Nepal tongue piercing festival

It is believed that after a volunteer from a Shrestha family successfully gets his tongue pierced in a spiritual trance with an iron spike and walks around the town shouldering a round bamboo rack with a flaming torch, it brings good fortune to the villagers.

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Jujubhai Bans Shrestha greets villagers after getting his tongue pierced with an iron spike during the Tongue Penetration Festival at Bode near Kathmandu April 14, 2012. It is believed that after a volunteer from a Shrestha family successfully gets his tongue pierced in a spiritual trance with an iron spike and walks around the town shouldering a round bamboo rack with a flaming torch, it brings good fortune to the villagers. REUTERS/Navesh ... more
Jujubhai Bans Shrestha greets villagers after getting his tongue pierced with an iron spike during the Tongue Penetration Festival at Bode near Kathmandu April 14, 2012. It is believed that after a volunteer from a Shrestha family successfully gets his tongue pierced in a spiritual trance with an iron spike and walks around the town shouldering a round bamboo rack with a flaming torch, it brings good fortune to the villagers. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar less