Ever wanted to throw mud at people or swim with a snorkel through a Welsh bog? Thousands of curious people have made festival tourism their new way of travelling, and there’s an honest reason: you’ll find yourself a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s time to explore!
15. Thaipusam, the Hindu Piercing Festival
The most extreme and crazy festival you’ve ever seen is organized every winter in Malaysia and Singapore. Local Hindus pierce their entire bodies and hitch sharp hooks to their backs. they’re going to walk with weights called “kavadis” attached to their bodies for 10 hours. the whole ritual is supposed to means the devotion of spiritual people and cleanse them of all their sins. This might sound unreal, but quite million people participate during this unbelievable demonstration of faith .
14. El Colacho: Baby Jumping Festival, Spain
Every June, the Spanish village of Castrillo de Murcia swarms with flying devils and…babies!
El Colacho — the Baby Jumping Festival — gathers many of us at a kind of baptizing event. It’s also a spectacular attraction for both locals and tourists. It starts with men disguised as devils in red-and-yellow suits and masks running around the village swearing at the gang and whipping people who get in their way with a horsetail. Then the sound of drums announces the second part: the devils start jumping over one-year-old babies displayed on mattresses. This ritual is believed to protect children from bad luck and, more importantly, deduct all their sins.
Though it all looks breathtaking and dangerous, you needn’t worry about the children: over the last 400 years, the tricks are performed by professionals, and no child has been harmed or injured.
