Shimla, Oct. 17 -- Putting an embargo on a Mashal procession reflecting the tension between faith, tradition, and public order, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled on a decades-old cultural conflict over Diwali celebrations at the sacred Mahasu Devta Temple near Kupvi in Shimla district.
The court intervened to avert possible clashes between residents of three villages, Gaunkhar, Dhar Chandna, and Bawat, who follow different customs of celebrating Diwali.
Justice Sandeep Sharma, delivering a reportable judgment, restrained both groups from carrying large Mashaal (torch) processions or entering the temple under the influence of liquor. The court directed that only one torch per family be permitted and declared the celebrations "dry,"...