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Russian people became interested in India during the heyday of Indian cinema. Many imagined it as a fairyland, where everyone dances and sings, where passions rage, and love reigns.
Now Indian films are not so popular, but the fans of this country are not getting smaller. People go there for adventure, for peace and enlightenment, for entertainment.
People who are interested in the spiritual world go to India in droves to “find themselves.” Many people like it there so much that they do not want to leave and stay forever.
But before you go on a trip, you should study the customs and traditions of the country a little so as not to get into an awkward situation. Some traditions can shock an unprepared person. You can verify this by reading our article.
Below is a ranking of the 10 strangest Indian rituals.
10 wedding customs
Do not believe the beautiful Indian love stories that are shown on TV. In India, marriages are contracted solely by the will of the parents. No one is interested in how the bride and groom feel.
Going against parental opinion is not accepted here. Usually the groom’s parents are looking for a bride for him. Then a horoscope is drawn up. If the bride and groom are compatible, a wedding date is set. If not, you will have to look for another candidate.
All expenses for organizing the celebration are borne by the parents of the bride. Weddings in India are very beautiful: bright dresses, a huge number of flowers.
Great importance in India is given to the purity of the bride. No one will marry a girl who is not chaste. Otherwise, both she and her husband will become outcasts in society.
9. tongue piercing
For an unprepared tourist, this spectacle can lead to fainting. This usually happens at a religious festival that takes place in February.
It is believed that in these days the goddess Pavrati gave her son Murugan a spear. With it, he defeated the evil spirits.
Previously, believers pierced their tongues. This symbolized the silence that must be observed during meditation.
Now the Indians have gone a little further, in addition to the tongue, they pierce other parts of the body. In a trance state, many inflict severe damage and dangerous wounds on themselves.
For piercing, the locals use everything that comes to hand: small spears, pikes, hooks. No one is afraid of blood poisoning, inflammation, everyone is busy showing their commitment to the god Murugan.
8. Worship yoni and lingam
In India, there is a real cult of the Yoni and the lingam. Tourists can see ritual sculptures. There is still no exact data on what this sculpture means, and why the locals worship it.
The most common point of view is masculine and feminine, new life, fertility. But if you look closely at the figures, it becomes clear that they are not at all like the genitals.
There is another version, according to which, lingam means a sacrificial pillar. Legend has it that the gods lost their peace. Goddess Devi helped them, she said that they should honor the sacrificial pillar, as well as the god Shiva. He took pity on the gods and calmed down.
7. Self hanging on hooks
An even more terrible ritual could be seen at the Tukam festival. Now it has been banned. So decided the government of India after the demands of human rights organizations.
The ritual went like this: the men were pierced in the back with hooks, and then lifted up in front of an admiring crowd.
Sometimes the “suspended” Indians at such a moment had to pick up the child. A cruel and dangerous custom is no longer carried out in our time.
6. Throwing children from a height
This ritual is also not for impressionable persons. It is held annually in the Indian state of Karnataka, in the city of Solapur.
The crowd gathers at the highest temple, its height is 15 meters. Little children are thrown from the roof of the temple. Adults catch them from below, stretching a large piece of fabric.
According to custom, a child who has gone through this will become strong and healthy. The age of the children ranges from 9 to 11 months.
Tourists who witness this ritual experience very strong emotions: horror, fear, indignation.
5. Wallowing in food
Another strange custom, at least it does not pose a threat to people’s lives. In the temples of Karnataka, worshipers are required to lie on the floor, where the remnants of food from the Brahmins’ table are scattered. This is the highest Indian priestly caste. Everyone is participating in this madness.
Believers believe that this ritual can cure skin diseases. They tried to ban the custom, but nothing happened. Religious Hindus began to express outrage, they were unhappy that the government had imposed restrictions.
Then the government of India decided that over time, people themselves will abandon this custom. They hope that the training will change people’s attitudes.
4. Walking on burning coals
After the Timiti festival, there are usually many fire victims. The fact is that believers want to show their piety by walking on burning coals. The ritual is performed in honor of the Indian goddess Draupadi Amman.
The priest puts a pot of holy water on his head and goes around the pit with embers in a circle. Behind him are other pious men. You need to go at a slow pace, not in a hurry.
Foot burns are guaranteed, and sometimes other injuries are much worse. Sometimes the poor fellows cannot stand the pain and fall on the coals with their whole body.
3. Self-Healing
You have already understood that the most terrible things happen on religious holidays. The first month of the Islamic calendar marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala. Imam Hussein ibn Ali and his 72 soldiers died in this battle.
Hindus gather in the square and beat themselves with chains, whips, sometimes sharp knives and hooks are tied to them. They believe that in this way they can express grief over this sad event.
By the way, a similar custom is carried out not only in India, but also in other states: Pakistan, Bangladesh.
2. The healing power of cow urine
Everyone has heard of the sacred cow at least once. In India, these animals are very revered and respected. Cows can walk wherever they want, even motorists are forced to go around them if the animal decides to walk along the roadway.
Milk in India is considered a divine drink. But this is not the only thing that gives a cow. This is not about meat, Indians do not eat it, but about urine.
People firmly believe that cow urine has healing powers. On the basis of cow urine, medicines are made and soft drinks “for health” are produced. Therefore, if you are going to India, be more careful about the products that you use.
1. Bullfight
In India, bullfights are very popular. Unlike the Spaniards, the Hindus go against the animal with their bare hands, they have no weapons or ropes.
Fights are usually arranged on Thanksgiving Day – Pongal. Bulls are deliberately angry. When the animal becomes enraged, the daredevils are released. These are men who decided to become famous and earn some money. But most of them met their death in battle.
About a hundred men have died in the last twenty years. Most likely, bullfighting will be canceled in the future. Too big a risk.
By the way, the bulls remain safe and sound. They may not worry about their fate, because bulls in India are sacred animals.