<p class="title">Hundreds of ‘stone pelters’ took to the streets in Shimla's Dhami village on Thursday relentlessly hurling stones at each other.</p>.<p class="title">At first, it appeared like a typical unsavoury setting in the insurgency-hit Valley but it turns out to be a ritual celebrated in the village.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Violent stone pelting by unmasked, un-shielded men continued ferociously for over 30-minutes until blood dipped on the ground.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The first fall of blood marked the culmination of the ‘festival of stones’.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Several hundreds of people including foreign tourists gathered in the tiny hamlet, some 32 km from state capital Shimla.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Villagers in the area say they take pride in fierce ritual, which is observed after the festival of Diwali.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thursday’s festival of stones is widely believed by locals to be potent enough to invite good fortune, even as this uncanny festival has mysterious unexplained ritual connotations albeit sans rationale.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stone throwing has been a ritual in this village for over a century now. </p>.<p class="bodytext">One of the descendants of the erstwhile Royals of the Dhami estate dressed up in a typical princely attire was present at the occasion.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It's a contest showcased between descendants of the erstwhile royals and the locals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The one who bleeds first in the contest is considered fortunate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His blood was smeared on the forehead of Goddess Kali as a mark of obeisance.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The legend has it that the practice of stone pelting was introduced after the tradition of “Nar Bali” (human sacrifice) that prevailed earlier but was discontinued.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Officials said that all possible precautions are ensued before the start of the event as passions run high on both side of the divide.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The legend has it that a woman from Halog village was engaged in the neighbouring princely state of Rangoili's royal family. But due to age-old bitterness, residents of Jamog village poisoned the prince just before the marriage was to be solemnised.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The distressed woman burnt herself on her fiancé's pyre, following which angry villagers on both sides fought with stones.</p>
<p class="title">Hundreds of ‘stone pelters’ took to the streets in Shimla's Dhami village on Thursday relentlessly hurling stones at each other.</p>.<p class="title">At first, it appeared like a typical unsavoury setting in the insurgency-hit Valley but it turns out to be a ritual celebrated in the village.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Violent stone pelting by unmasked, un-shielded men continued ferociously for over 30-minutes until blood dipped on the ground.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The first fall of blood marked the culmination of the ‘festival of stones’.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Several hundreds of people including foreign tourists gathered in the tiny hamlet, some 32 km from state capital Shimla.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Villagers in the area say they take pride in fierce ritual, which is observed after the festival of Diwali.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thursday’s festival of stones is widely believed by locals to be potent enough to invite good fortune, even as this uncanny festival has mysterious unexplained ritual connotations albeit sans rationale.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stone throwing has been a ritual in this village for over a century now. </p>.<p class="bodytext">One of the descendants of the erstwhile Royals of the Dhami estate dressed up in a typical princely attire was present at the occasion.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It's a contest showcased between descendants of the erstwhile royals and the locals.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The one who bleeds first in the contest is considered fortunate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His blood was smeared on the forehead of Goddess Kali as a mark of obeisance.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The legend has it that the practice of stone pelting was introduced after the tradition of “Nar Bali” (human sacrifice) that prevailed earlier but was discontinued.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Officials said that all possible precautions are ensued before the start of the event as passions run high on both side of the divide.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The legend has it that a woman from Halog village was engaged in the neighbouring princely state of Rangoili's royal family. But due to age-old bitterness, residents of Jamog village poisoned the prince just before the marriage was to be solemnised.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The distressed woman burnt herself on her fiancé's pyre, following which angry villagers on both sides fought with stones.</p>
