Hindus piercing for God
21 May
Every year to prove their devotion, Hindus pierce their bodies and walk over hot coals during the Thaipusam festival. The self-torture is part of Hindu mythology, where a skewer symbolises a lance to kill demons. The festival takes place on the full moon at the beginning of the year. Worshippers pray daily after spending the previous 48 days on a vegetarian diet. True believers say they feel no pain, and their wounds leave no scars.
