Men in India drop babies from roof for good luck

CityMains SG

In a bizarre ritual in India, villagers would drop screaming babies from a 15-meter temple tower for good health and good luck.

There would be a group of men standing right below to catch the babies with a blanket. The babies would then be handed over to their mothers.

This ritual has apparently been in practice for the past 700 years by Hindu and Muslim Indians alike in the states of Kamataka and Maharashtra, India. It happens only once per year and is believed to bring good luck to the baby, keeping it safe and healthy. It is also believed to bring prosperity to the entire family.

The ritual is generally meant for babies less than two years of age.

Although it has been banned in 2011, the ceremonies were carried out as usual this year.

FireIce SG

大难不死，必有后福

Siliconchip SG

大难不死，必有后福

Ching chong la.

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~ SG

so wat...?

They stand on top of the tower... throw the baby down while shouting: "HUAT AH~!!!"

FunGuyWorkaholic SG

Those babies that died, really got the best luck.

ahtansh SG

As soon as a child was born in Sparta, the mother would wash it with wine, in order to make sure that it was strong. If the child was weak, it would die soon. Later it was brought by his father to the elders, who inspected carefully the newborn infant. If they found that the child was deformed or weakly, they threw it into Kaiada, the so called Apothetae, a chiasm at a cliff, of the mount Taygetos.

Until the age of seven the child was reared by his mother, who did not use the special cloths for children (phaskia) in order not to deform the body or make the child nervous or stubborn. They also made sure to remove everything around him, that it will make the child feel fear, disgust or cry.

When the child completed the age of seven, it was taken from his mother and given to the state. A rigorous discipline and mainly military type education, the so-called Agoge, commenced, lasting twelve years.