What the devil?

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Ok, so I’ve now seen a man with a spear through his cheek. Actually, several men to be precise and through both cheeks.

Whist in town the other week attempting to visit the internet ‘café’ we got caught up in a religious melee… People took to the streets in devotion to Murghua, the peacock God. Oil burned, spears were brandished and huge peacock-style headresses were sported as crowds paraded through the chaotic streets to a burst of drumming and car horns. I was thinking it was not unlike the Notting Hill Carnival until a guy floated above me dangling from a wicker kite and brandishing flaming torches, and a load of loin-cloth clad devotees strutted past with 2 feet of spear sticking out of either side of their faces.

The trip into Thiruvarur didn’t only provide entertainment. The family insised on my visiting ‘Selvie’s’, the local no-veg restaurant convinced I was missing the taste of something’s flesh. I pointed out I was missing the taste of a cool beer somewhat more and headed to the bar. Unsuprisingly Niru and I were the only women in there amongst the moustachioed locals sporting lunghis and white shirts, and smoking and getting smashed on litre bottles of beer. Niru patiently tolerated my indulgence as I guzzled my Kingfisher with all eyes on me. It seemed rude not to order a tandoori chicken. I hadn’t thought I’d minded being vegetarian for the last month, but as I tore into the overcooked, dry and stringy chicken (with my right hand only of course) I realised it tasted only second best to that damned scrawny and limping bird we’d hunted down, caught, killed, plucked and cooked when stranded by lake Malawi 12 years ago. Maybe I’m not cut out to be vegetarian after all…

Corrections and Clarifications: my much favoured fruit is in fact a jack fruit, not jag as previously stated…

News this week:
1. protests to contest the hike in fuel prices
2. marriage assistant schemes are being implemented. The government is handing out 15,000 (c. 160 quid) to all women who can’t afford their own gold chain for marriage. I wonder if I’m eligible?
3. the best selling chocolate is in fact named after the Minister of Railways.

Favourite headline: Woman dies in mishap

It's now taken me over a week to find a working connection to be able to send this. I'll be leaving here on sat to head to Mysore and then into the hills before making my way to Kochi for some crazy martial arts activity. Unfortunately it seems that the 'blue mountain' raj style railway I was expressly taking into the hills has been cancelled, which I'm dissappointed by.

Whilst I am sad to be leaving the generosity and hospitality of my hosts, my arteries will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief.

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Photos

aruna
painting the school

preparing for prayer 1
Once a year all the women put on their best silk saris and at the temple

preparing for prayer 2
to burn oils and incense to offer up to Kali

orange
at the temple

Comments

[Mark]

Hi Susie... good read this week - most amusing. Woman dies in mis-hap. What!!! Poor lass. Anyways, looking forward to finding out about Mysore, old tiger tipu sultan and all that. Bring it on :-)

[Mhairi]

Crazy martial arts
Hi Susie....Great to see that all is going well and the travelling living up to expecations. Dying to see your pics of the Raj style railway and the martial arts of course :-)