Nepal has been an amazing country, it has exceeded all my expectations
and given me a huge insight into there culture. I have experienced
things that i have found upsetting, beautiful and mind opening,
alongside all of these i have met some amazing people and made some
lifelong friends.
When i first entered Nepal we had amazingly timed it for Dashain
festival, nepals biggest annual festival. It celebrates the victory of
the Goddess Durga over the forces of evil in the buffalo demon
Mahisaura. We learned that it was a blood thirsty event involving the
biggest animal sacrifices of the year. Along with the sacrifices other
events took place, the building of many huge bamboo swings, kite flying
and gambling - which at other times of the year is banned and illegal.
Every family also grows barley seeds, allowing them to grow to a few
centimetres before plucking them from the soil on the last day and
wearing them as bouquets in their hair. The festivities are celebrated
over 15 days ending in a procession of masked dancers symbolising the
victory of good over evil.
Generally Nepalise people don't eat much meat, this is the one time of
the year when meat is in abudance. Walking through the streets i saw
goats tethered awaiting their destiny, normally obscenely standing by a
butchers where his mates heads were sat there looking onto the road. I
have a feeling they must have known what was coming... Early one
morning Ant, Mark and i walked to Durbur square where there stands a
collection of temples, on this day we were going to witness the
ceremonial slaughtering of animals. I wasn't particularily looking
forward to it but at the same time i was curious and interested in what
was entailed during the festivities. Standing amongst an eager and
anticipating crowd postioned in a square around a shrine i hopped from
foot to foot nervously. Behind me several calfs and goats were tied up
waiting, i did have the urge to accidently untie the strings but i
think i would have been in a lot of trouble and probably linched by the
crowd.
The ceremony started and one by one the animals were lead in, red paint
and water daubed on there trembling bodies as they were tethered to a
pole with a straw block placed under there heads. As the exectioner
raised his machete, an officer loaded his gun and held it up into the
air, as the gun fired the machete fell, the animals head falling to the
floor. The beheading had been done. I found it hard to watch but it was
to get worse, the head was then dragged and paraded around the shrine
leaving a trail of blood in its wake, it was to jion the rest of its
body still kicking and writhing at the side of the circle. As i have
never actually seen an animal being killed it made me feel a mixture of
emotions, most of all sad though i do have to say it was done quickly
and without unnecessary cruelty. At home i have been cocooned from the
butchering of animals, everything is always neatly and cleanly
packaged, the mucky scenes kept behind closed doors. To actually be a
witness to it even for religous purposes has opened my eyes to the
realism of how and where we get meat from and re-enforces my decision
to be a vegetarian.
I also experienced death but in a more spiritual way at the end of my
trip in Nepal in a temple called Pashipatinath, Nepals most important
Hindu temple which stands on the banks of the holy Bagmati river. It
brings a lot of people to pray and most prominately to cremate there
loved ones which is where i found myself with my friends Sharon, Mark
and Joy along with other tourists, locals and saddhus. My first thought
was that it was going to be a very morbid affair going to see a
cremation and i did question the reasons why i was going. I still
haven't found the answers however i have found a new outlook on life
and death, there religion and my own thoughts and the way i perceive
things.
Sitting on the opposite side of the river i watched as a funeral took
place, a shrouded body lay adorned with flowers beside the river on a
concrete slope. A long ritual was in the process overseen by and
involving the family members, the body was presented with flowers,
coins, washed and finally wrapped in white cloth before being carefully
placed on a pile of neatly stacked logs. The family have time to pay
there respects and pray before the fire is started. I didn't understand
the complexity or the meaning of all the proceedings, so i just watched
peacefully.
I imagine it does seem like quite a strange thing to go and see but i
am glad that i did. Having been brought up in my own culture with death
as feared and hidden away it was eye opening to see it being approached
from a completely different angle. I did find it at first hard to
comprehend but after sitting,watching and talking about it with my
friends i began to feel that it was a peaceful occasion, it has given
me appreciation and understanding for there religion and beliefs.
So i entered and left Nepal with different lessons learned and a
greater respect for the country of Nepal. They saw you learn something
new everyday and let me tell you it is so true.
