Hundreds of people joins Bhairav procession on 3rd day of Holi celebrations at Rajouri.

GNSONLINE RAJOURI 
SHYAM SOOD 

RAJOURI, MARCH 01:–Hundreds of people, especially youth from both communities, joined Bhairav Devta procession on 3rd day of seven days long Holi festival celebrations here in old Rajouri town on Wednesday.
Tight security arrangements were made for the peaceful procession that usefully takes 5-6 hours to cover the main bazaars in Rajouri town and culminates at Bhairon Mandir (Nabhan Mohalla) where the man prays before ‘Bhairon Devta’ to forgive him for any mistake during the procession.
Residents of Rajouri town celebrate the Holi festival for seven days by taking out Bhairav Devta processions on alternative days (except on Tuesday) in old Rajouri town & at Jawahar Nagar.
“Nobody at Rajouri knows since when the people have been celebrating this 7- day long Holi festival by taking out the traditional processions, however, the Bhairav Devta procession symbolizes communal harmony at the Holi festival,” said Nishu, an organiser.
Holi at Rajouri gets altogether a different colour when a man painted in black, chases youth from all the communities who run along with him on the beats of the drums and feel blessed when hit by the man (Bhairav Devta) with forceps in his hand.
He puts on a turban-like thing on his head with a ponytail (Paranda) attached to the turban.
The highlight of 7 days Holi festival celebration is its secular nature because both Hindus and Muslims (especially youth) together, celebrate Holi in Rajouri town a week in advance by taking out such procession despite religious differences.
According to the myth once the Rajouri town was gripped by an unidentified disease and people approached a Sadhu who told them to paint a man with black paint and have a round of the town followed by them.
“The people in the town think that by celebrating this festival they are saved from evil. There is a temple in Rajouri which is dedicated to Bhairav Devta”.
“According to belief, natural calamities struck the town whenever the procession was not carried out. So, ancestors evolved a tradition to organise a Bhairav Devta procession every year”, said senior citizens.