Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Break-ing News..

I didn't post on last Sunday since i knew lots of local holidays were soon on the way. Moreover, there wasn't any interesting topic to write on. Oddly enough, we were axed with another death in our School. A senior and a very sincere teacher colleague passed away last sunday. He was battling for his life in the JDWNR hospital for about two weeks and never regained. In a small community such as ours, we share each misery as our own and it was again too much pain for me to witness another passing away. We declared mourning day on Monday and gathered in our MPH to say prayers for the deceased. Of late, i have lost my confidence in my own health looking at the things happening around the radius of my existance!
At any rate, there wasn't much curiosity after that news to go to the MayWang(Jambay Lakhang) which was on the evening of the last Monday. A baby child succumbed to death on that night too. It was rumoured that the child died of suffocation in the crowd.Talking of Maywang(Blessing by/with Fire), i do not know its origin. Prevalent in Bumthang, the fire blessing probably originated, no offence though,due to cold climate in Bumthang! I have tried to quote a foreigners' view on it:                                                                                                       Following ritual prayers and incantations, two haystacks are set alight in a field and those who dare run through the flames to purify their soul. It’s a wild disturbing experience, as scary for onlookers as for those who take part. When the flames die down, it’s back to music and dance and picnics on the grass: Solange Hando, Travel write/editor/photographer.

There are a dozen of Fire blessings in Bumthang at different location and time period. What is prominent about it is that this blessing had lost its charm, if it ever had one. These days, you hardly see any old folks thronging for the MayWang. It is meant clinically for the youth. Obviously, youth need more purification now a days. :) You would probably find hundreds of youth dressed in fancy clothes and similarly, hundreds of Toms with their girlfriends tied to their waist. Most of them would be drunk on that day. If it is a MayWang at place X, it gives reasons for youth to hang out wildly as it is apparently clear that their aging parents would not be present.
The other day, i have debated with a Lopen in my school about the nuisance of MayWang. He thought i was too much of a desecration to Buddhism! People do not see how degrading it is for us to create an event in the name of religion that would eventually erode our values. The MayWang event has created more violence and "disturbing experience" than anything. So, i wasn't much surprised to hear that a baby died yesterday in the MayWang.
Infact, i had wanted to exclusively write about this since last year(after i experienced my first Fire Blessing at Jambay Lakhang,my first and the last since my stay here) but i held it back for reasons not known. I also had desperately wanted to write about the origin and meaning of Ter Chham but thus far, i havent got any clues on it.
Coincidentally, the Trakar Tshechu started yesterday. We are on a 3-day local holiday again. I have checked my purse and found out that the cash would just suffice to renew my BlueBook and my vehicular insurance that falls due on 14th Nov.:)
Here i am, trying to while away my time while Choden is mutely unhappy about why we shouldn't go to the Tshechu. I cajoled her that i would treat her fairly on the Last day of the Tshechu. So long it is byebye from me....cheers readers!

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