Extraordinary Rituals

Anyone been watching this?
BBC 2 at 9 pm. It is the last one of 3 episodes tonight.

I am finding it really interesting. The extraordinary rituals people in other countries perform or endure in order to have a better or different life style.

There was a pretty young Indian girl on tonight with the typical beautiful long black hair they have, and to allow her to become a Nun in the ancient Jainism religion, she had to allow every single hair plucked from her head by hand to show endurement and dedication. That poor girl sat there for 1 & half hours, with people pulling every hair out until she was totally bald.

After the hair plucking and initiation, she must walk barefoot forever more, and can never see her family or friends ever again.
Her mother watched, and was crying. She didn't want her daghter to do it, but the girl said it was the path she has chosen.

*

I have forgotten which country the fighting men came from in the second ritual.

To become good 'Fighting Men' the men first had to drink foul tasting bitter 'tea' without spitting it out.

Then they had ice cold water thrown at them and they were not even allowed to flinch or close their eyes.

They went on to have 4 days sleep deprivation while having extreme physical exercise.

I believe then it was a 12 mile walk carrying 150 kg on the heads!

Lastly, there was a 150 yard track covered in stones, rocks with sharp edges - a bit like a large hardcore.
These men had to throw themselves down on it hard, wearing only some sort of underpants.
Imagine falling on sharp rocks with a bare chest!

They had to do lots of horrible exercises on this rough ground and when their limbs, chests, or backs were bleeding, they had salt water thrown in the cuts!

Needless to say, less than a third of these rituals managed to complete the course.

*

There were other countries and their customary rituals too, but I can't remember all the details now.

I found it hard to imagine these excrutiating rituals still go on in this day and age, but they are very important to the people in their own countries, and are still passed on over the generations.

I am glad I live in England.

Re: Extraordinary Rituals

That sounds seriously weird, Mups !

Re: Extraordinary Rituals

It was Tabs, but these people take it very seriously, and although I found it bazaar, perhaps even barbaric, it was also interesting and educational.
I never dreamed what goes on in some countries.

Don't Buddhists have no hair on their heads? I believe it is to show they have given up all vanity, but at least I think they shave their heads and they are not plucked.
That poor girl sat and endured that and didn't even wince or shed a tear.
I couldn't have let someone do that, could you?