SELECTING THE SNAKES.A TICKLISH OPERATION.THE FEAT ACCOMPLISHED.ANOTHER VIEW OF THE FINAL PHASE.From Photographs.
SELECTING THE SNAKES.A TICKLISH OPERATION.THE FEAT ACCOMPLISHED.ANOTHER VIEW OF THE FINAL PHASE.From Photographs.
From Photographs.
We have published several photographs of religious mendicants in India, showing the extraordinary penances they inflict upon themselves to gain merit—and incidentally the alms of the faithful—but none more striking than that here reproduced, which shows a fakir at Jubbulpore seated on a couch of sharp-pointed nails. Here, with eyes closed, wrapped in profound meditation, he sits all day long, apparently oblivious to the pricking of the spikes. There is no deception about the business; the nails are quite sharp, but probably long usage has hardened the fakir's epidermis to such an extent that the discomfort is hardly felt.