The people of this community sleep on a bed of thorns when they turn their daughter over to their father-in-law

Bhopal, December 16, 2021, Friday

In Baitul district of Madhya Pradesh, there is a unique tradition in a community called Jajad. When the sister leaves, the family falls asleep on the thorny bed, smiling. The people of Baitul and Sehra villages consider themselves to be descendants of the Pandavas. This painful faith, which has been going on for generations, starts every year in the month of Magshar. Beds are made by pruning branches of thistles. It is also ritually worshiped before making this bed of thorns.

It is believed that during the exile of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata period, the Pandavas roamed the forest in search of water. Meanwhile, a person from the Nahal community had stipulated that the Pandavas would marry his sister Mani to show the source of water. The Pandavas made a young woman named Bhodai their sister and married her to a young man from the Nahal community. However, after the marriage, the young man made the Pandavas sleep on a bed of thorns to test the authenticity of the Bhodai girl. When the Pandavas fulfilled this condition, the youth of Nahal community showed the source of water to the Pandavas.

Since then, the people of this community have been lying on the bed of thorns while saying goodbye to their daughter-in-law. The sister's wedding lasts for five days. This tradition is performed on the last day. The community believes that the Pandavas took the exam so we follow this tradition even when our sisters and daughters leave. People dance and sing and do not feel any pain even in this painful action. This may seem superstitious to some in the 21st century, but the people of Rajad community do not want to break this tradition at any cost.