BHILWARA: While Govardhan Puja on the second day of Deepawali is widely marked by bull worship in many parts of the country, Mandal town in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district witnessed a large-scale ceremony dedicated to donkey worship late Tuesday night.Members of the Kumhar (potter) community gathered in Pratap Nagar around 9 pm to perform traditional prayers to ‘Vaishakh Nandan’, a name used for the donkey. Residents said the ritual has been followed for decades as donkeys have long been central to the community’s livelihood, particularly for transporting mud from ponds for pottery work.During the event, donkeys were bathed and cleaned, then decorated with paint in multiple colours and adorned with garlands before being brought to a square for worship. After the prayers, jaggery was fed to the animals as part of the ceremony.The gathering drew spectators from nearby areas, with the night’s programme culminating in a customary race in which firecrackers were set off near the donkeys’ feet to startle them into running.Community members said the Vaishakh Nandan festival has been celebrated in Mandal for about 71 years. They added that although the number of donkeys in households has declined with changing facilities and transport options, the community continues the tradition on Annakoot and Govardhan Puja to honour the animals that supported earlier generations.
