Tika, one of our two guides on the trip
We walk into a picture that could have been taken 100 years ago. There is no electricity to speak of. There are stone floors, clay structures, and tin or straw roofs. We sleep in a very humble yet amazingly comfortable room. Hard, sturdy beds and a common area used for eating, storing clothes and anything else you can possibly imagine...
Yesterday was the third day of the Nepali festival - Dewali. On this day, we were told tat we were going to be apart of a ceremony. To be honest, I had no idea as to what to expect. I imagined something like a knighting ceremony, or a Luke Skywalker Star Wars ceremony. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
At 11 AM, we assemble outside on the mats placed in the middle of the grounds. Today is the "Tikka" ceremony. The tradition is that the sister marks upon the brothers' foreheads with various colors and symbols. The Tikka, itself, is the small red dot placed upon the bridge of your nose. It signifies good luck on future journeys. In exchange, the 'Tikkaed" men will apply small red stones on the sister's forehead and give to her 100 rupees ($1.50) each. Not bad for a day's ceremony, but a bit below minimum wage.
Tikka's sister getting the final honorary "Tikka" seen below.
"Tapai-lai costa cha?", how are you doing? How am I doing? Here are some highlights thus far on camping in the first 3 days.
1. Squatting and poo-poo (aka. #2). You walk into a small room with 2 footmats and a hole in the middle. The goal is when you go #2, you should try for the whole in one everytime. One should first get a degree in gymnastics before performing everyday bathroom procedures in Nepal.
One of the westerners on our trip, Jose, is infatuated with #2. We told him he is not to talk about it during the dinnertime hours.
2. Eating. The food has been great. The staple of Nepali cuisine is called Dahl Bat. This is basically rice (bat), bean and lentil gravy (Dahl), accompanied with curried Potatoes and a vegetable. Most Nepalis will eat this at least once a day with their right hand. (note to self: do not ask what they do with their left hand). In addition, we have our share of rice pudding with fresh bannanas from the forest. My thought of losing 10 pounds on this trip has gone through the window. During the "Tikka" ceremony as described above, we are given Roti (fried bread) among other dishes. The only problem is that we are expected to eat this in front of the cow dung placed in the middle of the square. It suggest rebirth. As I hold my stomach rocking it back and forth, the only thing it suggests to me is vomiting.
The food of the Tikka ceremony seen below:
3. Doh shoo day. The compulsory chat of the Diwali festival. Then asked for its translation, there is no straight answer. Last night was the parading of the Nepalis from town to town. Ahri the porter is playing the Mahdi - the nepali drum - constantly, while Karna the porter narrates in song throughout the village.
Karna
After the Tikka ceremony described earlier, we go from house to house singing the Doh shoo Day chant to each house...This is done to wish good luck to each household for the upcomming year. This goes well into the evening, and at some point when you think they are all finished, someone yells Doh Shoo Day once more and the whole crowd erupts in song. We all take turns dancing in the middle of the local village people like idiots. The Doh shoo day is to Nepalis as Jingle Bells are to Catholics or as Dayenu is to the Jews. Doh Shoo Day, Doh Shoo Day, Doh Shoo Day....just turn the light off when you are finished.
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