What is Bagad?
Yatra to Bavdhan village is held every year on Rangpanchami day. The pilgrimage starts from Holi Purnima. On the day of Holi Purnima, it is decided who will be the bagadhan of Bavadhan. Bavdhan’s Bagdya is a man whose vows are fulfilled. Two to four days before Bagada is the Holi program and before Holi the Haldi program is performed. Turmeric is applied to God on the day of Haldi program. It is said that the practice of Bagad has been going on since before the time of the British, as evidenced by the horseshoes nailed to the wooden pillars in the assembly hall of Bavadhan Bhairavnatha temple. In Dhuravi, 2 bullocks, chawari, six bullocks, eight bullocks, 10 bullocks, twelve bullocks are tied to this cart.
How is bagad made?
The weight of the basket is 2 to 3 tons. Bagda has stone wheels, spokes on stone wheels, shoes on the spokes, shoes on shoes, tigers on top of shoes, poles on tigers, sheads on poles, vow baskets hanging on the ladders. The day before Bagada is Chhabina, on that day Bagada is prepared. All the carpenter community in Bavdhan village are making Bagad together. All the carpenters and heads of the village come together to complete this work. Approximately 20 to 25 people make this basket cart. Bagda wheels are made of stone. Then the backbone, the backbone is nine and a half feet. A shoe is placed on the ankle. Every year the backbone of the garden is renewed. The rods are then seated in the shoe. The replacement is then installed. After installing the satya, a tiger is mounted on it. The weight of a tiger is about 1 ton. Stone wheels are installed on both sides of the core. Also a 45 to 50 feet long knotted shed is mounted on the pole of the garden. Ju, Khamb, Jumpany, Pilkavany are done by carpenters. The work is started 8 to 10 days before making the cart of Bagada and the cart is completed by doing this work day and night. Bagada cart is made entirely of acacia wood. No iron part is used. Aladandi is only made of sandalwood. The wood used for the garden is heavier because it is wet. After harvesting, all the materials are kept in the village well. That so that it is used for the next 2 years.
How is the trip to Bagada?
Chaturthi is Chhabina from Holi, and Panchami is Bagad. Bagad is pulled with the help of khillar bullocks. Bavadhan’s Bagad is also the most famous. The bagad is dragged by bullocks up to the river to Someshwar between 5:30 in the morning and again at about 11 o’clock the bagad begins to be dragged from the river to the temple. Bagad is mostly hauled, about 75% from fields, and 25% from asphalt roads. While the bagad is being dragged from the field, the bagad is being dragged through wet soil, embankments, fields with few crops. It has been a practice for many years to pull the bagad from the khillar bullocks.When the bagad comes on the asphalt road, 2 to 3 bullocks also pull the bagad. The villagers believe that the field through which the bagad is dragged, if there is a crop growing there, then the crop will come back with great vigor. Therefore, every farmer is eager for the Bagad to pass through his farm.
What is Dhurvi Bull?
A total of 12 bullocks i.e. 6 khillar pairs of stout bullocks are attached to the cart. The first pair of bulls that are mated near Bagda are called “Dhurvi Bulls” and the bulls that are mated to Dhurvi are tall, stout, strong bulls. Every bull has the strength of an elephant. Bagad weighs 2 to 3 tons. So just moving the bagad to the place and moving it forward, this work can be done by Dhurvi’s bullock. It is only when the bullocks of Dhurvi move the bag from the place that the work of the other bullocks to pull the bag becomes easier. Sometimes when the bagad is passing through the fields through wet soil, its stone wheels get stuck in the soil. Then the bullocks of Dhurvi have to be put to a great halt. Without it Bagad cannot go out from there. The diamond bull of Bawdhan and some bulls like it are still most famous for pulling out the trapped bulls. All the bulls in the village stand at their designated place every year. The bullocks are immediately replaced when the herd moves 100 feet and the next bullock is given respect. As soon as the quiet bull at the homestead hears the roar of “Kashinath’s Changbhal”, the bull is ready to leap into the air with its great strength. It is difficult to handle some bulls without 10 to 15 people on that day. Bagad of Bavdhan is the only place to see more than a thousand khillar castes, beautiful, bulls at one place.
How is planning?
Bawdhan village has two tarafs, one Bhosle taraf and one Pisal taraf. These two sides sit face to face and decide how to bring Bagad to the village. Around 3 to 4 lakh devotees from all over Maharashtra come to Bavadhan village to see Bagad. From the full moon of Mahi, in fact, the Mauhol of Bagada is formed in this village. After the baskets are hung on the ladder, it is tied at the back. Both hands are hanging up. Two men stand in front and 2 men sit on the tiger. There were some difficulties while carrying Bagad. It is said through them that there is going to be a stoppage of anger, or further justice. There are 10 men on the left side of the baghda and 10 men on the right side. The neck on the right side is given to Pisal Taraf and the neck on the left side is given to Bhosle Taraf.
What is bull exercise?
Very good bullocks are kept in Bavdhan for the Bavdhan herd. All the farm work is done by the bullocks as exercise for the preparation of the garden. They are attached to the tire. Wooden sticks are used for pulling. Maximum effort is taken from them by joining the plough. The exercise of running and running is commonly taken up by them.
How to choose a Bagadya?
Bagada is selected on Holi Poornima. Kaul of Bavdhan is placed in the temple and on the occasion of Holi Purnima, Panch Mandali takes the Kaul on whom the Bagad has fallen with the grace of Nath. There are also more than 50 congregations to take vows. But out of this only one person is selected for the Bagad.