Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel gets whip-lashed on the arm. Here is why.

The Chhattisgarh chief minister arrived in Janjgiri village of Kumhari where he received the whip lashes as part of the annual ritual a day after Diwali.

Durg: As part of the annual ritual, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday received five whip lashes on his hands ahead of the Gaura Gauri puja in Durg district of the state, sources said. It is learnt that CM Baghel reached the Janjgiri village of Kumhari early on Monday morning where he performed the ritual.

The ritual is believed to bring prosperity and avert evil as per the locals. As the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister arrived in the village, a huge crowd of locals who had gathered at the spot, welcomed him ahead of the ritual. Later, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel got a holy thread tied around his wrist before the getting his arm whip-lashed as part of the ritual.

A video of the incident is also being widely shared on the Internet. In the video, a man can be seen tying a thread around Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's right wrist. As soon as the thread is tied, Chief Minister Baghel raises his arm parallel to the the ground level as a man wearing a bluish green shirt strikes his arm with a lash five times to loud cheers from the people and folk music played by the locals.

• सोंटा प्रहार जारी है...
  सभी विघ्नों के नाश तथा मंगल कामनाओं के साथ. pic.twitter.com/rtHGRX0J5F

  — Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) November 13, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  सोंटा प्रहार जारी है...
  सभी विघ्नों के नाश तथा मंगल कामनाओं के साथ. pic.twitter.com/rtHGRX0J5F

  — Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) November 13, 2023

  ">

  सोंटा प्रहार जारी है...
  सभी विघ्नों के नाश तथा मंगल कामनाओं के साथ. pic.twitter.com/rtHGRX0J5F

  — Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) November 13, 2023

A huge crowd of of people had gathered to have a glimpse of the the Chhattisgarh chief minister receiving the whip lashes as part of the ritual. Sources said that the local Birendra Thakur has been following this tradition for the last two years. Before him, his father Bharosa Thakur used to crack the whip in the hands of the CM.

After his death, this tradition is now being carried on by his sons. The Chhattigarh chief minister also performed the Gaura Gauri puja on the occasion. The chief minister worshiped the deity and prayed for the happiness and prosperity of the people of the state.