A teenager in India chopped off his tongue with a blunt blade to prove his devotion to the Hindu God Shiva and seek his blessings. 17-year-old Lalmohan Soren visited the Mahedevgarha Temple in Jharkhand earlier this year where he decided to slice off his tongue and place it inside a bowl along with a note saying, “I have cut off my tongue and offered it to Lord Shiva. Please do not throw me out of the temple; I just want to sit here at the feet of the Lord.”
After the horrifying act of devotion was reported to the head of the temple, Soren was persuaded to visit a nearby hospital where doctors tried to stitch his tongue back together but to no avail. Soren was eventually discharged without a tongue.
Jharkhand and surrounding parts of India are infamous for their superstitious santhal tribes who are renowned for practicing unusual rituals to please their gods. Soren, who is very proud of his sacrifice, is now unable to talk and mostly lives off a liquid diet. While Soren’s act has shocked his family, they have accepted the consequences.
“My son has been involved in religious practices since childhood. He takes a keen interest in rituals, but I never believed he’d one day severe his tongue to please the Gods. I don’t know what will happen to him now, he’ll never be able talk properly again, so what future he will have is up to the Gods. My son has sacrificed his tongue to please the God so we’re sure the God will fulfill his wishes and give him a good life,” said Soren’s mother Lalmuni.
Locals were rather surprised when Soren’s actions led to widespread media attention because such ritualistic sacrifices are apparently a norm within their community.
“The tribal people are very superstitious and have always practiced weird rituals. In 2011, a boy severed two of his fingers and offered it to the God at the same temple. This incident is nothing new to us but yes, it is bizarre to many other people,” said Manoj Sharma, a local resident.
Photo Credit: Daily Mail UK
