A devotee to the Thai Buddhist temple Wat Bang Phra works himself into a trancelike state during a religious festival

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Thais come from all over Thailand to be tattooed by the temple's monks on their bodies being inked by hand using a long metal stylus during the wat bang phra tattoo festival held annually. The religious tattoos are believed to be protection from ghost and bad spirits, mant devotee's work themselves into a trance like stance during the strange ritual. Wat Bang Phra translates into English as the "Temple of the Little Buddha".

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Size: 3497px × 5256px
Location: wat bang phra , nakhon chiasi, thailand
Photo credit: © paul christoforou / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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