Wacky and Weird
From painful piercing to getting hit by fireworks, some revelries will make your mind go numb and eyes bulge out.
Yanshui Beehive Firework Festival, Taiwan
Many of us think that sky lanterns and pyrotechnics brings good luck and charm in the new year, while locals in the Yanshui district of Taiwan believe that the more you’re hit by the rocket, the better. Following the Chinese lunar calendar, on the night of the Lantern Festival, the district launches million of fireworks directly into the crowd. With motorcycle helmets, protective gear and a swig or two of liquid courage, thousands of people take to the streets just to be battered by explosions. Make sure your good things are off the heat.
Konaki Sumo, Japan
Two giant sumo wrestlers step in the ring, looking threatening and ready to attack. This might be the general definition of wrestling or so you think. As tough as these wrestlers look, each of them is holding a baby, and the goal is to make the opponents baby cry. This may seem like a setup for comedy but to the Japanese, it is a representation of good health and warding off the evil spirits from the body. Just think if none of the kids cries?
Monkey Buffet Eating, Thailand
When you visit an animal sanctuary, you are asked not to feed the animals. Well in Lopburi, Thailand the case is quite the opposite. Here a massive banquet tables with over 4,000 kgs of fruit, candies and various other Thai dishes are gorgeously arranged for the monkeys to feast on. People there believe that the monkeys are descendants of the Monkey King, a divine character from Thai’s mythology. Thus, honouring these creatures will bring both good luck and fortune in life. Well, whatever the case is, one thing is clear that Thailand has certainly taken care of the wild world.
Thaipusam, India
If above-mentioned festivals do not make your body cringe, this one sure will. The mother of all crazies, Thaipusam celebrated in India, majorly in the state of Tamil Nadu, can be interpreted as a cruel mortification on human flesh. This daunting ceremony is an image of devotion by suffering from the painful piercing of hooks and skewers on the body. The event celebrates the mythical moment when Goddess Paravati handed a spear to Murugan to fight against the demon. So, if you are ready to see people mutilating their own flesh, don’t forget to check out this festival.
From the October 2019 issue of FHM India.
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