- Hang Cow Trampling Ritual
Cows are considered sacred among Hindus. Well, this is a festival celebrated at Bhiwdawad village, in Maharashtra. Govardhan Puja is celebrated by worshiping god cow. Where the worshipers lay down on the ground, letting the cows trample them over. This ritual is done after five days of fasting. The reason behind the festival is that their prayers will be answerable after performing the ritual.
Source: www.news.com.au
2. Hanging by hooks – Garudan Thookam, Kerala
This festival is celebrated in Kerala for the Lord Vishnu and kali. Lord Vishnu by killing the demon darika quenched the thirst of goddess kali. This practice is being celebrated by hanging from a shaft, a hook is inserted from the flesh.
Source: divyamarathi.bhaskar.com
3.Plucking hair out by the hand – Kesh Lochan of Jain saints
This one of the painful practices followed by the Jain and Buddhist for Moksha, where they have to pluck their hair by hand. According to their beliefs, hair is considered to be an attachment and vanity. By pulling their hair from each strands of their head is a step towards of leaving every attachment and vanity with it.
Source: www.quora.com
- Smashing coconuts on the head – Aadi Festival, Tamil Nadu
This weird festival is celebrated every year on 18th day of Tamil month of Aadi. the devotees gather together at Mahalakshmi temple, Mettu Mahadhanapuram, Karur District of Tamil Nadu. where they allow the priests to smash coconut on their head for good luck and health. The story behind this takes us back to the time of British raj when they made a pact to build a railway track across the temple and village. The villagers were against this. So the britishers made a deal that if they could break stones on their head, they will change the railway line. Hence, the villagers were successful and the temple was safe.