Monday and Tuesday I again went to see the Durga Puga festivities. The streets were more fully decorated with lights and banners, and the idols had been completed. These nights were also more crowded as scores of people went out to see the temples. The Hindu women were out in the streets in beautiful saris and lots of jewelry. We went to the various Hindu temples and each one had its own idol. All the idols had the same main characters and animals, but each was unique due to the different artist’s interpretation. This picture is of one of the idols: at the top is the goddess of this festival. You can see another picture at http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/10/12/d51012012621p.htm. Every year she comes on a different animal and this year she came on an elephant. The idols are made each year for the celebration and are made of clay. On Thursday all the idols will be thrown into the river. If the idols were made of plastic, I think there would be a problem in the river. Many people come and look at the idols. The Hindus of course come and worship the idol. Many delicious foods are brought to the idols as gifts. I was handed a snack as I walked by one temple, as some temples were handing out food. There are many stories of the different gods – it is almost like Greek mythology. Also at the temples people play musical instruments and dance. On Monday I went with my tutor, Lisa to see several idols and all the glittering lights. One of Lisa’s other students is Hindu and when she heard that we were coming, she invited us to her house. In two days I was inside two Hindu homes, but this one was quite different. It was on the third floor of a nice apartment building. The family had several rooms with nice tile floors and fabrics and décor. They served me a bowl of seven different sweets, with two types of mishty and a few treats made with puffed rice. We had a wonderful time eating and talking and I was introduced to about 10 members of the family – all women or girls. On Tuesday I spent the day with Lisa as her family had a surprise visit from an aunt, Khuku, who now lives in Singapor. She was traveling to Bangladesh on business as she has a store in Dhaka. We ate tons of food and watched a classic Bengali movie. Then Lisa, Khuku, and I went to see the Hindu idols and festivities. This was a huge trip and we saw about twenty different sites. After I got back to my room, I met a group from Taize and we went again to see the idols. I don’t have plans to go tonight, but it is my last chance to see her before she is throne into the Bramaputra tomorrow night!
October 12, 2005
More Durga Puga
Monday and Tuesday I again went to see the Durga Puga festivities. The streets were more fully decorated with lights and banners, and the idols had been completed. These nights were also more crowded as scores of people went out to see the temples. The Hindu women were out in the streets in beautiful saris and lots of jewelry. We went to the various Hindu temples and each one had its own idol. All the idols had the same main characters and animals, but each was unique due to the different artist’s interpretation. This picture is of one of the idols: at the top is the goddess of this festival. You can see another picture at http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/10/12/d51012012621p.htm. Every year she comes on a different animal and this year she came on an elephant. The idols are made each year for the celebration and are made of clay. On Thursday all the idols will be thrown into the river. If the idols were made of plastic, I think there would be a problem in the river. Many people come and look at the idols. The Hindus of course come and worship the idol. Many delicious foods are brought to the idols as gifts. I was handed a snack as I walked by one temple, as some temples were handing out food. There are many stories of the different gods – it is almost like Greek mythology. Also at the temples people play musical instruments and dance. On Monday I went with my tutor, Lisa to see several idols and all the glittering lights. One of Lisa’s other students is Hindu and when she heard that we were coming, she invited us to her house. In two days I was inside two Hindu homes, but this one was quite different. It was on the third floor of a nice apartment building. The family had several rooms with nice tile floors and fabrics and décor. They served me a bowl of seven different sweets, with two types of mishty and a few treats made with puffed rice. We had a wonderful time eating and talking and I was introduced to about 10 members of the family – all women or girls. On Tuesday I spent the day with Lisa as her family had a surprise visit from an aunt, Khuku, who now lives in Singapor. She was traveling to Bangladesh on business as she has a store in Dhaka. We ate tons of food and watched a classic Bengali movie. Then Lisa, Khuku, and I went to see the Hindu idols and festivities. This was a huge trip and we saw about twenty different sites. After I got back to my room, I met a group from Taize and we went again to see the idols. I don’t have plans to go tonight, but it is my last chance to see her before she is throne into the Bramaputra tomorrow night!
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2 comments:
This sounds so interesting!
I agree..I knew nothing of this before.
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