Uttar Pradesh's 'stone-pelting festival' on Rakshabandhan leaves 120 injured, here's all you need to know

In a surprisingly violent tradition, 120 people have been injured on Thursday in a 'Stone pelting festival' - Bagwal in Uttarakhand's Champawat. According to ANI, the festival is a yearly tradition held in the district to appease the Goddess Barahi on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

This is only one of the many curiously violent festivals celebrated all around India. Here are some of the other unique Indian festivals.

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Lathmar Holi

Uttar Pradesh's Nandgaon village celebrates this festival where women from the neighbouring Barsana village  'beat'  Nanadgaon men with lathis. According to local legends, this festival occurs days preceding Holi, following Lord Krishna's story that he visited his beloved Radha and ended up teasing her friends. The women, as legends claim the women chased Krishna with sticks. 

This festival is celebrated 4-5 days before Holi in Vrindavan, Nandgaon, and Barsan.

Photo: Travel Triangle

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Theyyam

The 800-year-old festival from Kerala involves performers dancing while wearing a crown of hair of length 10-12 meters, walking fire embers, wearing coconut fronds, and performing with burning wicks of wire tied around the waist invoking the divine deity, as per local legends. The Theyyam community who traditionally belong to the upper caste are the main performers exhibiting ritual of spirits and wonderful artwork by beautifully adorned devotees who dance and worship gods.

This festival is celebrated every year in October-May.

Photo: Travel Triangle

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Thaipoosam

This Tamilnadu festival celebrated by Lord Muruga's (Lord Shiva's son) ardent devotees around the country involves people piercing heir lips with spears, piercing mouth with sharp metal objects, and hooking their skin to chains as they try to pull the chariot in order to pay regards to the deity. The devotees bathe and smear themselves in turmeric, while priests carry decorated pots and idols of Muruga over their heads with colourful umbrellas sheltering them.

This festival is generally celebrated in February every year. 

Photo: Travel Triangle