Shimla village celebrates 300-year-old Dhami stone-pelting fair after Diwali

Two groups hurl stones at each other as ritual ends with blood tilak at Bhadrakali shrine

Yog Raj Sharma
November 10, 2026, 15:00
2 mins
Shimla

Shimla’s 300-Year-Old Dhami stone-pelting fair marks Diwali Tradition

As members of two groups engaged in ritual stone-pelting to mark the occasion. TNN Photo : Yog Raj

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The centuries-old stone-pelting fair of Dhami in Shimla district was celebrated with traditional fervour on the day after Diwali, as members of two groups engaged in ritual stone-pelting to mark the occasion. The 300-year-old tradition concludes with the blood of the first injured participant being used to apply a tilak at the shrine of Goddess Bhadrakali.

Also known as the Dhami Stone Fair, the annual event is associated with the erstwhile Dhami princely state and is attended by members of the royal family. The ritual involves two groups representing different families. One group comprises members of the Tundu, Jathoti and Katedu families, while the other represents the Jamogi clan.

The fair begins with the worship of Narsingh by the royal family. This is followed by stone-pelting between the two groups. According to the tradition, the ritual comes to an end when a participant is injured and starts bleeding. The royal family’s representative then applies a tilak to the platform of Goddess Bhadrakali using the first participant’s blood. The ceremony concludes amid applause from those present.

According to local accounts, the tradition dates back around 300 years. It is believed that human sacrifice was once practised during the fair but was later stopped following the intervention of a queen. Buffalo sacrifice was subsequently introduced but was also discontinued, giving way to the present stone-pelting ritual.

Local accounts further hold that the queen, distressed by the practice of human sacrifice, suggested replacing it with stone-pelting. She is believed to have later committed sati at a crossroads. The tradition has since continued as part of Dhami’s cultural heritage.

Members of the royal family and local residents claim that no one has lost their life due to stone injuries during the fair so far. They also maintain that if a death occurs in the royal family on the day of the event, the fair’s ritual is performed before the funeral.