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Indore, Oct 22 (IANS) Over 35 people, including several minors, suffered burn injuries during the annual Hingot Yudh (fireball fight) festival celebrated a day after Diwali in Gautampura near Indore, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
Police and medical teams present at the spot provided first aid to the burn victims, most of whom suffered minor burns, a senior district official said.
The Hingot battle was fought between the Turra team of Gautampura and the Kalangi team of Runji, when both sides took positions about 200 feet apart near the Devnarayan temple.
Dressed in traditional attire, carrying shields and bags filled with Hingot, the warriors burned bamboo sticks and threw flaming shells at their opponents.
The administration had deployed fire brigade, ambulance and police personnel to control the crowd, yet several participants got injured due to the intensity of the spectacle. However, according to local officials, the fighting, which often lasts well into the evening, was stopped for half an hour earlier this year due to growing security concerns.
Historically, the tradition dates back to the Mughal period, with Maratha soldiers using hollow Hingot fruits filled with gunpowder as makeshift hand grenades during guerrilla warfare.
Over the decades, the Hingot weapon evolved into a ritual symbol, turning a once-deadly encounter into a celebratory display of courage. Young people join the Hingot War as an expression of faith and bravery despite real dangers.
Hingot itself is a wild fruit with a hard outer covering. After drying, its pulp is removed, and the hollow shell is filled with gunpowder before being sealed with yellow clay.
According to local folklore, the Hingot War originated from the martial traditions of the Gurjar warriors. The area around Gautampura, long inhabited by the Gurjar community, is known for its warrior spirit, courage and skill in horse riding.
–IANS
PD/SNJ/SKP