A stone-pelting festival took place despite authorities denying permission amid the COVID-19 pandemic in northern India’s Uttarakhand.

The event took place on August 3 near Maa Barahi Devi Temple in Devidhura, in the town of Champawat.

Known as Bagwal, this unusual festival is celebrated every year on Rakshabandhan, a Hindu festival celebrating the bond of siblings.

The tradition involves two groups of people throwing stones at each other while trying to protect themselves with large wooden shields. Footage shows people shoot stones into the sky and each other while dancing to the sound of temple bells.

According to local reports, the district administration only permitted circumambulating around the temple, but attendees had other plans.

The ceremony was concluded in around four minutes before two participants sustained injuries as a result of the festivity.

In a very unusual fair, a stone-pelting festival took place in spite of authorities not granting permission for it, amid the COVID-19 pandemic in northern India’s Uttarakhand.

The event took place on August 3 in Devidhura of Champawat town in Maa Barahi Devi Temple.

The strange festival, known as ‘Bagwal’, is celebrated every year on Rakshabandhan, a Hindu festival celebrating the bond of sisters with their brothers.

The tradition involves two groups of people throwing stones at each other, while trying to protect themselves with the help of large wooden shields.

According to reports, the district administration had only allowed the devotees to circumambulate around the temple, but followers had other plans.

Visuals show the custom being performed, as people shoot stones into the sky, onto each other, while dancing, as temple bells and conch shells fill the background score, shortly after circumambulating the temple premises.

The ceremony was concluded in about four minutes, before two participants sustained injuries as a result of the festivity.