'Pathron Ka Mela' festival celebrated at Himachal's Dhami

Shimla, Nov 13 (PTI) Centuries-old annual 'Pathron Ka Mela', a unique festival in which people pelt stones at each other till someone starts bleeding, was celebrated at Dhami, about 30 km from Shimla on Monday.

The festival, held a day after Diwali, started in the presence of the erstwhile ruler of Dhami known as Halog, and lasted for 50 minutes. It ended when Dalip Thakur (28) of Jamog sustained a minor injury which caused bleeding.

As per the tradition, the stone pelting takes place between Halog and Jamog groups who line up on both sides of a circular structure and pelt small stones at each other.

The fair begins when the priest of Narsingh Devta temple, walks to the Kali Devi temple accompanied by a team of musicians.

'As per traditions, the festival continues till blood starts oozing from the wounds of the injured people. The villagers smear 'tilak' of blood on the forehead of goddess Kali,' former ruler of Dhami Jagdeep Singh said.

'The tradition dates back to the time of human sacrifice. Once, after a king died, the queen before getting 'sati' (setting herself ablaze) ended the cruel custom and a new tradition of throwing stones at each other was started, and the one who got wounded, his blood was applied as a tilak to the goddess,' he added.

Hundreds of people, including people from the adjoining villages and also from Shimla and other places assembled at the Sports Ground to witness the festival.

The practice is about 300 years old, and the people of the royal family pelt the first stone after performing a puja and the game is played from a safe distance, said Raj Purohit (priest) Devender.

Getting injured is considered auspicious and the one who bleeds during the pelting of stones is considered an honoured devotee of goddess Kali and his blood is smeared on the forehead of the goddess.

The local administration and human right activists have been discouraging the villagers from participating in the ritual by highlighting the cruelty inflicted, but locals are not ready to give up the tradition and celebrate the fair in a grand manner.

PTI BPL MNK MNK MNK MNK