The Vegetarian Festival is a tradition organized by people on the island of Phuket, Thailand. Do you know: The festival is held as a way for people to cleanse themselves spiritually. The Vegetarian festival, as the name suggests, is a festival where people eat only vegetarian or vegan food. The diet is considered a cleansing […]
The Katsina Dolls carved by the Hopi people are created for various purposes. Do you know: The Katsina dolls are said to contain the spirits of deities, natural elements and animals, and even the deceased ancestors of the Hopi tribe. The Hopi people believe that the spirits come down in the form of Katsinas to
The Cascamorras Festival is a tradition where two towns in Granada, Spain, start a mock war for a statue of the Virgin of Mercy. Do you know: The actual statue of the Virgen de la Piedad was found in 1490 in rubble outside a former mosque in Baza. The mock battle that takes place every
Kambala or water buffalo racing is a sport practised in the states of Karnataka and Kerala. Do you know: The buffaloes for these events are organized and categorized based on the number of their fallen teeth. Different races are organized as a part of this sport in the Puttur village in Karnataka. However, one of
The Krakelingen Festival is responsible for some bizarre ceremonies that have become customary amongst the locals. Do you know: The Krakelingen festival originated as a way to commemorate the throwing of food over city walls to confuse the enemy in medieval times. A rather interesting ceremony in the Krakelingen festival is a wine-drinking custom by
The Boryeong Mud Festival is a tradition born out of a promotion of the local mineral rich mud, and is organized in South Korea. Do you know: Almost 2 million people visit the festival annually. The Boryeong mud festival has started as a way to promote the beneficial health effects of the mineral rich mud
The Maldon Mud Race is a strange racing competition held in Essex, East London. Do you know: The Maldon mud race first took place in 1973 and the money collected in the race goes to those in need. Held near a river in a local Promenade park, the mud race requires each participant (who is
ClauWau is a world Santa Claus championship held in EngadinSamnaun. Do you know: With 30 teams participating, all the money goes to a Swiss aid organization known as JederRappenZählt. The ClauWau is held in a Swiss ski resort, with the first day organized completely as a Charity day with music shows and presentations. From the
Las Bolas de Fuego or ‘Balls of fire’ is a traditional event that takes place annually in El Salvador. Do you know: This festival was organized for the first time in 1922, when two groups began throwing flaming balls of fire at each other. There are many legends behind the tradition; a popular one of
Death Anniversaries are post-funeral customs practised by many Asian countries. Do you know: Death Anniversaries are celebrated on the day the members of a family or relatives passed away. From Meinichi in Japan, Jichen in China to Gio in Vietnam and Shraadh in India, death anniversaries have varying customs, but they all are organized for
Yahrtzeit is a Jewish tradition to remember the dead relatives. Do you know: Amongst Ladino Jews, this tradition is known as Nahala. During Yahrtzeit, a special candle that burns 24 hours is lit and the mourner’s version of the Kaddish prayer is recited thrice a day. While some believe that fasting during Yahrtzeit is required,
Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom that is more than 500 years old. Do you know: Based on the lunar calendar, the Obon festival is organized at three different times in a year. The Obon festival evolved out of a story of one of the Buddha’s disciples–Mokori and his offerings to the Buddhist monks to
Fitampoha is a tradition observed by the Sakalava tribe from west Madagascar. Do you know: There are 9 relics of the royal family that are kept in a bag, which is kept in an iron trunk, which is placed in the sacred house or Zomba. The Fitampoha festival is all about celebrating the relics of
Malagan is a traditional ceremony that is many things in one, and is held in New Ireland province of Papua New Guinea. Do you know:Malagan is also the name of the beautiful wooden carvings that are used in the ceremony. The Malagan ceremony itself is not only a dedication to the dead but also an
The Choctaw people who live in the parts of the USA have various customs that are followed after someone has passed away. Do you know: The Choctaw people place the body of the dead on a plate. According to Choctaw customs, the name of the deceased must never be taken. They believe that if someone