Indore, Oct 22 (IANS) More than 35 people, including several minors, suffered burns during the annual Hingot War (fireball battle) festival celebrated a day after Diwali in Gautampura, near Indore, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Police and medical teams present at the site provided primary medical treatment to those who sustained burns, most of whom sustained minor burns, a senior district official stated.

The Hingot battle, contested between the Turra team of Gautampura and the Kalangi team of Runji, began as both sides took positions about 200 feet apart near the Devnarayan Temple.

Clad in traditional attire, carrying shields and pouches filled with Hingots, the warriors lit bamboo sticks and hurled the flaming shells towards their rivals.

The administration had deployed fire brigades, ambulances, and police personnel to control the crowd, yet the intensity of the spectacle left several participants injured. However, the fight, which often extends into the evening, was halted half an hour earlier this year due to escalating safety concerns, according to local authorities.

Historically tracing back to the Mughal era, the tradition is believed to have originated from Maratha soldiers using hollowed-out Hingot fruits filled with gunpowder as makeshift grenades during guerrilla warfare.

Over the decades, the Hingot weapon evolved into a ritual symbol, turning the once-lethal encounter into a festive display of courage. Young men join the Hingot battle as an expression of faith and bravery, despite the very real dangers it poses.

The Hingot itself is a wild fruit with a hard outer shell. Once dried, its pulp is removed, and the hollow shell is filled with gunpowder before being sealed with yellow clay.

According to local folklore, the Hingot war originated from the martial traditions of the Gurjar warriors. The region around Gautampura, long inhabited by the Gurjar community, has been known for its warrior spirit, courage, and skill in horsemanship.

–IANS

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