Sholapur’s Baby Dropping 2009

Indian officials allowed hundreds of babies to be dropped from the roof of a mosque in the belief it would ensure good health and prosperity.

The ritual at the Baba Umer Durga, a Muslim shrine, is believed to have been followed for nearly 700 years, and each year hundreds of people, both Hindus and Muslims, take part.

Infants, most under two years old, are dangled from the roof of the shrine near Sholapur, 450km south of Mumbai, before being dropped about 15m onto a bedsheet held aloft by parents and other believers.

Television channels showed the babies screaming as they were shaken in the air before being dropped.

Officials said there had been no reports of any injuries at this year’s event.

‘Irrational’ behaviour

With high child mortality rates, especially in India’s rural areas, many people resort to rituals which they believe can ensure their children’s health.

Children’s rights activists expressed outrage after the Headlines Today television channel showed the babies being dropped.

“This shows the complete failure of the local administration to prevent this practice and to create awareness about children’s health,” said Ranjana Kumari, a civil rights activist in New Delhi.

“It is also a reflection of the lack of access to health services, that forces people to behave in this irrational manner,” Kumari said.

India’s National Commission for Protection of Child’s Rights issued a notice to the local administration in Sholapur and has begun investigations into the practice.

I don’t think access to health service for kids will help this issue; if you are stupid enough to think that dropping your few months old baby from 50 feet, causing him a whiplash and possible permanent brain injuries will ensure his health then go ahead you don’t need medical access.

Have you notice that this year they shake the babies before dropping them? Why is that? They also have clothes and seem a bit older… Of maybe it was simply the 2nd group, the 1 and up?

Sholapur’s Baby Dropping 2008

Farmers in an eastern Indian state have asked their unmarried daughters to plow parched fields naked in a bid to embarrass the weather gods to bring some badly needed monsoon rain, officials said on Thursday.

Witnesses said the naked girls in Bihar state plowed the fields and chanted ancient hymns after sunset to invoke the gods. They said elderly village women helped the girls drag the plows.

“They (villagers) believe their acts would get the weather gods badly embarrassed, who in turn would ensure bumper crops by sending rains,” Upendra Kumar, a village council official, said from Bihar’s remote Banke Bazaar town.

“This is the most trusted social custom in the area and the villagers have vowed to continue this practice until it rains very heavily.”

Accordng to the Guinness World Records, the record for the Longest Ear Hair goes to Anthony Victor (Madurai, India) has hair sprouting from the centre of his outer ears (middle of the pinna) that measures 18.1 cm (7.12 in) at its longest point.

This is what driving in India look like. No wonder they all fail their driving courses in America.

Rafiq Qureshi, the father of Slumdog Millionaire child star Rubina Ali plans to become a (Slumdog) millionaire himself-by SELLING his nine-year-old daughter.

As he offered the shocking deal to the News of the World’s undercover fake sheik this week, Rafiq declared: “I have to consider what’s best for me, my family and Rubina’s future.”

Rafiq tried to blame Hollywood bosses for forcing him to put his daughter up for SALE.

As he tried to fix the illegal adoption deal, real-life slum dweller Rafiq declared: “We’ve got nothing out of this film.”

“This family wanted to take Rubina abroad. They agreed to come to Mumbai to discuss the adoption in May.

“But the approach has made Rafiq very greedy and he has said that he will consider the highest offer for his child. But they realize that the money will soon stop coming in and Rafiq is open to all offers.”

News of the World investigator made contact with Rafiq and said we had heard he was considering having Rubina adopted. He told Rafiq he was acting for a wealthy Arab sheik who wanted to take the youngster to live with him 2,000 miles away in Dubai.

Rafiq replied: “Yes, we are considering Rubina’s future.

“Why don’t you speak to my brother-in-law, Rajan, and he will discuss it with you? I will ask him to call you.”

Rubina’s uncle Rajan More – who speaks good English – confirmed: “Yes, we are interested in securing our girl’s future.

“Rubina’s life is miserable and she lives here with her stepmother. Most of the time she stays with me because she is not happy at her parents’ home.

“Obviously if you wanted to adopt we could discuss this, but her parents would also expect some proper compensation in return. We are talking of around £50,000 for this to happen.” In another phone call, father Rafiq coolly confirmed: “Whatever you have discussed with Rajan, I agree with. Whatever money is agreed by Rajan, I will accept.

“We can discuss everything about this deal when we meet. There’s a lot of interest in Rubina, she’s become very famous.”

Without querying the background, intentions, or even the names of Rubina’s prospective new parents, Rafiq arranged to meet them.

Rafiq Qureshi put angel-faced darling of the Oscars Rubina up for adoption, demanding “It’s 20 million rupees, £200,000.” (In fact 20 million rupees is £270,000, but their calculations were wrong.). That was an astonishing FOURFOLD increase on his opening demand. But Rafiq’s equally demanding brother Mohiuddin insisted: “The child is special now. This is NOT an ordinary child. This is an Oscar child!”

Read more on News of the World website