Indian villagers take part in extreme body piercing to protect them from chickenpox - video
|
Version 0 of 1. Villagers in India have been filmed taking part in an annual ritual of extreme body piercing that they say helps to protect them against infections and diseases like chicken pox. During the “Hanuman Jayanti” ceremony that takes place on the full moon in the Hindu month of Chaitra, which usually falls around March and April, villagers of the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh province can be seen piercing their bodies with thread as they chant songs and dance to traditional music. “The thread is pierced inside the body while hymns are sung. Four men stand in front and four at the back. The god gives power so no pain is felt,“ said Roop Rao, a village elder. It is believed that the ritual helps the villagers in the area by protecting them against the spread of infectious diseases. Devdas a local villager explained: ”This is an old tradition followed by our ancestors. This is followed to cure all kinds of diseases mainly chicken pox. There are elders in the village with marks of chicken pox on their face in this village and so that can be cured.“ |