Sunday, May 23, 2010

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Today may be your lucky day. There may be TWO blogs--depending on the Internet and my motivation. I am way behind on things to share.

Last night I went to a Hindu temple festival. I'm really not sure how to describe it, but I'll try. I didn't take my camera because it was a religious ceremony so no pictures.

First, Kathy dressed me up in a sari which I had to keep nice until time to go to the temple four hours later. Fortunately, I have a king-size bed and books to read. Still, the sari got kind of wrinkly. (Ducomini checked me out before I got in the taxi. She is Mam's helper. ) I didn't spill anything on it at dinner. Left at 9 PM--David will tell you that normally no patient is still up at 9 PM. Vineesh (medicine man) went with me in the taxi and Babu met me there. The couple who take care of his temple were there and were helping with the ceremony. Had to take our shoes off at the door. Mud floor with lots of little pebbles so it was not exactly comfortable walking in.

(As best as I can describe the jist of this is that this temple has three snake gods. Remember I told you that Hindus believe that everyone and everything is a god with a 'supreme' god over all in the same way we think of God. So, this temple has three snake gods. In this ceremony, there musical instruments--a pot used as a drum, some kind of string tied to a toe that makes music, clappers like very small cymbals, and probably the first version of violin-sort of like a lute--singing, and a very impressive and energetic fire dance. All of this is done in preparation for the 3 snake spirits to come down and inhabit the bodies of the three women chosen. The snake spirit doesn't have to choose any of the three, can choose one of the three (one spirit to a body) or can actually choose someone in the audience. Sometimes the spirit doesn't come down at all.

The setting is open air with a roof covering. There is a huge (by our standards) well inside on one side of the space. Taking up a large part of the rest of the main space is an intricately drawn design of geometric patterns laid out in a circle, all hand-drawn and filled in with natural colors ie., the yellow is tumeric, the black is, I think, burnt rice chaff, etc. Beautiful and so intricate. There is a four-posted structure on which are hung strands of the tender part of a palm leaf as well as hanging items, in some cases reminding me of a mobile. There are candles all around and different religious artifacts used in the ceremony. The three women are sitting on a slightly raised stage waiting to be called down.

Vineesh went with me, and Col. Babu met me there.
When we got there, the procession into the temple had already occurred. It starts about a kilometer away. And the three women follow a path down the road lighted by others. They have already been educated as to how to proceed. One is a teenager; one is in her 20s; and the 3rd appears to be in her 30s. They are dressed in regular saris. Nothing special in their dress.

There is already a woman who is not one of the three exhibiting a trance-like state in which a snake spirit has overtaken her body. Throughout the evening she dances, screams out, makes swaying motions with her hands and body. The leader tries to tell the snake spirit that it is too early, that he must go away until later. Obviously this doesn't work, but it does calm the woman down. At one point, she picks a young man out of the audience, touches his head several times, and apparently imbues him with a spirit as well as he is having movements and sounds similar to an epileptic seizure although he remains standing. Three men protect him until he comes out of the trance.

Anyway, there are two to four singers/chanters and instrumentalists, depending on the stage of the ceremony. There is an additional man doing a ceremony around the structure and the drawing. Then comes the fire dance. After the fire dance the man passes the plate so to speak and receives donations of rupees and many, many mundis--the traditional mail dress they wear around the waist and can either wear knee length or drop it down to above the feet.

Then some more spiritual singing/chanting. Meanwhile, the lady in blue imbued with the spirit continues. The leader calms her down one more time. She appears to go in and out of the trance quite quickly and easily at times. She doesn't run into anything--people or candle stands or anything. Also, everyone involved makes it a point not to step on the drawing. If they have to reach something on the structure, they will place a leaf down to step on and then reach for what they need. There is also a man setting up things for the man doing the ceremony around the structure. Finally, the three ladies are called down outside of the structure where they are given 18" long brushes and herbs or flowers are placed on their heads. They sit inside the structure. Then they move to in front of the musicians. The spirits are called down and enter all three of the women who then go into a trance, weaving, swaying, etc. And then they start moving in a seated position brushing away this fabulous drawing which is both inside and outside the structure. They get so deeply into the trance that people have to protect them from hitting their head against the poles of the structure. Finally, when the drawing is all brushed out, they fall out on the floor unconscious. They are attended by others until they come to.
There is also another man who is imbued by the spirit, but his doesn't last very long.

When they come to, the ceremony is over and everyone goes home. Although, the drawing is recreated, but only inside the structure, and another ceremony takes place later. This goes on for five days and nights.

During the ceremony some of the children practiced their English with me. They said they were glad I tried to use some of my Malayalum. I think I mentioned last year that this part of India broke off from Africa. None of these people have the African features of big lips and big flat noses, however. They are quite attractive and these girls were no exception.

Col. Babu apparently carries A LOT of weight as tourists do not go to these ceremonies. Everyone, of course, noticed me, but there was no apparent ill feeling towards me. Mam and Kathy both asked me if it was at Babu's house and seemed surprised that it was at the Hindu temple.

I'm a little light-headed so I will go for now. I think the light-headedness is from sitting.

Love,
Mom/Granny/Peggy/NiNi