35 Suffer Burn Injuries During "Hingot Battle", Post-Diwali Ritual In Indore

What began as a celebration of courage and tradition turned into chaos and flames in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, when 35 people sustained burn injuries during the annual Hingot Yuddh (Hingot Battle) held a day after Diwali. The injured were rushed to the hospital after receiving first aid on the spot.

Thousands gathered, as they do every year, to witness the fierce contest between the Turra and Kalangi teams, a ritual said to date back centuries. Amid deafening drums and swirling smoke, warriors threw burning Hingots - dried, hollowed-out fruits filled with gunpowder - across the field, transforming the festive air into a scene of fiery combat.

Men prepare Hingots filled with gunpowder for the fiery battle.

The Hingot battle, fought between the Turra team of Gautampura and the Kalangi team of Runji, began with both sides taking positions about 200 feet apart near the Devnarayan Temple. Dressed in traditional attire, with shields in hand and Hingot pouches slung across their shoulders, the warriors ignited bamboo sticks and flung flaming shells at their opponents.

The administration had deployed fire brigades, ambulances, and police to manage the crowd, but the intensity of the spectacle led to multiple injuries. The fight, which typically runs well into dusk, was stopped half an hour earlier this year due to safety concerns.

At least 35 people suffered injuries and were rushed to the hospital. One of the participants is serious and has been referred to a hospital in Indore.

Each year, several participants and spectators are injured, and in 2017, a young man lost his life, prompting calls to ban the event.

A petition filed in the Madhya Pradesh High Court questioned the legality of the tradition, terming it "inhuman and life-threatening." The matter remains pending, but the practice continues unabated defended by villagers as a centuries-old symbol of heritage and bravery.

Legend traces the Hingot battle back to the Mughal era when Maratha soldiers used hollowed Hingot fruits filled with gunpowder as makeshift grenades during guerrilla warfare. Over time, the weapon evolved into a ritual offering transforming battle into a festive performance of courage.

Today, for many young men in Gautampura and surrounding villages, participating in the Hingot battle is a matter of pride and a demonstration of fearlessness and faith, despite the very real risks it entails.

The Hingot itself is a wild fruit with a tough outer shell. Once dried, its pulp is removed, and gunpowder is packed inside before sealing it with yellow clay.