Festivities and Parade
Trip Start
Aug 19, 2007
1
17
71
Trip End
Nov 20, 2007
Biratnagar,
Nepal
Thursday, September 6, 2007
As my cousin Brenda has commented on, so much of my entries mention food. Why, because everyday I try something new. Today is no exception. Our guard, Navaa, was eating something that looked like a leaf. Of course I asked him what it was and he replied "Bahn", and then he made me one. Basically it is made from a thick, very green leaf grown only in India. In it is wrapped several chunks of spices that look like walnut shell peices. The entire thing is put in your mouth and chewed. When the leaf is gone the chunks of spices are left and you continue to chew, almost gnaw on the hard spices. The taste loosely resembles nutmeg and is palate cleansing and very fresh tasting, a bit of a breath freshener. As my friend Jeff would say "beer sorbet" but all in one leaf.
I found out that yesterday (Tuesday) was Lord Buddha's birthday but today was the true day of celebration (Wednesday)
Bracelets, etc
. All day long there were stands of people selling food, clothing, toys, etc just like at a parade/celebration in the states. As the day wore on the streets got more and more crowded. A huge parade started at the temple of Buddha and then wound thru all the main thoroughfares of Biratnagar and then ends up back at the temple where it started, late at night. The entire route has people waiting for the parade and people following the parade singing, dancing, chanting, marching. I received Tikka again and also treats for visiting the temples. The absolute best part of the evening was the parade where after all the floats, bands, dancers and revellers was a huge "chariot" of people singing "hari hari krishna". The chariot was being pulled by a throng of people and everyone was encouraged to come into the street and grab the rope to symbolize helping to pull the chariot.
Words cannot even begin to express the feeling of thousands of people watching and reaching out to touch the rope that pulls the chariot. To expeience this was truly magical and nearly impossible to aptly describe. It is an experience and a feeling that only through physical prescence can one fully absorb the strong emotions that are eminating through the thousands that were present. I could see it in the looks of wonderment and awe in the youngest of children right through to the peaceful knowing smiles of the old.
I can only hope that the photos I took do some justice to this amazing display of faith, religion and celebration.
Comments
poor woman
Mark! Why is that woman hiding behind those rice bags?! What did you say to her?! You'd better not be picking on the old ladies over there!
poor woman2
No, I know what is was--she took one look at your skyscraper height, the hungry look you had in your eye for her puffed rice and is about to scream the Nepalese equivalent of 'Gojilla!! (Godzilla!!) Gojilla is attacking our village! Run fo yo liiiives!!!!'