File under Whacky Indian Traditions

So walking around one evening I came upon a large crowd outside a Shivite temple in Pondicherry. They had brought out the idols and were blowing horns and beating drums. A huge crowd had gathered.
In the street were 3 sheaves of dried palm fronds. The priests were saying prayers over them and shoving things into the sheaves.
Some one came out of the temple carrying a torch and after a few more prayers, lit the sheaves one by one.
They burst into flame on a very crowded street - with no police or barricades or crowd control of any kind. The stuff stuffed in by the priest turned out to be fireworks and crackers which started popping and zooming.

When it was all done the crowd rushed in to get the ash and make caste marks on their foreheads.