A large number of women were seen eating with their hands behind their backs at a temple in Kottupakkam, Tamil Nadu.

Couples without children performed the ritual that the devotees believe would lead to them having a higher chance of becoming pregnant.

On the temple steps, the women would eat food collected by the staff.

This footage was filmed on July 28.

A large number of women gather at the Paradesi Sithar Temple in Sethupettu in the Thiruvanamalai district to take part in the strange ritual of eating from the floor with tied hands.

Childless couples perform this infertility ritual. After participating in the ritual the women take blessing from the saints and collect the food served to the saints. On the temple tank, the women devotees assemble to eat the food collected from the saints. The women believe if they eat with tied hands the food that was offered to the saints they have more chances of getting pregnant.

Every year on this day thousands of women visit this temple to participate in this ritual. This year around 3000 women attended the rituals.