Two groups from different clans throw stones at each other while trying to protect themselves with large wooden shields.

The participants do not care about the injuries they receive. In fact, the injuries are believed to be a blessing from the goddess. It is claimed by the people of Devidhura that nobody has ever died as a result of the stone-pelting during this unusual fair.

One village stones another village, in an age-old tradition...

Festivals are occasions to spend time with friends and family, of religious ceremony and of introspection. However some festivals can be quite deadly. In the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in India a dangerous festival of stone pelting is organized annually. Outside of this region, to the rest of the world this festival would seem bizarre.

Lohaghat is a destination of great historical and mythological significance. In the nineteenth century, the British were so overwhelmed by its beauty that they proposed to develop it as the summer capital of the British empire in India. The area is an exquisite combination of natural beauty, historical importance and a salubrious atmosphere. An hour's drive away from Lohaghat, is Devidhura Village, which is famous for its Barahi temple where a bizarre festival is held once every year on the day of the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan. This unusual fair, which attracts people from Kumaon, Garhwal and Nepal among other places, is held every year at the temple of Barahi Devi. During this festival, known as Bagwal, two groups from different clans throw stones at each other while trying to protect themselves with large wooden shields.

The participants do not care about the injuries they receive. In fact, the injuries are believed to be a blessing from the goddess. It is claimed by the people of Devidhura that nobody has ever died as a result of the stone-pelting during this unusual fair. It's an old tradition to sacrifice animals on the day before Bagwal. People from nearby villages bring goats to