Vegetarian Self-Mutilitarians

CAUTION! This blog entry contains gruesome images. If you're squeamish, this is not for you!

The Vegetarian Festival is a Chinese religious celebration that takes place in Phuket, Thailand each year. It's called the Vegetarian Festival because during the 9 days of the festival, participants abstain from eating meat. But aside from the fact that vendors sell primarily vegetarian food, it has very little to do with vegetables. The main attraction is a series of processions, originating from a different Chinese shrine each day, in which the participants practice self-mutilation. They pierce their cheeks, tongues, and other parts of their bodies with everything from swords to skewers to jumbo razor blades to saxophones. It is claimed that the men (and a handful of women) who do this are in a deep trance and do not feel any pain.

This is definitely the most gruesome thing I've ever seen anywhere. They may not eat flesh, but they sure do know how to mutilate it!

You can read more about the history of the Vegetarian Festival here.

Comments

[Trina]

OMG! This is by far one of the most disturbing visuals I have ever seen. I can't imagine seeing it in real life. There are many other words that come to my mind as well. One question though - why aren't any of the bleeding profusely from this?

[shannon]

Well Basia- After two pics, I had to scroll down here to ask you how did you take those pictures without getting sick? That was just awful! I could not look at anymore.

[donnaK]

how do they do it? Did you see one of these guys insert the suff in their mouth. Maybe it's an optical illusion.

[withheld]

Just not right. No wonder there aren't more vegetarians.

[Thaisouth]

Well, I have seen them at close range and more than once: it is definitely not an optical illusion

[Reaper]

HAHAHAHA LOL Thats funny. Pretty cool. Must be some trance if they cant feel that

EG
Benoit(RIP)

[AvidReader]

This is a common practice in India. This is mostly done to appease the gods and goddesses in return for a favour - mostly material. The devotee either goes to the shrine at his/her convenience to return the deity's favour or does this ritual during the annual or religious celebrations at the temple. Though I've observed this practice from a very young age, I've all the doubts just as the ones that my previous commenters has put up here. Never got an answer until now. :(

[Jozek]

Jedne pytanie , czy Wiesz po co oni to robią

[Basia]

Józek: Cześć! Po co oni to robią? W imieniu religi - ludzie często robią dziwne żeczy w imieniu ich religi, nie? Myślą, że prez takie rytualy, bóg będzie ich ochraniać od niebezpieczeństwa.

[Jozek]

Bardzo proste i mądre wytłumaczenie.Religia czasami robi dziwne rzeczy, bardzo dziwne.
Widzę ,ze używasz polskich liter.