Hindi “rites of passage” ceremony.

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First, I am no anthropologist or cultural guru.  So, most of what happened on this day I didn’t understand at all.  This little guy is the center of the attention for the day.  Previously, a few days back, he was stripped naked at a temple and his head was shaved with only a small tuft left on the upper, back of his head.  After those proceedings, he has had his head wrapped since (pictured).

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At about noon, a contingent of men, maybe 20-30 of them, left the house and walked in a long line to the temple.  In this procession, were many instruments, including big hand drums and flutes, people carrying the food that will be eaten later to be blessed, and, lastly, and most importantly, a goat.

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As the procession arrived at the temple, the band started to reach a crescendo and circled the temple once.  Then, quite unexpectedly, the goat was dragged into the temple, its throat cut and bled into a cup at the feet of a god statue.  Once, the goat was bled out, it was dragged outside of the temple and thoroughly cut up.  First the head, then the neck.   The above picture is where that happened.

Author: RC Cone
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008
Categories: nepal, photography
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