• Vegetarian Festival, Thailand

  http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/10/T1.jpg

  A devotee of the Chinese Kathu shrine with swords pierced through his cheeks takes part in a procession during the annual vegetarian festival in central Phuket. The vegetarian festival is believed to have started on the island. Photograph: Damir Sagolj/Reuters

  

• Vegetarian Festival, Thailand

  http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/10/t2.jpg

  A devotee of the Chinese Kathu shrine with his face pierced takes part in a procession during the annual vegetarian festival in central Phuket. Photograph: Damir Sagolj/Reuters

  

• Vegetarian Festival, Thailand

  http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/10/t4.jpg

  A devotee of the Chinese Kathu shrine with swords pierced through his tongue takes part in a procession during the annual vegetarian festival in central Phuket. Photograph: Damir Sagolj/Reuters

  

• Vegetarian Festival, Thailand

  http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/10/t3.jpg

  A man cuts his tongue with an axe during a street procession at the annual vegetarian festival in central Phuket. Photograph: Damir Sagolj/Reuters

  

• Vegetarian Festival, Thailand

  http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/10/t8.jpg

  A man fixes a lantern at the Dragon Temple in Bangkok. Thailand's vegetarian festival, also known as "Tesagan Gin Pak". Photograph: Sukree Sukplang/Reuters.

  

• Vegetarian Festival, Thailand

  http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/10/t5.jpg

  A Thai man performs a holy rite during the vegetarian festival in Bangkok. Sukree Sukplang/Reuters.

  

• Vegetarian Festival, Thailand

  http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/10/t6.jpg

  A man prays as he gets into a trance before a procession at the annual vegetarian festival in central Phuket. Damir Sagolj/Reuters.

  

• Vegetarian Festival, Thailand

  http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/files/2012/10/t7.jpg

  A durian fruit vendor sells her wares in Chinatown during the vegetarian festival in Bangkok. Devotees all over the country eat only vegan or vegetarian food for 10 days in the belief that strict adherence to the diet and abstaining from all vices, including sex and alcohol, purifies the body. Photograph: Sukree Sukplang/Reuters.

  

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