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India is a nation of stark contrasts, as the old saying suggests. It thrives with a modern, rapidly growing economy, particularly in the IT industry, while also preserving centuries-old bustling markets that appear unchanged from five hundred years ago, except for the presence of cellphones and DVDs.
Many Indians, who passionately embrace the same modernity often taken for granted in the West, feel frustrated that their country is still associated with sacred cows and unusual customs. Stereotypes can be hard to accept. However, they shouldn’t be upset by this list, as it merely highlights one intriguing aspect of the vast, diverse, and extraordinary nation that is India.
10. Fire-Walking
During the Theemithi festival in South India, participants honor the Hindu goddess Draupati Amman by walking barefoot over a pit of blazing firewood or glowing charcoal. Instead of rushing, devotees must stroll calmly, as if it were an ordinary walk in the park.
The ceremony starts with the head priest crossing the pit while balancing a pot of sacred water on his head. Other men follow, aiming to demonstrate their devotion by enduring the pain. Many suffer burns, and injuries can worsen if they accidentally fall into the fiery pit.
9. Hooking
The Thookkam festival involves piercing the backs of devout Hindus with sharp hooks, lifting them into the air on a scaffold using ropes. In some cases, children are attached to the participants' hands. Though originating in southern India, the festival has been banned by the Indian Government due to pressure from human rights groups.
8. Bull Fighting
Unlike the Spanish version, Indian bullfighting, known as Jallikattu, involves no ropes or weapons. The bull is also spared afterward, as cows are considered sacred in India. This high-risk sport, celebrated during Pongal (the harvest festival), sees young men attempting to tame or cling to the bull for rewards, often monetary.
Over the past twenty years, more than a hundred people have died in southern India due to Jallikattu. The Supreme Court of India is currently reviewing a case that could lead to a complete ban on the sport. Bulls are often intoxicated, have chili powder sprinkled in their eyes, and endure other harsh treatments to provoke aggression.
7. Self-flagellation
Muharram, the first month of the Islamic Calendar, commemorates the Battle of Karbala, where Imam Hussein ibn Ali and 72 warriors were martyred over ten days. Shi’a Muslims in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh mourn this tragedy by whipping their bare bodies with chains called ‘Matam,’ which sometimes include razor blades or knives.
6. Widow-burning
Sati, a ritual prevalent in the 17th century, involved widows being burned alive alongside their deceased husbands, often under coercion. Those attempting to escape faced severe consequences, such as being tied to the pyre or having their limbs broken. Despite being outlawed by the British in 1859, the practice persisted in some regions. Today, it remains banned in India, with strict penalties for anyone enforcing this brutal tradition.
5. Baby Tossing
Every December, over a hundred infants are thrown from the roof of a temple, falling 200 feet into a crowd of men holding a cloth to catch them. This ritual, believed to bless couples with more children and bring good health and fortune, is practiced in Karnataka. Despite its shocking nature, the Indian government is working to ban this tradition.
4. Food Rolling
In some temples in Karnataka, visitors are instructed to stop, drop, and roll. Devotees roll over leftover food scraps from Brahmins, the highest priestly caste in India. This practice, observed by lower castes, is believed to heal skin ailments.
Made snana, a ritual dating back over 500 years, is now facing a potential ban. While some temples had imposed restrictions recently, these were removed following protests by devout Hindus. The Indian government has opted for education rather than enforcement to address the issue.
3. Female Infanticide
This grave social issue, prevalent in India and other regions, stems from a cultural preference for male children over females. In extreme cases, female infants are killed or abandoned in rivers. Illegitimate girls were particularly at risk, often saved only if the father agreed to marry the mother—a rare occurrence. Infanticide was outlawed in the 19th century.
2. Tongue Piercing
Instead of studs, long, sharp needles made of wood or steel are used to pierce the tongue. These needles can be so lengthy that the tongue remains permanently extended, unable to retract. This practice is common during various religious festivals. In some areas, young boys and occasionally girls participate in the ritual, wearing garlands around their necks a day before the ceremony. The event often concludes with dancing and celebrations. Similar traditions are observed in other parts of southern Asia.
1. Chicken-shredding Exorcisms
In Hinduism, exorcisms are performed through diverse methods, varying by regional traditions. One such ritual involves sacrificing a white chicken, with the priest or Pandit scattering its bloody remains around the house. The possessed individual is addressed as a demon or named after a deceased relative believed to have turned into a demon. These spirits are thought to fear white chickens. In some instances, the demon is said to cry out, 'I go! I go!' before departing. The person, now freed, awakens as if from a trance, with no recollection of the events or the chicken.
