From Thaindian news:
In a unique ritual, a priest broke coconuts over the devotees†heads during a temple festival in a village in Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, as part of their abeyance to the deity.
The ritual, which is unique to the festival of Veerapathiran Samy temple, is an annual ritual in which hundreds of devotees participated on Wednesday at Parvathanullur village
By breaking the coconuts over their heads, the devotees pay gratitude to the deity for fulfilling their wishes.
“The people of around seven-eight villages got together to celebrate this Veerapathiran Samy temple festival. Hundreds of the devotees come here and break coconuts on their heads for offering prayers to the deity. Devotees taking part in this ritual should maintain some devotional discipline then only the coconut will break, otherwise, they might suffer injuries,†said Muniyappan, the temple priest.
(via Blame it on the Voices)
Comments
6 Comments so far. Leave a comment below.This festival should form a joint venture partnership with a festival that breaks pineapples over people’s heads.
That way they can both sell Pina Coladas in their concession booths and raise money for the festival.
How in the world does one person persuade another that slamming a hard object on your head has anything to do with God or what type of person you have been in the past?
Next thing you know someone will find a way to persuade people that eating a flavorless piece of cardboard has something to do with God.
Organized religions seem to have more in common with stage hypnotism than spiritual teaching/healing.
Hypnotist: You are a duck. Say quack.
Subject: I am a duck, quack.
Priest: God will use this coconut to save you.
Subject: This coconut is God’s way of saving me.
This is India’s republican party, right?
John Gall: You too saw the similarity to the Teabagging parties?
“That way they can both sell Pina Coladas in their concession booths and raise money for the festival.”
LOL.
it might explain that guy rolling around on the ground
im both tamil and hindu and theres no way in hell id smash a coconut on my head. considering the history of the country i think this might have started as the ‘higher caste priest’ people making up stories to sell their coconuts…
“…making up stories to sell more coconuts..”
LOL
Coconut farmer: “Hey boss, coconut sales are down. If we don’t do something quick our crop of coconuts will be left on the trees to rot. What can we do?”
Boss: “Don’t worry I have a plan. I’m inviting the priest over for dinner tonight. I’m going to make him an offer he cant refuse.”
They need to partner with Coconut Chop guy for this ceremony.