Social media users on X were left stunned after coming across a shocking clip of Indian performers whipping female dancers mid-performance at a show. While some poked fun at the weird stage show, many did not hide their confusion as they experienced cultural shock. The intense display also caused many to express anger over the content of the clip.
The clip, which appeared to have been filmed in South India, showed performers at a Tamil festival. One male performer is seen holding a long whip as his female counterpart in a black sari braces for the impact. The man swings his whip as the woman lifts her hips to the rhythm of the song being played. He continuously whipped her, landing over 10 lashes as she danced. Then he proceeds to crack the whip at the back of her legs, signaling the end of her performance.
The next female Indian dancer immediately steps in, and the whole whipping process is repeated as the show progresses. At one point in the video, viewers saw a third dancer writhing in pain while scrambling to safety. Netizens in the comment section of the X post expressed horror as they questioned the cultural display. “What in God’s green earth is going on here?” someone wrote. “Indians don’t play,” one X user joked. A third person felt the display was inappropriate, stating in the comment section, “This is abuse.“
Why The Performers Were Whipping The Female Dancers
One curious user tagged Grok, the AI assistant on X, to ask for more information on the clip. In response, the chatbot revealed that the unusual performance was a South Indian tradition called Silambattam. The response read:
“That’s likely Silambattam, a Tamil martial art and dance from India!”
“It involves swinging a long bamboo staff in a festive, cultural vibe often seen at festivals like Pongal,” the chatbot added. While the clip’s content appeared disturbing for viewers, this was not the first time India made headlines for bizarre cultural practices.
In 2018, a similar festival from South India caused controversy online as priests whipped over 3000 female attendees. Per News Flare, people believed the whipping process warded off evil spirits that may have possessed the willing participants.
