Feast of chickens and naked men: unusual traditions from around the world that foreigners don't understand

Traditions of different peoples go back to the days when people still believed in the power of spirits and feared their punishment. Therefore, some holidays are now hard to understand, but they still continue to be celebrated. The most unusual of them are in the selection of OBOZREVATEL.

• Kumbha Mela (India)

Every year, for 45 days, Hindu devotees go on a pilgrimage to their shrines. The last point of the journey is the Ganges River, in which they must be washed. Hindus believe that this ritual removes all their sins and improves their immunity. It somewhat resembles our Epiphany. However, the local waters during the holiday are quite warm, so it can not be called a winter swimming.

• Feast of Naked Men (Japan)

This rite is very similar to the Indian rite. Its roots go back to antiquity. It is believed to have been celebrated as early as a thousand years ago. Its meaning is that undressed men should climb into the cold water of the nearest body of water, thus purifying themselves from the sins they have committed in a year. Only adults are allowed to bathe, children and teens are not allowed.

• Feast of Chickens (Nebraska)

The action is dedicated to the common domestic chickens. On the day of the celebration, people dress up as birds, paint nests, sing songs, and dance with the hens. It is believed that in this way the hens will grow better and lay more eggs.

{"imgSrc": "https://i.obozrevatel.com/gallery/2022/1/24/carnival-g2bd6352ff1920.jpg", "imgWidth":1920, "imgHeight":1440, "title": "Chicken Day is traditionally celebrated in Nebraska.", "sourceTxt": "pixabay.com", "alt":"\n\n"}

• Feast of Fire (Scotland).

The Vikings once invaded Scotland many times and the locals still have a grudge against them. The jokes are all in jest, but every January they hold a Fire Festival, where they burn a model of a warship of this nomadic people. There's also dancing and singing.

• Zombie Festival (Pennsylvania).

Since 2015, many countries around the world have celebrated this amazing holiday. Traditionally, people dress up as the living dead and walk the streets of their cities. This unusual way to unwind was invented by horror film fans from Pennsylvania.

{"imgSrc": "https://i.obozrevatel.com/gallery/2022/1/24/zombie-gfcfad07d41920.jpg", "imgWidth":1920, "imgHeight":1440, "title": "Zombie holiday relaxes and makes people happy.", "sourceTxt": "pixabay.com", "alt":"\n\n"}

• Donut Day (USA)

For more than 80 years, Donut Day has been officially celebrated in the United States. This holiday was born after World War I. During active confrontations, the Salvation Army handed out these popular sweets to soldiers. In peacetime, the holiday was reborn as an action to help those in need. Therefore, most coffee shops collect money to help the homeless.

• Vegetarian Festival (Thailand)

This holiday is hardly a restful one, because some of the traditions are simply terrifying. On this day, animal advocates hold a parade and various spectacular shows. Some devoted supporters of the movement pierce their faces and bodies with sharp weapons to show their devotion to their beliefs.

Earlier OBOZREVATEL wrote about the amazing laws of different countries of the world.