A Hindu devotee, cheeks pierced with a metal rod, participates in a religious procession dedicated to Goddess Mutthumariamman in Bandel, India, on April 5, 2013. The ritualistic acts of inflicting pain on oneself are performed as an act of penance with the belief that it will prevent diseases and for the well-being of the families of devotees. (Photo by Bikas Das/Associated Press)
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