Ravi Samuel

I wonder in anyone out there can provide me with an explanation for the Hindu practice of 'Thaipusam'. This involves skewering the body, chest, tongue, cheeks etc with metal skewers. The devotee then walks a designated distance with these skewers holding up some kind of contraption after which the skewers are removed. What I do not understand is why there is no blood or apparent pain. Am I missing something?

Grizzly

Hi Ravi,

I never heard of it before, but here is a link that describes <a href="http://www.geographia.com/malaysia/holthaipusam.html" target="_blank">Thaipusam</a>. Apparently it is the name of a festival. Hopefully others will be able to chime in on the particulars.

Grizzly

RyanS2

Whenever people are hypnotized and pierced, they usually don't bleed. I've heard numerous commentaries on some of the esoteric religious doctrines that had their origin in self-hypnosis. Hypnosis accounts for neither feeling pain or bleeding.

sbaii

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I saw a documentary years ago on that festival in India, I believe. The participants seemed to put themselves into a trance. It was really incredible to watch.

jess

I can't handle it. I am way too quesy for something like that...


And my friends in college were the type to push spikes up their noses at the dinner table--- in a restaurant, not at foodservice...


&lt;shudder&gt;

(not at my friends or the spikes, at the skewers)

[ January 29, 2002: Message edited by: jess ]</p>

Tigermilk

I recall reading an article about this some years back, and the writer did mention the rhythmic drums and chanting that went on at all these piercing occasions (though, for no more than passing comment - it was not an in-depth article). That could obviously induce hypnotic effect on the crowd gathered, and reduce pain in the self-mutilators.

Another aspect of this practice which I do recall being talked of in depth was the tendency of the practioners to pierce areas of skin that are more fatty, and with few blood vessels (cheeks being a favourite), leading to less blood loss. However, the pictures provided alongside the article showed that a LOT of blood was present at these shindigs!!

If I can find the magazine (I have a tendency to hoard them), I'll scan some pics in - unless no-one wants to see now?..........

emphryio

Is that what you wanted to know, or did you want to know why they actually do such a thing?
I can't say for certain why they do it, but isn't there something in it along the lines of through tolerating lots of pain and learning to be happy despite it and therefore learning to be happy no matter what and therefore not feeling stress at the possiblity of future pains? Therefore becoming "truly happy",a self realized soul, or whatever. Isn't there something of this in Hindu religion, or is it Buddihism? (Of course only in its more extreme form). Like the brahmin who simply stood 24 hours a day for years. and others etc?