Around 150 were left injured after taking part in a festival known as Bagwal, where two groups pelt stones at each other and cower behind large wooden shields.

Footage captured in Devidhura, Uttrakhand, by journalist Sandeep Kumar shows large crowds gathering to watch the brutal spectacle.

Clips show participants helping those injured off the ground and into a medical facility where they are treated for their wounds.

Bagwal is celebrated on the full moon day of Shravan month in the Hindu calendar. Participants aim to make each other bleed in order to "please" their deity, Varahi.

Villagers of Devidhura, Uttrakhand celebrated Bagwal Mela Northern India on Thursday, August 31. Bagwal means "fight with stones" and that’s precisely what happens during the festival.

Temple priest said A popular ritual of Raksha Bandhan day, the worshippers, in four different groups called “khams," throw stones with fruits at one another, until the priest calls them to stop after ensuring that enough blood has been shed for the goddess Maa Barahi. The battle commences after the Puja ritual ceremony has been completed, whereafter worshippers enter the temple with their weapons and move around the temple in song and dance.

the Bagwal Mela festival is mostly known for its annual ritual of 'stone-pelting’. The fight which only plays for a ten minutes takes long enough to injure participants that are attended to in hospitals and clinics in the region.

Villagers engaged in battle with stones, sticks and shields made of wood leaving many with bloodied faces and bandaged heads.

Authorities had changed the rules of the battle asking participants to replace stones with fruits. However, reports indicated that stones were still the preferred weapon of choice during the festival that took place in front of the Warahi Devi temple in Champawat district.

Around 150 people's were participants were injured with most suffering injuries.