Self-Flagellation

Muharram (the first month of the Islamic Calendar) is the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala. India’s Shi’a Muslims mourn the event by flogging their naked bodies with ‘Matam’ (chains containing razor blades or knives).

Baby Tossing

Each December in Karnataka, married couples toss over 100 babies from a temple roof into the crowd below, which is holding a cloth that’s meant to catch them. Participants believe that the 200 foot plummet brings good health and luck to the family.