[SlowBoat407]

Quite the contrary. I have heard of the Passion Play and of the various levels on which it is performed. My comment on the contradiction was based on the celebration of "a manifestation of valour, beauty, youthfulness, vitality, masculinity and happiness" by sticking hooks in one's back.

The passion play is at least a recognition of the suffering of Christ and an imitation of that suffering as a means of walking in His path.

I'm not sure if Lord Maruga is said to have suffered in such a way, but if anyone can enlighten me, I will gladly withdraw my "contradiction" statement.

[SlowBoat407]

My mistake:

Once a year a festival is held at the caves (which, by the way, is banned in India) in which many of the Hindus pierce their skin with fish hooks tied to weights either to show devotion or to ask for forgiveness for a sin committed during the past year. They march from the main Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur to the cave where they say a prayer asking for forgiveness or expressing devotion. Then they throw off the hooks and weights, symbolic of losing the heavy weight of their sins.

This is indeed a rite of penitence and quest for forgiveness of sins.

(Inserting fish hooks as I type.)

[CarrotAndStick]

This body-piercing-penance practice is not a part of mainstream Hinduism. This is practiced by a particular sect in the deep south of India, not everywhere else.

http://www.abcmalaysia.com/tour_malaysia/tpusam_pnance.htm

Hinduism advocates that the body should not be harmed as the body is akin to a temple that the soul resides in. Some devotees however, choose to believe that the only way to salvation is to endure a penance of pain and hardship. However, they are able to tolerate

this ordeal of pain as they are in a trance-like state. There is no

blood and they prepare themselves for this by undergoing

specific rites during the preceding month.