair is held on the day of Raksha Bandhan in August, at the Varahi Devi Temple. Devidhura is situated at the trijunction of Almora, Pithoragarh & Nainital districts. A unique feature of the fair is the image of the goddess, kept in a locked brass casket. This casket is taken in a procession to a nearby mountain spring where a blindfolded priest ritually bathes the image and replaces it in the casket.

The whole night the Goddess is worshipped and the next morning the exciting "Bagwaal" fair is celebrated. Two groups of men duly purified, fight a "battle" in front of the temple flinging stones at each other, while thousands gather to watch.