As a part of the Gajan festival held in parts of Bengal, Gajan Sanyasis (Ascetics) perform various rituals with human skulls. The festival is celebrated mainly in the last two days of the month of Chaitra (around mid April) in rural Bengal to appease Lord Shiva. According to villagers, this practice has been going on for more than a hundred years. People believe that the festival will provide them prosperity eliminating from any sorrow and sufferings which they suffered in the past year.