Men and women take part in a traditional stone-lifting contest in Valliyur, Tamil Nadu.

The competition, known locally as Illavattakal, sees contestants lift a heavy round stone and throw it over their shoulders.

The stones weighed from 85 kg to 129 kg. The winner was a man who lifted the 129 kg stone 20 times above his head.

In the early days of the contest, men could only marry after they lifted a stone.

Location : Valliyur Tamilnadu India.

Tamilnadu is known for its peculiar traditions. Events like Jallikattu attract the attention of the whole world. One such tradition is Illavattakal, which is played in the form of a competition . In this, both male and female participants have to lift a heavy round stone above their shoulders and throw it backward while covering a certain distance. The weight is fixed at 45 kg for women and 114 kg for men.



In ealier days you can marry a girl only when you lift a stone. This tradition is followed everywhere in Tamilnadu older days.

The stones has weights of 85,114,129 kgs. Women and girls too lifted the stones.


A stone weighed 129 kgs in being lifted by an youth and taken around his head for 20 times was announced as the winner