The culture that throws babies off a 30ft building | by Belinda Mallasasime | February 2022
Villages where toddlers are thrown from the top of a building

VSCulture is indeed an important aspect of life. Communities around the world have their unique culture and traditions to which they cling tenaciously. While some of these traditions might be acceptable to outsiders, some seem outrageous. One of them is the Indian ritual of baby throwing.
For over 700 years, Muslim and Hindu worshipers in parts of India have been known to practice the rather terrifying ritual of baby throwing where toddlers are taken to a temple or mosque where they are thrown from the top of a building thirty feet high. in front of hundreds of witnesses.
According to the legends, several centuries ago in India, the death rate of babies was quite high and after several prayers and intercessions of the people, they received an instruction from a Saint who claimed the only way to bring God to end at the high infant death rate was to prove their faith in God by performing what is now known as the baby throwing ritual. The ritual was seen as a way to impress God to grant their babies good luck, long life and prosperity.
On the day of the ritual, all newborn babies are taken to the temple or mosque by their parents. There, a priest takes the babies to the top of the building and launches them one after another. Although the act is seen as a demonstration of worshipers’ faith in their god’s ability to miraculously catch babies before they hit the ground, there is no evidence of the effectiveness of their belief. as measures are taken to ensure safe landing. babies – as there is usually a group of men waiting on the ground to catch the descending babies using a large blanket.
Once a baby has been caught by the men holding the blanket, everyone present begins to gloat and pass the baby around until it reaches the parents. This ritual is usually accompanied by celebrations by the child’s family who are assured of the baby’s long life and good fortune through the ritual.
For many years, people in those communities where the baby-throwing ritual is practiced have clung firmly to the tradition, regardless of whether it seems quite bizarre to the outside world – especially seeing how these toddlers are generally afraid as they are. to be thrown from such a great height. People attach so much importance to it because they believe that the ritual is also used as a point of contact to get God to bless their wives with fruitfulness.
Although the ritual was banned some time in 2011 after several attempts by the district authorities, in 2012 the ritual was revived at Digamberashwara temple in Nagrala village and has since been practiced by people who do not want to give up this ritual. ancient superstition – claiming it was a harmless way to demonstrate their unwavering faith in God.