Quote:
Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot  This will be surprising to you, but the Hindus have an annual festival where they publicly mutilate themselves, pierce themselves with all sorts of horrible metal skewers, hooks, spears etc, and yet apparently feel no pain. The metal instruments are pierced into their backs, their cheeks, through their lips, their hands etc.
And they do not bleed either. |
Yes, I saw this ritual many years ago on Singapore. It was the weirdest experience -- indescribable really -- to see things I didn't believe were possible. I saw tongues skewered without a drop of blood (and if you've ever cut your tongue you know they bleed like crazy!). One guy was chatting and laughing with his neighbor while having hooks put in his back to drag a heavy weight. It wasn't just that he obviously felt no pain, it was like he didn't feel it
at all! I felt dizzy and had to sit down at one point. (It's possible the incense they use has a slight sedative effect.) But the reaction of some of my companions was interesting. Most of them simply didn't believe what they were seeing! They winced and said things like, "Oh, that must hurt!" And talked about blood and scars, even though there was no sign of either.