12 TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS OF INDIA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

India is undoubtedly one of the most diverse and fascinating countries in the entire world. Millions of travelers decide to visit its gigantic territory every year in order to learn more about its customs and traditions. Often what they discover there leaves them completely impressed.

And it is that Indian culture, due to its variety and extension, encompasses a series of customs and ways of acting that are completely different from those that can be found in the rest of the countries of the world.

Many of them have to do with their religious customs, derived mainly from Hinduism and Buddhism. Others, however, arise from the peculiar history of this territory. Still, they all have in common that they are extremely shocking in the eyes of visitors, especially Westerners.

Today we will tell you about the most unique and peculiar traditions and customs of India, in case you have ever been curious about this exotic territory of South Asia. Some of them are practiced throughout the country, while others are exclusive to some specific areas or to certain tribes, ethnic groups and religions. However, we are sure that they will all surprise you.

Celebration of the death of a demon at the Bani Festival

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Religious celebrations are part of all the cultures of the world. However, few are as strange and incomprehensible to visitors as the Bani Festival, held at the Devaragattu Temple in Andhra Pradesh. Celebrating the death of a demon at the hands of the god Shiva, this spiritual festival is one of the few of its kind where participants can be seriously injured.

Every Dusshera, hundreds of devotees gather in the temple. At midnight, the ritual begins, and all participants begin to beat each other with sticks of hardened wood.

And they do not do it precisely in a symbolic way: every year it is common to observe believers covered in their own blood and having to be transferred to the nearest hospital.

As if this were not enough, historians believe that the festival has been celebrated for more than a century; and initially, participants used axes and spears to attack each other instead of the lathis used today. Sometimes the festival gets so dangerous that even the local policemen think twice about intervening.

Snake Festival

Snakes have a very important role in the culture of India. In fact, in many cultures around the world this Asian country is known as "the land of snakes." However, the special relationship that the Indians have with these reptiles is especially striking during the Nag Panchami.

At this festival, which takes place on the fifth day of the lunar month of Shravan, people from all corners of the country gather to worship live cobras, both in temples and on the streets.

These dangerous animals, whose fangs have not been removed and are therefore still deadly, are left loose in public places while citizens bring gifts and throw flower petals at them.

In the eyes of Westerners, this practice can seem extremely risky; But the Indians believe that snakes do not bite during Nag Panchami, because it is a holy day. However, our recommendation is that you do not try to put this belief to the test if you ever visit the country around this time.

Theemithi, the ritual of walking on flames

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What would you think if we told you that walking on a bed of burning coals could make the goddess Draupadi grant you a wish? This strange statement is precisely what is intended to be achieved during the Theemithi, a practice that originated in the town of Tamil Nadu and has spread to several countries in Asia and Africa.

The Theemithi is a ritual that is part of a gigantic ceremony that usually lasts about two and a half months; and that it seeks to recreate the most important parts of the Mahabharata book. In this text, the goddess Draupadi walked over a field of flames and came out on the other side completely unscathed.

Millions of people both in India and elsewhere (including Singapore and Sri Lanka) try to reproduce this feat every year. Generally, if done the right way, walking on burning coals doesn't have to be dangerous; but normally the festival closes with a few wounded who have failed to obtain their wish from the goddess.

Participate in the Pushkar Camel Fair

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If you have the opportunity to visit India in the month of November, one of the shows that you cannot miss is the Pushkar Camel Fair, held in Rajasthan. Over five days, both locals and thousands of visitors gather together with more than 50,000 camels to celebrate the full moon of Kartik Purnima.

During these days, the animals are completely shaved and dressed in traditional fabrics before parading through the city. In addition, beauty contests are also held for camels, and the best specimens are exchanged among local merchants.

As if this celebration wasn't interesting enough, during the Pushkar Camel Fair the streets are filled with musicians, acrobats, illusionists, street performers and even traditional snake charmers. Without a doubt, it is one of the most unique and attractive customs in all of India.

Watch babies drop from a roof in Maharashtra or Karnataka

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But not all the traditions and customs of India are attractive to visitors. Some of them, in fact, arouse the horror of Western tourists, although they are seen as something totally normal within the country itself. This is the case with the practice that takes place in both the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

In some cities in both areas of the country, newborn babies are thrown from a height of 15 meters by their relatives. Luckily, a group of men waits for them downstairs and picks them up using an extended sheet, so theoretically the children do not suffer any harm.

This ritual has been practiced in India for more than 700 years, and doing so is believed to bring fortune and prosperity to the little one's family. However, the Commission for the Protection of Children's Rights is investigating the tradition, although no signs of abuse have been found so far. It seems that this peculiar custom will continue to be carried out at least one more time.

Face a bull in the Jallikattu

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When we think of a bull, we generally associate this animal with Spanish culture, bullfighting and bullfighting. However, Spain is not the only country in the world where fighting a bull is part of the culture. In India, more than a hundred years ago, Jallikattu began to be practiced, a much more dangerous and rustic sport than that seen in the Iberian Peninsula.

The Jallikattu is part of the Pongal celebrations. The bulls used in this sport are specifically bred to be as strong and agile as possible. Its horns are sharpened, and an object is placed on them that the bullfighter has to be able to take; but for this he cannot harm the bull in any way.

At a Jallikattu celebration, hundreds of people try to capture the prize at the same time, making this practice even more dangerous.

In fact, in the last two decades more than 200 people have died as a result of their confrontation with the bull. The country's Supreme Court tried to ban the practice in 2014, but in many places in India it is still practiced clandestinely.

Meet the

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Due to its size and the mixture of customs and cultures existing in India, it is possible to find totally unique groups within the country. One of the strangest and most disconcerting to the Western view is that of the Aghori Sadhu, a group residing in Benares that can be recognized with the naked eye thanks to their long hair as they cover their bodies with ash.

However, the physical appearance of the Aghori Sadhu is by no means the most peculiar of this group. Its members believe that in order to connect with their gods, they must be able to achieve purity through "unclean" practices.

Thus, some of their customs include eating the remains of members of their group after they have been cremated, or having sexual relations with their corpses. Through these practices, they believe that they are capable of acquiring spiritual and tantric powers and reaching a godlike state.

Attend a wedding where there is no groom

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As you surely know, marriage is one of the most important customs for the inhabitants of India. Many of their rites and customs revolve around this practice, especially in the case of women. And possibly one of the most curious is the celebration of the entry into puberty of girls in the country.

In many states of India, when a young woman reaches sexual maturity, her family, friends and neighbors have a fake wedding in which there is no groom. Simply, the young woman dresses in traditional marriage clothing, and a ceremony is performed indicating that she is ready to begin a life as a couple.

During this ceremony, the guests give gifts to the young woman, and all kinds of rituals are carried out that can even last several days. Among the most striking customs of this practice is that of leaving the young woman in a separate room, where she cannot have contact with any man, even those of her own family.

See the Thaipoosam ritual… if you dare

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Religion can bring many positive situations to the lives of believers. However, at times, it is also capable of causing those who have faith to perform acts that are incomprehensible or even horrible from the point of view of an outside observer. Something like this happens in the case of the ritual known as Thaipoosam.

This ritual, which is celebrated in some parts of southern India and in the town of Tamil Nadu during the month of Thai, is part of a festival that celebrates the moment when Kartikeya, the son of Parvati and Shiva, received a blow with a spear in order to destroy an evil army sent by Tarakasura. However, the way to commemorate this legend is quite macabre and not suitable for the most impressionable.

After a 48-hour fast, Thaipoosam participants pierce their bodies with hooks, spits and special nails known as 'vel'. The more pain they cause, the more in communion they believe they enter with their gods, so during this practice it is common to contemplate some very disturbing activities.

For example, some participants hook very heavy objects to the hooks on their skin and try to drag them while the metal tears them apart. Others pierce their lips, tongue and cheeks in order not to be able to speak, and thus be forced to meditate.

During all the time, in addition, ritual chants are performed around him, accompanied by percussion capable of making even the most impassive spectators nervous.

Make the rain god happy with an animal marriage

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But not all the gods of the Hindu pantheon require such macabre rituals to be satisfied. In the case of the rain deity, tradition says that one of the practices that most pleased him is the act of marrying animals together. For this reason, in many parts of the country, it is possible to observe quite peculiar marriage ceremonies.

So, for example, in some villages in Maharashtra and Assam, you can see a celebration in which two frogs are getting married. In Karnataka, on the contrary, the protagonists are usually two donkeys; while in other places, even, the normal thing is that the couple are dogs.

But these celebrations, while comical from our point of view, are taken very seriously by Hindus. In fact, all animal marriages are performed by a priest. In addition, they usually involve a great celebration, so this is probably one of the most attractive customs for visitors to the country.

Get stepped on by a cow at the Govardhan Puja

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One of the best known elements of Hindu culture is the fact that cows are considered sacred within this religion. This implies, for example, that the Indians cannot harm these animals, which can be seen walking quietly through the streets of the country's cities.

However, on no occasion can Hindus' devotion to cows be seen so clearly as at the Govardhan Puja, a festival held in a Maharashtra town called Bhiwdawad. During it, the villagers dress their cattle with flowers, colored clothing and henna to celebrate Enadakshi.

However, the strangest part comes later. Once the cows are fully decorated, the villagers lie on the ground in front of them with the aim of being stepped on. In this way, they believe that they will be able to convince the gods to answer their prayers.

Get hit with a coconut on the head

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The Aadi festival, held at the Mahalakshmi temple in the Tamil Nadu district, brings together thousands of visitors each year who share a very peculiar goal: to be hit hard with a coconut on the head by a monk, until he is able to break the fruit. Every time this festival is celebrated, many people are seriously injured, but still it continues to be carried out.

Why would someone want a coconut to be split on their head? According to tradition, during the conquest of the country by the British, they wanted to demolish the temple to build a road in its place. The villagers, trying to prevent it, made a deal: if they could smash 187 coconut-shaped stones with their heads, the temple would be preserved.

Apparently the villagers managed to do it, because the Mahalakshmi temple still stands today. Those who practice this ritual believe that being beaten by monks will help them achieve good luck and health, despite doctors saying otherwise.

conclusion

There is possibly no place in the world that is similar to India. This country of 3,287 million square kilometers and 1,339 million inhabitants houses a large number of totally unique and incomprehensible customs.

In this list we have told you about twelve of the most striking; but of course, there are many more that we have not been able to mention. Do you dare to discover them for yourself?