All religions are beautiful and unique in their own ways however these four religious practices are seen as to quite unique in the eyes of many western individuals.
Fire Walking (Hinduism)
Firewalking which is also known as Thimithi is definitely not a commonly practiced ritual by all Hindus. However, it is a recurring practice in certain parts of India such as Tamil Nadu and other countries like Singapore, Sri Lanka etc. This unique ritual is most commonly dedicated towards Amman who is a significant and important female deity.
This is specific deity is most commonly worshipped as a family deity, especially by South Indian Tamil Hindu families. She is also associated highly with the Shakti cult in South Indian, Tamil.
Thimithi is viewed as a form of self-purification, many people make promises and vows to engage in this ritual. When they fulfil their promise as devotees and walk on the fire, they are able to request a wish and blessing from Amman.
Many of the devotees who take part are often males and most of the time balance either a pot of milk or water on their heads. This is an opportunity for Hindus to prove and test their faith with the aim of pleasing the deity and professing their love.
Animal Sacrificing ‘Qurbani’ (Islam):
Historically animal sacrificing is not unique however in the modern day and age it Is especially as a religious practice. One of the few religions that still engage in the timeless tradition is Islam and they do It on a large scale. This form of animal sacrificing is known as Qurbani and is a ritual in which all Muslims must partake in.
Muslims are not required to directly engage in the process of sacrificing however if they are unable to participate, they are required to donate money to get it done on their behalf.
This Religious practice stems from the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), when God commanded him to sacrifice his son and because of his complete devotion and trust in God he was about to engage in the action until God stopped him and sent down an animal as a replacement.
Muslims carry out this tradition in honour of the Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion and to please God.
After the sacrifice is completed, the meat is distributed to family, neighbours and the poor, Muslims believe they receive many blessings by engaging in this ritual and providing nourishment to people.
Bar Mitzvah (Judaism):
The practice of Bar Mitzvahs is unique to the Jewish faith. This Is a ceremony which Jewish boys take part in when they have reached the age of 13. When they have reached that age, they are interpreted by the Jewish community to be able to now observe and engage in religious precepts and public worship.
This ceremony is observed within a synagogue where all family and friends attend. The celebrated young man engages in practices such as reciting parts of the Torah and delivering a speech and more.
This is seen to be an important milestone in the Jewish faith but even with its deep importance it is also a very joyous occasion, and it is celebrated accordingly.
Bareshnum Ceremony:
The Bareshnum Ceremony is not a commonly known ceremony to most however it is important within the small Zoroastrian faith.
This is a ceremony of purification, the highest form of purification at that and is seen to higher one’s importance and status. This practice however is only now practiced and undergone by solely priestly classes unlike historically.
There a quite a few requirements which should be followed in detail. A few of the requirements are that two priests must be present, a dog must be present, and few pomegranate leaves must be at hand, these are just a few of the multiple requirements for this ceremony.
I hope you learned something new today and discovered more about different world religions and their practices.