3. Gotmar Rock-Throwing Festival
Every year, villagers in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh come together to celebrate a bloody, but cherished past time: The rock-throwing battle. On one side there’s the Saargaon team. On the other is the crew from Pandhurhna. Between them is a no-man’s land where massive stones rain indiscriminately.
Armed with rocks, these players must cross a war zone and capture a tree in the middle of the river that separates the two villages. Warriors drag away the bloodied bodies of their unconscious comrades, as their brothers advance toward victory.
Photo from Sarangtopare.com
Every year, hundreds are injured and a few even die. But don’t expect the festival to go away anytime soon. When police tried to enforce a ban that went into effect in 2009, villagers rioted and threw rocks at them. The battle still goes on.
Despite the bloodshed, this sport is rooted in love. Sort of.
Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, two lovers crossed the river to elope with each other against their families’ wishes. As they crossed, villagers from both sides launched rocks killing both lovers.
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