Best dressed farmer at the cattle fair!

Off to Gupteswar today – thank goodness it wasn’t yesterday for they had well over 100,000 people there to celebrate Shivaratri – some even staying there overnight, fasting and praying, to complete 24 hours.  We went down to the river to see if anyone was still bathing – a place behind a curtain for the women but not many people in the water.  Then we joined the crowd ascending the stairs to the cave in which an enormous Shiva Lingum is worshipped.  It took forever, but everyone was in good humour, dressed in their best clothes and even the children so patient.  The great black Nandi Bull outside the cave was surrounded by butter lamps, lit incense sticks and flowers and sweets.  When I came 17 years ago it was all very low key with no fences or covers so it didn’t feel the same.  After we had climbed down into the cave it was packed with worshippers so we slid around the back and out for it was suffocating.  Then we drove off to another market which is mostly for the Duruba tribe and some of the Dongorias that we saw the first day.   The Duruba tribe
ladies wear bright, bright saris tied with a knot on the shoulder leaving the other shoulder bare.  They had central nose rings with two larger studs each side. The sun was shining very brightly and the market was under trees so it made photography very difficult.  They wore scarves folded in different ways just laid on top of their heads.  Their men were often in just a lungi or loin cloth but usually with a shirt on top.  The Dongoria Tribes with buns behind the right ear, 3 nose rings and earrings were much better looking and happier than the ones we saw on the first day.  In fact the whole market was very upbeat, even the cattle market for that was held under trees too.  The man above was in a jolly mood having just sold two oxen!  Later we visited the tribal museum which was in semi darkness so not easy to see things, especially the intricate jewellery and wonderful photos.  Most of the tribals are animist, worshipping local rivers, hills, mountains, rocks or whatever in their locality. The more I see of the Catholic Church’s doings here the more angry I get – there was a bus rear telling me that Jesus loves me today and a Father Christmas on a sledge on the bus sides.  The priests have been advising tribals to change their dress, cover up – why, in this heat?  Their loans in return for conversion fill me with rage…  But things are changing, tribals see things they want in the towns, they want to follow fashion and now that electricity is reaching many villages they see tv too – even if it is only in the head man’s house.  The community hall in villages is the center where grievances can be heard by the head man and council, parties can be held and of course the political meetings too.
We visited one village where there were women threshing millet seed heads - what hard work sitting out in the sun on the hard packed earth.  Have been staying in the same hotel for 4 nights but are off again tomorrow so perhaps no wifi in the next place but thanks for looking, commenting etc.  It is very encouraging. More Picasa pics here