Bhagwat: Day 1

“The entire week’s events will cost $13000.00,” my friend informed me. It always amazes me how Indians find money for weddings and other rituals, even when things are “very difficult.” Even if he has three sisters living, and two brothers, presumably to share some of the cost. The family lost both their mother and the oldest sister in a few short months.

Well, apparently the bricks used to build the above dais aren’t a big part of the cost, even though such high quality bricks are expensive. Because? you might ask. Because my friend plans to sell the bricks that he bought, as well as return the bricks he borrowed from the new hotel construction site next door, at a good profit, because after a week of blessings by seven priests, these bricks are going to be VERY HOLY and will bring good luck to any building into which they are incorporated.

So what else does the $13k cover? Well, of course the seven “pandits,” or priests. Some are specialized in chanting, some playing musical instruments, some interpreting scripture, some performing ritual. I suppose it must cover the tent, and crew of people who set up the tent, and brought the 85 mattresses to line the floor, and run the electrical and sound systems. Not to mention dig the small moat that the unexpected rain storm necessitated on Day 2. The food (and cooks) for all the relatives and friends, up to 800 expected on the last of the 8 day event. The full time sound technician. The special shawls for Krishna’s birthday that were given out on Day 1. The three copies of the giant plastic banner announcing the event. The steel structures supporting the tent itself, as well as several internal platforms. Etc.

The day started with my understanding that the some of the women standing around waiting to begin the procession to the Ganges to get the holy water were commenting on the fact that I was wearing pink. HAH! I rejoiced that my Hindi was now good enough for me to realize that’s what they were saying. I managed to respond that “Nobody TOLD me I was supposed to wear yellow.” Which was fine. Because I don’t have any yellow Indian outfits anyway.

The morning ceremony lasted about 3 hours, including the walk to and back from the Ganges. I was told we were to fast all day, only eating a small meal in the evening. But then, while the non-mourning guests were being fed a big meal, the fasting mourners were led into a small room and given little bowls of nuts and dried fruit. These Hindus have a different concept of fasting. Or maybe he left out the “e” and really meant feast. Who knows. Because today, Day 2, the “small meal” really was a huge feast. But I didn’t have much, as I was coming for a fasting event. We’ll see how long I hold out.

The afternoon, 3 pm to 6:30 or so, was comprised of the main priest (shown in orange in the top photo) chanting from the Bhagavad Gita, the holy scripture of Hinduism, giving interpretive comments, and musical interludes, of course blasted at full volume on the four banks of three 4 foot speakers each. That made it easier to cover the construction noise from next door.

So that’s my report so far, totally inadequate, of Day 1 of the Bhagwat.