Centuries-Old Reverence in Bhilwara Where Potters Worship Donkeys on Govardhan Puja In Mandal town of Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, the potter community marks Govardhan Puja by adorning donkeys, feeding them jaggery, and organizing a traditional race. While communities across India worship cows and bulls on the day following Diwali for Govardhan Puja and Annakut, the town of Mandal in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district celebrates an entirely distinctive custom. In this township, the local potter community gathers late into the night to worship donkeys, affectionately known in traditional parlance as Vaishakh Nandan. The animals are given a thorough ceremonial bath, adorned with festive colors and garlands, and offered sweet treats before participating in an energetic race that draws curious crowds from neighbouring localities. Livelihood Ties That Elevated the Animal to Sacred Status Residents of Mandal explain that the bond between potters and their animals mirrors the relationship agrarian families share with draft oxen. For the Prajapati community, donkeys have historically served as the primary pillar of household sustenance. The animals perform the essential task of carrying damp clay and silt from village ponds and riverbeds directly to kilns and pottery workshops. Recognizing the beast of burden as their central source of livelihood, local potters instituted this annual ritual of gratitude to honor the service rendered by the animals throughout the working year. Ritual Adornment, Sweets, and the Startling Race The celebrations commence around 9 PM on Govardhan Puja night when members of the potter community assemble in the Pratap Nagar locality of the town. The donkeys are meticulously washed and prepped for the ceremony. Owners decorate their hides with colorful dyes, drape fresh floral garlands around their necks, and lead them to the public square. After traditional prayers and rituals are completed, the donkeys are fed jaggery to sweeten their mouths as part of the ceremonial offering. Immediately following the puja, firecrackers are ignited on the ground near the animals' hooves. The sudden bursts prompt the donkeys to sprint through designated paths, completing a festive race that has become the defining spectacle of the evening for visitors from across the region. Over Seven Decades of Unbroken Heritage Gopal, a local potter from Mandal, shared that the town has sustained this Vaishakh Nandan observance without interruption for approximately 71 years. He recalled that earlier generations kept donkeys in almost every potter household because manual pottery and transportation were entirely dependent on them. With the advent of mechanized vehicles and modern transit tools, the overall donkey population in the township has steadily dwindled. Nevertheless, local families have refused to let the custom fade away. Honoring the practices established by their ancestors, the community continues to hold this dedicated worship every year during Annakut and Govardhan Puja, preserving a rare living slice of local cultural heritage. What this means for you This rare cultural observance highlights traditional Indian communities' enduring respect and gratitude toward animals central to their daily bread. • In Mandal and Bhilwara: The annual gathering revitalizes a 71-year-old local heritage while drawing curious visitors and strengthening ties across neighboring villages. Families continue to pass down this unique identity marker to younger generations despite rapid modernization. • For traditional artisan communities: The custom reinforces pride in historic pottery trades that laid the economic foundation of the town. Even as machinery replaces animal transport, the festival keeps community cohesion intact. • For cultural observers and visitors: The vibrant post-Diwali event offers tourists and folk researchers a window into lesser-known indigenous celebrations beyond mainstream cow worship. Such distinctive festivals help spotlight regional heritage on a wider platform. • For animal welfare awareness: While the working donkey population has sharply declined due to motorized alternatives, this annual honor reminds residents of the animal's historical contributions. It fosters continued care and affection for a domestic beast often neglected in mainstream discourse. Why this happened This unique ritual originated because Mandal's potters relied entirely on donkeys to haul clay for pottery, prompting them to express gratitude to the animals on Govardhan Puja just as farmers honor their oxen. • Direct link to livelihood: Potters needed to transport dense, wet clay from distant water bodies, a laborious process that made donkeys their indispensable working partners. Worshipping the animals on Govardhan Puja emerged as a natural parallel to farming communities honoring cattle. • A seven-decade organized tradition: According to local resident Gopal, the community formalised this annual ceremony roughly 71 years ago. Back then, nearly every potter household kept donkeys, turning the post-Diwali ritual into a broad collective celebration. • Resilience against mechanization: Although motorized vehicles have steadily reduced dependence on draft animals and diminished donkey numbers in recent decades, the community deliberately chose not to abandon the ancestral custom. Every year, families assemble at Pratap Nagar to sustain the tradition unbroken. Questions & Answers 1. Where in Rajasthan are donkeys worshipped on Govardhan Puja? Donkeys are ritually worshipped in Mandal town, situated in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan. 2. Which community observes this unique festival? The local potter or Prajapati community has maintained this traditional celebration for decades. 3. Why do the potters worship donkeys on this day? Donkeys carried clay from water bodies and served as the community's primary livelihood support, prompting this ritual of thanksgiving. 4. How is the donkey race conducted during the ritual? After adorning the donkeys and feeding them jaggery, firecrackers are burst near their feet to trigger a sprint through the locality. 5. For how long has this tradition been observed in Mandal? According to local resident Gopal, the community has observed this tradition for approximately 71 years. https://trendkia.com/en/rajasthan/govardhana-puja-para-bhilwara-ke-mandal-men-gadhon-ki-vishesha-puja-aura-daura-ka-anutha-rivaja-58941 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.