This fire festival draws hundreds of worshippers to southern India.

The fire fight of Kateel Durga Parameswari temple, also known as Agni Keli, is an ancient tradition that draws hundreds of worshippers to Mangalore. There, devotees gather at the temple to hurl burning palm fronds at each other in honor of the Hindu goddess Durga.

This fiery spectacle is a real crowd-pleaser, with thousands of onlookers cheering on the torch-wielding participants as they play with fire and try to set each other alight. The devotees split into two groups, standing 10 to 15 meters apart, and launch their fiery missiles at their opponents.

To protect themselves from serious burns, the men wear small pieces of cloth around their lower bodies. However, this doesn't stop them from frequently catching fire during the intense ritual. If anyone does get burned, they are sprayed with water to soothe their wounds.

The Agni Keli may be a dangerous, but it remains a beloved tradition that draws worshippers and spectators alike to this sacred site year after year.

Agni Keli, also known as the Fire Fight of Kateel Durga Parameswari Temple, in Mangalore, India, is a unique ritual that has hundreds of devotees throwing burning palm fronds at each other, to appease the Hindu goddess Durga.Hundreds of devotees gather at the temple of Durga, in Mangalore, to carry out a centuries-old tradition that involves throwing and getting hit with burning palm fronds.

The fiery action attracts thousands of spectators, who watch as the torch-wielding men try to set each other ablaze. The devotees who take part in the firefight split into two groups and face each other from a distance of 10 – 15 meters. Armed with a hefty supply of burning palm frond torches, they start throwing them at each other, trying to hit as many devotees from the opposing group.

To prevent serious burns, the men only wear pieces of cloth around their lower bodies, but they are often set ablaze during the fiery ritual. If a person suffers any burns, they are sprayed with water.