Himachal witnesses a Centuries-old Festival and some Weird Traditions

It is a centuries-old tradition but is celebrated in a much weird way. Observed by the young representatives of the royal family of Dhami only, the very way it is celebrated has been able to turn the heads recently.

Guwahati: According to the rituals, hundreds of people, who belong to the royal family of Dhami, gather at a village near Shimla to celebrate a festival. This festival is particularly observed as a dedication to the Goddess Kali. As a part of the rituals, the participants take out a procession for some time and following this, they throw stones at each other.

The site of the festival is located some 40 km from Shimla and has been in practice for many centuries. There is a legend behind the initiation of this unique tradition of observing the festival. Local people say that the former queen of Dhami gave her life to end the practice of human sacrifice and asked people to start a ritual in which two clans would throw stones. The process of throwing stones too is bizarre in which the participants throw stones at the sky until someone is hit. Once a person is hit, his blood would be offered to the Goddess Kali.

On the day of the festival, a large procession is started from a temple that was built by the former king of Dhami. After this, hundreds of people from two local clans gather at the place and then they all are locked in a stone-throwing battle.

An organizer of the fair states, “This fair had been celebrated here for centuries, I have heard from the elders, it is nearly 400 years old. It was started with an effort to end the cruel tradition of human sacrifice. A large number of people gather here to see the fair."

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Well, the great intention with which this particular ritual of stone-throwing was made is commendable and is an instance to be cited to those particular worshipping rituals in which livestock and animals are being chosen to sacrifice for pleasing the Almighty.

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