Now Reading: Himachal’s 400-year-old stone-pelting ritual draws crowds
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Himachal’s 400-year-old stone-pelting ritual draws crowds
The Story in Brief
Dhami village in Himachal Pradesh, near Shimla, witnessed its annual 'Patthar Ka Khel' ritual on Monday, 9 November, a nearly 400-year-old tradition in which two groups of villagers pelt each other with stones until a participant bleeds. The blood is then offered to Goddess Bhadrakali.
According to local belief, the ritual originated as an alternative to human sacrifice, introduced by a queen of the erstwhile Dhami royal family. This year, the stone pelting lasted about 25 minutes before Mahesh Verma sustained a facial injury and his blood was applied as a tilak to the deity, Himachal Scape reports.
The event, organised under the royal family and village elders, saw thousands gather. Videos went viral on social media. The ritual is believed to seek protection from diseases, natural calamities and misfortunes.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Coverage of the Dhami stone-pelting ritual is uniform across the four outlets, each drawing on ANI footage and interviews and presenting the event as heritage rather than controversy. Times of India and Times Now lead with the spectacle of flying stones and blood, while Rediff frames it as cultural celebration, quoting royal family members to underline continuity across generations. Himachal Scape goes deepest on local detail, naming the Jamogi and Katedu groups, the 25-minute duration and the injured participant Mahesh Verma, and sets the ritual within a wider survey of Himachal Diwali traditions. No source questions the practice or dwells on safety beyond noting that organisers coordinate with police and volunteers to prevent serious injuries. The consistent framing suggests reporters treated the event as a cultural curiosity, with Himachal Scape offering the most concrete reporting.
The gaps lie in what is not examined: the risk to participants, the exclusion of outsiders, and whether the blood offering sits comfortably with contemporary animal welfare or public order norms.
Coverage: 4 sources, 4 neutral
Sources (4): timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), rediff.com (neutral report), timesnownews.com (neutral report), himachalscape.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
