Once the tree is planted, the divers dance around it. So, don’t wait anymore and have a look at these 15 absurd sexual rituals practiced (some, even in 2017) around the world. For more than 700 years, at Grishneshwar Temple in western India’s Maharashtra state, parents have asked clerics to drop their infants from a 50-foot tower. In a world filled with such dangerous delicacies, it’s amazing we can still find rituals surrounding food designed to induce such pain. You don't have to be an intrepid explorer to know that the world is a very, very strange place. Very little is known of believers ceremonies and rituals, with one notable exception: the channeling of gods known as Orisha. Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim (Church of our Lord of Bonfim or the “Good End”) looks like other churches in Brazil from the outside. Traditions are an important aspect of every culture, as every group of individuals on our planet has its own set of particularities according to which they live out their lives. Every year on New Year’s Day, divers from around the world take a dive into lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world. Some of these bizarre rituals involves with people torturing themselves while the others with doing the unbelievable. From smoking and offering bodies to vultures to self-mummification, there are some strange ways to dispose of the dead. Although it may seem strange to North Americans to have their mode of transportation blessed by a priest, this ritual is practiced in many parts of the world. So, don’t wait anymore and have a look at these 15 absurd sexual rituals practiced (some, even in 2017) around the world. Pierced devotees march in festival parades to demonstrate their devotion and to have their wishes granted. Some of these traditions, as heartwarming as they may be, are downright dangerous. Channeling teams consist of one materia (the person who will become possessed) and one bonco (the interpreter of the gods’ messages) who work together to give the gods and goddesses a corporeal presence for the night’s celebrations. Santeria is a mixture of African, European, and indigenous American beliefs. This tradition has been going on since 1982 and it shows no signs of stopping any time soon. If you're pressed for time and just looking for a quick fix, then check out The 5 Most Offensive Attempts to Cash in on Hurricane Sandy. Whole families visit the graves of their loved ones to clean and maintain the gravesites, place candles, flowers, and gifts around the tombstones and to celebrate the memory of their ancestors. The participants, apparently heedless of the potential for broken bones, simply leap forward head-first. Sometime people practice some rituals which are adopted as a part of religion, sometime they practice cultural traditions which seems bizarre to others. But in villages around the Ujjain area of India, the annual tradition of male residents getting trampled by their cows on Ekadashi, the day after the Hindu festival of lights known as “Diwali,” is probably one of the strangest. This tradition has been carried out since 1982, and though it doesn’t sound too dangerous, keep in mind that this lake is the deepest lake in the world and that divers have to swim with over 100 kg of equipment. As the name suggests, babies between the ages of one and two are thrown from a 50-foot tower, with men positioned beneath to catch the babies on sheets. When the neurotoxins from the ants kick in, participants suffer symptoms that can last for hours or even days, ranging from gradually intensifying pain, paralysis, fever, hallucinations, shaking, convulsions, and loss of muscle control. Once possessed and in a spiritual trance, materias may engage in a range of activities, from dancing over coals (baile en candela), lighting incense and candles, drinking alcohol, smoking cigars, sacrificing chickens, screaming out in religious fervor, spitting, cursing, drawing mysterious signs and symbols on the ground, adorning themselves with flowers, and throughout it all conveying cryptic messages to the faithful. The parents believe that the free-fall will make their children more intelligent, braver, luckier, and healthier. Families spend months making cookies, candies, and cakes in the shapes of skeletons, skulls, internal organs, coffins, crosses, altars, and flowers and gathering appropriate items to take to the cemetery on the night of the celebration. E very culture and religious organization has its own way of interpreting death. During the annual religious ceremony and procession of the Festa do Bonfim (Feast of the Good End), churchgoers dress in traditional clothing, attend mass at the Church of Conceição da Praia in Salvador, then walk eight kilometers uphill to Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. Children between the ages of one and two are carefully dropped from the tower, and caught a sheet held by men below, then are quickly passed into the arms of their waiting parents. From rites of passage  to rituals for luck and prosperity, here’s a look at some unusual religious rituals from around the world. Some of these bizarre rituals involves with people torturing themselves while the others with doing the unbelievable. Throughout the world, believers adhere to practices that strike outsiders as bizarre, but seem completely reasonable to the faithful. “Every year, on October 12th, followers come together at magical Sorte Mountain, Maria’s legendary home, to worship her and commune with her fellow gods.”. Occult Museum. Upon arrival, they wash the steps and plaza in front of the church, while singing and dancing. 9. [section]As Americans and Canadians are decorating for Halloween and choosing costumes for parties and trick-or-treating, Mexicans prepare to honor their dead on All Souls’ Day by celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). They tie vines around their ankles, and jump from very high wooden towers constructed especially for this ritual. Top 10 Most Interesting Facts About Our Solar System, Top 10 Most Popular Types of Martial Arts, Top 10 Most Interesting Facts About Stars. There are a lot of traditions that seems really bizarre to the world where it is not followed. >> See photos of the Day of the Dead and read Why You Should Ignore All the Urban Legends & Take The Kids to Mexico. A highlight of the festival is the Shio-fumi ritual in which heavy Shinto shrines are carried by dozens of  men dressed only in loincloths (fundoshi) through the streets of their town. The church is believed to have curative properties, and in the Sala dos Milagres (Room of Miracles),  people hang wax or plastic representations of various body parts and photos of themselves or loved ones as either an offering to pray for divine intervention or thanks for curing a particular ailment. >> Learn more about culture and religion in India and read Travel in India:  A Healing Journey, >> Read 10 Reasons the World Would be a Better Place if Japan Ruled the Earth. It is because of traditions that people who share a common tongue can relate to one another and maintain a level of mutual understanding. The participants, apparently heedless of the potential for broken bones, simply leap forward head-first. Supporters of the ban state the trauma and danger to the children, who are understandably terrified and visibly shaken by the ordeal, but those opposed to the ban feel strongly that practitioners should be allowed religious freedom. 15. The Matis people from the Amazon have a similar ritual called mariwin, in which village elders dress themselves up as important spirits, enter the village, and whip people.They whip children if the children are naughty, they whip warriors to make the warriors stronger, and they whip pregnant women to make the babies stronger. Bullet ants, the largest ant on the planet and with one of the most painful bites, said to be 30 times more painful than a wasp sting, are woven into the ritual gloves and used as part of the initiation ceremony for the region’s youth. Bizarre food rituals around the world you won't believe are real. The festival is popular with locals and foreign tourists, and individual towns often host family-friendly activities such as food stalls, games, and booths that sell festival souvenirs. For more terrifying rituals from around the world, check out The 5 Creepiest Death Rituals From Around the World and 5 Cultures With the Most WTF Wedding Rituals. “The boys are expected to keep the gloves on for ten minutes, letting the ants attack their hands.”. From religions to traditions, there are bizarre rituals from many places around the world. Seeing all those body parts hanging from the ceiling can be a tad jarring to the uninitiated, but they’re left in a spirit of hope and gratitude. Some devotees even go as far as attaching several large hooks to their backs and using them as a harness to pull heavily loaded chariots down streets or up hills. Gifts for the dead may include toys (for children who have passed away), bottles of alcohol, food, pillows and blankets (so that the dead may rest comfortably), marigolds, or even CDs of the deceased’s favorite music. Every year, on October 12th, followers come together at magical Sorte Mountain, Maria’s legendary home, to worship her and commune with her fellow gods.