It is an ancient ritual – the stone throwing ritual at the Barahi
Devi Temple in Uttarakhand. The ritual is known as Bagwal and is annually held
on the Raksha Bandhan day. Barahi Devi Temple is located in Devidhura Towan in Champawat
District in Uttarakhand. Goddess Barahi Devi is a manifestation of Goddess
Durga.
Devotees decided to stop throwing stones as it caused
serious injuries. Instead of stones they used locally available fruits and
flowers.
Times of India reports
The devotees replaced stones with flowers and fruits. They hurled fruits like locally grown round shaped pears, apples and flowers at each other in the battle fought among different local devotee groups within temple premises.
Old-timers of the ritual who had witnessed the serious injuries caused by the stone pelting welcomed the move and called it historic. "The way all the participants used fruits and flowers instead of stones during 10-minute battle has really come a big pleasant change and it will continue in future," said Barahi Devi Devidhura Temple Committee president Lal Singh Chamiyala.