(warning some images maybe disturbing, view on your own risk)

Even in today’s modern world where science and technology has made such great advancements, there are places and people who still practice the ancient practices and rituals of their ancestors. These seven rituals are still being practiced in the world. Although if one is unaware of them , they seem really odd and disturbing but in places where they are practiced, it’s not a big deal for them. Some of them have been banned but they are still practiced.

Baby tossing (A Hindu Ritual)

In the western India, this baby tossing ritual is practiced which is said to be 500 years old. Parents from different parts of the country bring their babys to be tossed from a 50 feet high tower. The tower is considered the tower of goodluck. Parents believe that this would bring good health to their children. People say that there have never been any accidents while practicing this ritual.

Bull fighting in Spain

Bullfighting is a Spanish ritual in which one or more bulls are ritually killed by the bullfighter also called the Matador. During the phases of fight, the bullfighter does some formal moves (which are traditional and a part of the game), these moves are intentionally done to distract, to make the bull angry and to injure it. The bullfighter can also be injured during the fight or can even get killed. The fight ends usually with the death of the bull which is due to a sword thrust by the bullfighter.

Thailand’s Elephant Crushing Ritual

In the northern Thailand, baby elephants are caged ,known as the “training crush”, and the baby elephants are tied up and immobilized in a small cage and tortured. They are stabbed with nails in their ears and feet. They are beaten, they are left hungry for long hours. They are not allowed to sleep. The torture is to break the elephant’s spirit and make them submissive to their owners. This ritual is centuries old and is practiced to domesticate the young elephants.

Shia Muslims Mourning Ritual

In the month of Muharram (which is the first month of Islamic Calendar) the Shia Muslims mourn in the remembrance of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, who was a Shia imam, and the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him, the founder of Islam). The mourning reaches its climax on 10^th of the month which is called the Ashura as on this day the Imam Hussain and his family and supporters were killed by the forces of second Umayad Caliph Yazid. The mourning includes beating of the chest with hands and chains, cutting of the chest and head with blades and other sharp tools.

Thaipusam Festival in Hinduism

Thaipusam is an annual festival of Hindus. In this festival the devotees spear their cheeks with long, shiny steel rods and pierce their chests and backs with small, hook-like needles. They apparently feel no pain and in many cases, no blood is seen. According to them it is their belief in Lord Murugan which prevents the pain and bleeding.

Oral Suction Circumcision

This centuries-old practice, called metzizah bi peh or metzitzah b’peh, involves a mohel (“circumciser”) using his mouth to suction blood from the wound after the foreskin is removed. The ritual is performed by Hasidic and ultra-Orthodox Jews. Most other Jewish mohels wear surgical gloves and use sterilized instruments to perform the circumcision. Many other mohels or circumcisers who perform the oral part of the ritual use a medical tube to suction the blood.

Muti killings

(Pictures have not been shown because they were really very disturbing and sick)

In the Southern Africa murders and mutilation in association with cultural and tradational practices is known as muti killings. As this word originally means medicine. So the murder of people is for their body parts , to be used as ingredients of any medicine or concoctions used in witchcraft. Muti killing is not actually a human sacrifice but it is killing and murdering for body parts. Many of the children fall victim to it.