Bail Pola was celebrated on Friday (August 22) across Maharashtra. It is a day when farmers honour their bulls and oxen, as these animals are essential for ploughing their fields and transporting loads in the rural areas.
On this day, bulls are given baths and painted with colours. They are adorned with flowers, ribbons and bells. Then, a procession is held to honour the animals with the accompaniment of dhols, tashas and other musical instruments.
The traditional Maharashtrian dish Puran Poli is prepared for the celebration. Houses are decorated with torans, and rangolis are drawn in the courtyard. Farmers and their children don new clothes on the day. There is a joyous atmosphere across the state, especially in villages.
Meanwhile, this joyous atmosphere was disrupted in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after a bull got out of control. A video of this incident has gone viral on social media.
Several decorated bulls are seen in a procession on the occasion of Bail Pola. However, one of them got out of control and went into the large crowd that had gathered. People began running helter-skelter to save themselves. The bull took many of them head-on, with many villagers falling and getting injured.
This isn't a novel incident. Similar incidents have taken place at multiple places in Maharashtra in the past. This usually happens during the bullock cart races.
