10 Dangerous Rituals That Still Exist In India! You’ll Get Chills Reading These….

It’s no surprise that India is a land full of rituals and superstitions, but what’s scary is the extent to which these rituals are taken to. Yes, in many parts of the country, people are still orthodox and can’t get over these customs. In the name of rituals, they even risk their lives! What is the meaning of such traditions where is no happiness but just moans? Have a look at the list of 10 dangerous rituals in India; you will get chills while reading these…

1. Dropping Babies off the roof: Maharashtra and Karnataka

One of the most life-threatening rituals practiced in India is that of baby dropping, practiced at Baba Umer Dargah near Sholapur, Maharashtra, and Sri Santeswar temple near Indi, Karnataka. Practiced by both Hindus and Muslims, it is believed that the ritual will bring good luck to the child whose being thrown down. Though there are several people standing at the foot of the tower to catch the baby, the ritual still stands to be a horrifying act. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is looking to put an end to the potentially dangerous ceremony.

2. Walking on fire: Theemithi, Tamil Nadu

Walking on fire has often been mentioned in the epics of Mahabharata, Ramayana, and several other religious stories. But that myth happens to be a living reality at Theemithi festival of Tamil Nadu. The two-and-a-half month practice of Theemithi is an act of worshipping Draupadi, wife of Pandavas in Mahabharata after she walked across a bed of fire and emerged as fresh as a flower.

3. Ripping one’s hair off their scalp: Kesh Lochan

Indian faith has a very popular belief that sacrificing one’s hair for god is a holy act. While usually the bizarre ritual goes only to the extent of people shaving their heads, the Jain Saints take it to the next level by plucking their hair out by themselves. This painful process happens before they take the wow to be a saint. The act of painfully plucking one’s hair is a symbol of accepting pain as a part of life and giving up on worldly attachments, including that of one’s body.

4. Exorcism by marriage to animals: all over India

Ghosts and spirits have been a prevalent superstition all over the world. There are several stories of life-threatening exorcisms but the way this ritual practiced in India is rather funny. It is believed that when a girl has a horoscope ill called “Mangal Dosh”, she is a threat to her husband’s life. In order to free her of this “dosh”, she is first married to a dog. In various parts of India, she’s even married to a frog, a chicken or a tree. The practice represents exorcism of all the evil spirits that are present inside her especially, if she’s born with a deformity, deformed tooth, etc.

5. A deadly dance of sticks: Bani Festival, Andhra Pradesh

This strange festival celebrated in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh is where men beat each other to death with sticks. The celebration is held at Devaragattu Temple, where the majority of devotees are from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Thankfully, police and medical staff are always present to monitor this bizarre festival.

6. Humans on hooks: Garudan Thookam, Kerela

This horrifying yet fascinating ritual practiced in Kerela is indeed one of the saddest examples of human reason rotting in the pits of superstition. The ritual is in celebration of Garuda Thookam, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu as he quenched goddess Kali’s thirst for blood, after killing Darika the demon. To seek the blessings of the goddess, a set of devotees first organize a dance in the temple and then hang like eagles (Garudas) with their back hooked to bamboo poles. These hooked garudas are then carried around in the city in a celebrated procession.

7. Trampled by cows: Govardhan Puja, Madhya Pradesh

Cows in general, are highly respected and worshiped by Hindus in India but this ritual takes that respect to bizarre heights. One day after Diwali, villagers of Bhiwdawad village in Maharashtra decorate their cattle and lie on the ground to allow the cows to run over them. The ritual happens after a five-day fast,as they believe that their prayers will be answered after the ritual.

8. Faith in fire: Agni Kheli, Mangalore

Hundreds of bare-bodied men lash out at each other with burning ropes; this might sound like a crime headline but instead is a ritual practiced in Mangalore celebrating the old age tradition of Agni Kheli. The festival is held at Kateel Durga Parameswari Temple, for eight days in the month of April. Those who get burnt in the ritual are simply sprayed with the holy water of the temple.

9. Piercing one’s flesh with nails and hooks: Thaipoosam, Tamil Nadu

Lord Murugan, also known as Kartikeya is the eldest son of Shiva and Parvati. To thank their generous god for granting their wishes, the devotees offer sacrifices like bearing the kavadi: a portable altar attached to the devotee by 108 vels or metal needles, pierced into the devotee’s skin. The other method of celebrating this ritual includes piercing their cheeks, tongue, face, and other body parts with vels, on the day of Thaipusam to meet full concentration on the Lord

10. Coconuts smashed on heads: Aadi Festival, Tamil Nadu

Every year thousands of devotees travel to this small village of Tamil Nadu and get coconuts smashed on their heads by the temple priests. The belief dates back to a story from British Raj when Britishers wanted to build a railway track over the temple and jokingly offered to change the railway course if the villagers could break the stones with their heads. As the story goes, the villagers did succeed in the challenge as 187 coconut-shaped stones were dug out at the temple’s place. To pay their respect to the goddess, several devotees follow the tradition and believe that this brings them good health and better luck.

So guys, aren’t you actually scared just at the thought of it? Do share your views about this in our comments section below.

SOURCE:Rvjc