This was the stunning moment villagers in south India jumped into massive fire pits and threw red hot embers in the air to celebrate a Hindu festival.

Footage shows the ritual held at Hosahatti village, Karnataka on March 7 during a festival to honour a local deity, Lord Obaleshwara.

The glowing embers, flung into the night sky, came down on a crowd of devotees looking like a rain of fire.

The eight-day festival, which is held once in three years, concluded on March 8.

The priests went to the forest and cut trees, which were then burnt in front of the temple to create a hot bed of embers. Late in the night the villagers, mostly local young men, took part in the fire ritual.

Villagers believe that the stunning spectacle of a rain of fire entertains the deity, who in turn blesses them with good monsoons and harvest. They also think the deity protects them from burns, though they do not stay for long amid fire to test the hypotheses.

Many families in the village used to make a living by burning trees and selling coal in nearby towns. Experts say the ritual may have originated from their trade.

This was the stunning moment Indian villagers jumped into massive fire pits and threw red hot embers in the air.

The glowing embers, flung into the night sky, came down on a crowd of devotees looking like a rain of fire.

The ritual was held at Hosahatti village near Kudligi town in southern India on March 7 during a festival to honour a local deity, Lord Obaleshwara.

The priests went to the forest and cut trees, which were then burnt in front of the temple to create a hot bed of embers. Late in the night the villagers, mostly, local young men, took part in the fire ritual.

Villagers believe that the stunning spectacle of a rain of fire entertains the deity, who in turn blesses them with good monsoons and harvest. They also think the deity protects them from burns, though they do not stay for long amid fire to test the hypotheses.

Many families in the village used to make a living by burning trees and selling coal in nearby towns. Experts say the ritual may have originated from their trade.

The eight-day festival, which is held once in three years, concluded on March 8.