A month or so ago it was Eid al-Adha. The Muslim “Festival of Sacrifice” commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, but instead he was able to sacrifice a ram (by God's command). Here in Kolkata, Eid al-Adha brought the Muslim population (which is estimated to be 18% of the population of the city) onto the streets. Indian Muslims swapped their blue tartan lungis for long white tunics and prayer caps. The mosques overflowed onto the streets, occupying the roads and bringing a total stand still to all traffic and morning shoppers. Walking to work involved labyrinthine skills as the maze of prayer mats had to be carefully side stepped but the uninviting drains and open gutters expertly avoided. From a vegetarians point of view the walk home was even more disturbing. Eid al-Adha has acquired the tradition of the sacrifice of domestic animals. All of the worlds Muslims celebrate by slaughtering unimaginable numbers of sheep, goats, cows and even camels. The craziness here in India is that the Holy Hindu Cow appeared to be the choice favourite.
Alimuddin Street – leading from the road housing the Missionaries of Charity to the Hindu shrines of Free School Street - became a butchers haven, as cows lined the pavements, while their family members achieved fast track enlightenment; depending of course on ones belief system. The irony of the cows predicament is that if they managed to stray just a few meters away they would be safe in cow worshipping territory. The affair reminded me of a good friend who ended up volunteering in the only pig farm in Israel and in a bout of rebellion ended up freeing the piggies from their fateful platform. By doing so the pigs unconsciously activated the law stating that as soon as a pig's trotters touches the soil of 'Israel' it is free from slaughter. However, the Holy Cows didn't seem equipped to try an similar escape attempt and soon the street was awash with fresh blood. Cow skins were picked clean by happy puppys, and I looked twice as young girls walked by with their prize of cow legs – one in each hand. Men walked around with blood stained shirts, as if coming straight from a massacre and later that evening a Muslim friend complained how tired he was after the hard work of killing over one hundred cows.
Thankfully the sacrifice is not in vain, and all of the meat and skin is used. The cow flesh is equally divided between the family, relatives, friends and neighbours and the poor. However, the question arises of the religious tensions which the festival may provoke as 'Gods' are sacrificed by the millions. This year, the Delhi based leading Islamic seminary, Dar-ul-Uloom, suggested to Muslims in the country that they should avoid slaughtering cows on Eid-ul-Azha as a mark of respect to the religious beliefs of Hindus. The appeal was supported by the All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques (AIOIM). Why then did I spend the day picking my path through cow remains? The answer is that unlike goats, sheep and chickens, the sacrifice of cows represents monetary wealth and dedication to ones faith, due to the 'price' of the sacrifice. A low breed Indian cow costs between 10,000 – 15,000 Indian rupees which is about £150 - £210; therefore the actual cost to the family over Eid is potentially enormous.
A week or so later what was intriguing was the hundreds of small drums that were appearing for sale along Alimuddin Street. The drums were made of cow skin which had been stretched over clay pots and then threaded with a string to hang over the drummers neck. Colourful children's drawings had been sketched on each drum, with the odd one sabotaged by a sketchy outline of a political party symbol. The purchase of one cost only 5 rupees (about seven pence) and came with two little sticks for beating. At the time I thought this was just a money making innovative tactic by the kids but a few days ago the city came alive with the sound of drums – all shapes and sizes – and made from the fresh cow skin of recently slaughtered cattle.
The celebration of Muharram is the festival which signifies the start of the Islamic New Year. The Muslim population of Kolkata celebrated by taking to the streets and parading in bands of drummers. The roads literally stood still while the vibrations rang out throughout the streets. Thousands of boys and young men dressed in costume and with an atmosphere of celebration banged there way through the city as the pavements were lined with spectators and beeping traffic. Gasoline was passed around as boys took turns to fill up their mouths and then blow into a torch of fire. Definitely a party atmosphere, excluding the copious amounts of alcohol more typical of New Years celebrations. The next day, the procession turned a little more sober as fake coffins and horses soaked in blood paraded down the street, with children rushing under the coffins and people queuing to touch the blood covered skin of the horse. In Sishu Bahavan the kids clambered onto the ledges of the windows, trying to peek through the iron bars to identify the source of the rhythmic beats which percolated up from the streets below, bringing cheers of 'nache nache' to the little people always eager for an opportunity to dancer. Meanwhile, trucks loaded with rice stopped to pass out food to the crowds. I watched as two little boys – rag pickers – dropped their bags to chase after the promise of a free meal, but were too slow and were left standing in the middle of the road watching the laden vehicle ride on. They turned around the retrieve their huge bags of rubbish, leaving the celebrations behind. That day was very quite at the dispensary, as patients who usually queue up wearing borrowed plastic crosses attached with pieces of string, went in search of a free meal and the rumours of clothes distribution.
Tonight the night clubs of Kolkata are advertising all night long parties to “Bollywood and Western Music” starring “foreign dancers” and DJs from Mumbai. Entrance fees are scaling the 2000 rupee mark; which at nearly £30 is a pretty exclusive price. But young men (and the occasional woman) from the surrounding Christan, Muslim and Hindu areas are strolling around in anticipation for another street party. If there was ever a place (other than Jerusalem) for the joining of faiths in a celebration of Humanity, India ia surely one. In its rich diversity and complexity of community festivals, unity through celebration is most definitely possible.
Alimuddin Street – leading from the road housing the Missionaries of Charity to the Hindu shrines of Free School Street - became a butchers haven, as cows lined the pavements, while their family members achieved fast track enlightenment; depending of course on ones belief system. The irony of the cows predicament is that if they managed to stray just a few meters away they would be safe in cow worshipping territory. The affair reminded me of a good friend who ended up volunteering in the only pig farm in Israel and in a bout of rebellion ended up freeing the piggies from their fateful platform. By doing so the pigs unconsciously activated the law stating that as soon as a pig's trotters touches the soil of 'Israel' it is free from slaughter. However, the Holy Cows didn't seem equipped to try an similar escape attempt and soon the street was awash with fresh blood. Cow skins were picked clean by happy puppys, and I looked twice as young girls walked by with their prize of cow legs – one in each hand. Men walked around with blood stained shirts, as if coming straight from a massacre and later that evening a Muslim friend complained how tired he was after the hard work of killing over one hundred cows.
Thankfully the sacrifice is not in vain, and all of the meat and skin is used. The cow flesh is equally divided between the family, relatives, friends and neighbours and the poor. However, the question arises of the religious tensions which the festival may provoke as 'Gods' are sacrificed by the millions. This year, the Delhi based leading Islamic seminary, Dar-ul-Uloom, suggested to Muslims in the country that they should avoid slaughtering cows on Eid-ul-Azha as a mark of respect to the religious beliefs of Hindus. The appeal was supported by the All India Organisation of Imams of Mosques (AIOIM). Why then did I spend the day picking my path through cow remains? The answer is that unlike goats, sheep and chickens, the sacrifice of cows represents monetary wealth and dedication to ones faith, due to the 'price' of the sacrifice. A low breed Indian cow costs between 10,000 – 15,000 Indian rupees which is about £150 - £210; therefore the actual cost to the family over Eid is potentially enormous.
A week or so later what was intriguing was the hundreds of small drums that were appearing for sale along Alimuddin Street. The drums were made of cow skin which had been stretched over clay pots and then threaded with a string to hang over the drummers neck. Colourful children's drawings had been sketched on each drum, with the odd one sabotaged by a sketchy outline of a political party symbol. The purchase of one cost only 5 rupees (about seven pence) and came with two little sticks for beating. At the time I thought this was just a money making innovative tactic by the kids but a few days ago the city came alive with the sound of drums – all shapes and sizes – and made from the fresh cow skin of recently slaughtered cattle.
The celebration of Muharram is the festival which signifies the start of the Islamic New Year. The Muslim population of Kolkata celebrated by taking to the streets and parading in bands of drummers. The roads literally stood still while the vibrations rang out throughout the streets. Thousands of boys and young men dressed in costume and with an atmosphere of celebration banged there way through the city as the pavements were lined with spectators and beeping traffic. Gasoline was passed around as boys took turns to fill up their mouths and then blow into a torch of fire. Definitely a party atmosphere, excluding the copious amounts of alcohol more typical of New Years celebrations. The next day, the procession turned a little more sober as fake coffins and horses soaked in blood paraded down the street, with children rushing under the coffins and people queuing to touch the blood covered skin of the horse. In Sishu Bahavan the kids clambered onto the ledges of the windows, trying to peek through the iron bars to identify the source of the rhythmic beats which percolated up from the streets below, bringing cheers of 'nache nache' to the little people always eager for an opportunity to dancer. Meanwhile, trucks loaded with rice stopped to pass out food to the crowds. I watched as two little boys – rag pickers – dropped their bags to chase after the promise of a free meal, but were too slow and were left standing in the middle of the road watching the laden vehicle ride on. They turned around the retrieve their huge bags of rubbish, leaving the celebrations behind. That day was very quite at the dispensary, as patients who usually queue up wearing borrowed plastic crosses attached with pieces of string, went in search of a free meal and the rumours of clothes distribution.
Tonight the night clubs of Kolkata are advertising all night long parties to “Bollywood and Western Music” starring “foreign dancers” and DJs from Mumbai. Entrance fees are scaling the 2000 rupee mark; which at nearly £30 is a pretty exclusive price. But young men (and the occasional woman) from the surrounding Christan, Muslim and Hindu areas are strolling around in anticipation for another street party. If there was ever a place (other than Jerusalem) for the joining of faiths in a celebration of Humanity, India ia surely one. In its rich diversity and complexity of community festivals, unity through celebration is most definitely possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment