World of Pain

In the second programme the twins travel through Asia to examine the region’s attitude to pain control. They start their journey at the Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. Here, religious devotees appear to have an ability to endure the pain of piercings through the face and body by seeming to enter a blissful trance. The twins decide to take part as a scientific experiment for which, as twins, they are the perfect control. Xand prepares in the manner of a devotee by undergoing a week of religious instruction and abstinence, and Chris continues with his stressful job in London. The results are interesting – and unexpected. They then travel to Nepal to explore the region’s ancient Tibetan medical system, which does not include any specific medicines to deal with pain. Finally, Chris and Xand visit India, where the Federation of Indian Rationalists Association attempt to show that it is possible to cope with the pain of being suspended in the air from hooks using only the power of the mind.