This morning was the opening of the community centre in Kaza so we had breakfast and drove in around 9.30. The vans parked at the hospital and we walked slowly down to the centre where a transformation had taken place. Gone were all painters, ladders and paraphernalia, a beautiful red and yellow awning had been put up over the chairs and carpets had been put down over the floor. We were greeted with prayer scarves, white for us and yellow for the dignitaries.
There was a Puja table by the door with water and various seeds plus three jugs and a red ribbon across the door. There was a moment of excitement when the monks arrived with their instruments.
The minister for tribal affairs in Dehli arrived around 10.45 and the ceremony got under way with a puja at the door. There were prayers said and barley thrown around and then he flicked water and lassi from 3 jugs over the crowd before cutting the ribbon and going inside with an entourage that included an armed guard. We wandered back to our seats and waited for them all to appear from their tour of the building.
There were various speeches and gift giving and then the monks began their Cham dance. This was a special dance to throw out the evil spirits and ensure good luck. It was very stylised and ritualistic but very entertaining.
Following the ceremonies we had lunch in the meeting room before wandering back through town and back to the hotel for a peaceful and restful afternoon. I spent most of it scanning the hillsides from the balcony seeing migrating swifts as well as Black Redstart and lots of feral pigeons.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
There was a Puja table by the door with water and various seeds plus three jugs and a red ribbon across the door. There was a moment of excitement when the monks arrived with their instruments.
The minister for tribal affairs in Dehli arrived around 10.45 and the ceremony got under way with a puja at the door. There were prayers said and barley thrown around and then he flicked water and lassi from 3 jugs over the crowd before cutting the ribbon and going inside with an entourage that included an armed guard. We wandered back to our seats and waited for them all to appear from their tour of the building.
There were various speeches and gift giving and then the monks began their Cham dance. This was a special dance to throw out the evil spirits and ensure good luck. It was very stylised and ritualistic but very entertaining.
Following the ceremonies we had lunch in the meeting room before wandering back through town and back to the hotel for a peaceful and restful afternoon. I spent most of it scanning the hillsides from the balcony seeing migrating swifts as well as Black Redstart and lots of feral pigeons.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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