Supply of quality drinking water is the biggest problem faced by the residents of most of the localities of ward number two. The vertical man: a study in primitive Indian sculpture.Ward number 2 residents want better roads, end to water woes Stories of Indian Saints: Translation of Mahipati's Marathi Bhaktavijaya. Mahīpati Justin Edwards Abbott Narhar R.^ Mahīpati Justin Edwards Abbott Narhar R.The Sants: Studies in a Devotional Tradition of India. A Social History of the Deccan, 1300–1761: Eight Indian Lives. 107, for images of wooden post of Bir Kuar. The Cult of Draupadī: On Hindu ritual and the goddess.
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 80(3-4), 198-199. A volume of Oriental Studies presented to Vogel J. Images similar to Bir Kuar are found in states of Maharashtra. īir Kuar is sometimes associated with the god Vithoba of Maharashtra - who is believed to be a form of Krishna too and depicted in an arms-akimbo posture like Bir Kuar. He acts like a ferryman like Krishna, helping milkmaids cross the river and having dalliance with them. Bir Kuar is depicted as flute-playing cowherd like Krishna. Associations īir Kuar is often associated with Krishna. The Ahirs then pray to Bir Kuar to impregnate their female cattle. The cows are milked by the Ahirs and a sweet called Kshir is prepared and offered to the deity. Following worship of Lakshmi, Bir Kuar is worshipped in a nearby field. On the new moon day in the festival, first goddess Lakshmi is worshipped. Bir Kuar is worshipped by offering of milk and erecting his icons in open fields. Ballads describing his exploits are sung during the festival. He is worshipped in 16-day festival called Sohorai (in October), which corresponds to festival of Diwali, celebrated in honour of the Hindu goddess of prosperity - Lakshmi. The Ahirs' main livelihood is cattle-breeding and thus, Bir Kuar has become a culture-hero and a village god of the Ahirs. Bir Kuar is also worshipped in times of distress. He is also offered clay horses, on the fulfilment of a vow. In these posts, he is depicted in standing arms-akimbo. This wooden post is erected in open field to "fertilize she-buffaloes". Worship īir Kuar is often worshipped in form of wooden posts, made by carpenters from the mixed Ahir- Brahmin class. If the buffalo would not nod, then he will sell the buffalo too and become an ascetic and go to a strange land. He further says, he has to nod when his wife talks, but the buffalo nods when he talks. Bir Kuar answers that he would rather sell his wife than part his buffalo. His wife accuses him of treating the she-buffalo as her co-wife. Once, Bir Kuar was given a choice between his wife and his herd. This tale defines Bir Kuar's role as a god of fertility and protector of cattle, who fertilizes female cattle. Ī folk-tale about Bir Kuar tells that he was so attached to a she-buffalo called Pararia that on his wedding-night, instead of sleeping with his bride, he went to the forest with the buffalo and impregnated her. Ballads also narrate that Bir Kuar was born in the Hindu holy city of Ayodhya and reared in Palamau. Birnath rode a tiger and saved the princess. When kite delivered the letter to the king - father of Madhumati, the king sent Madhumati's husband Birnath with his soldiers. She requested a female-kite to inform her father that she was in danger, through a letter she wrote. Madhumati was on her way to a pilgrimage to the Hindu holy city of Benaras, when she saw Mughal soldiers and cried.
īallads narrate the story of Bir Kuar or Birnath, who rescued the princess Madhumati from Mughal Empire soldiers. Other tales record his death at the hands of the Mughal Empires. In still other tales, he is killed by his own sister, who is a witch. In some, Bir Kuar is killed by 7 witches directly, in others, a tigress kills him on the orders of the witches.
Other folk-tale narrate different versions of his death. Bir Kuar is believed to have the power to fertilize a she-buffalo and against his wishes, no bull can copulate with a she-buffalo. As a tiger-ghost or tiger-god, Bir Kuar protects the Ahir cattle, grazing in the forests. Once, he was killed by a tiger or a tigress and became a "tiger-ghost" or "tiger-god" ( Bagh-bhut or Baghaut) himself. The legend of Bir Kuar says that he was an Ahir youth, who used to go deep in the forest to graze his cattle, even at night. Bir Kuar is also called to as "Lord of the Forest". He is attended by a Muslim attendant and a dog. Bir Kuar's legend deals with the opposition between the cattle and the tiger and also impalement themes.