Kabul: As part of Muharram to mourn the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Afghan men cut open their own backs with knives attached to chains. The ceremony took place at a mosque in Afghanistan.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, men cried out in pain as they performed the ritual to mark Ashura -- one of the major fixtures of Islamic calendar.
Ashura mourns the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson who was killed by Yazid armies near Karbala in 680 AD.
Not just men, even small children participate in the ceremony and swing the sharp blades, slashing their skin.
Gruesome photographs of the ceremony surfaced on social media showing pools of blood flowing on the floor of the mosque. The photos show men bleeding profusely, following which they help each other to clean blood coming from their wounds.
The tradition of self-flagellation is seen by some people as a way of washing away the sins. Some countries even declare a national holiday on the day of the event so that large number of people can participate in it.
Apart from Afghanistan, thousands of men from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon and Myanmar take part in the ceremony.
