Coming of Age

Greetings all! Despite being done at the Disabled Childrens Center, it has been a busy week. On Monday, I attended two Hindu Bratabanda (coming of age) ceremonies for adolescent boys usually between the ages of 8 through 18, although the most common age for the ceremony to be held is around 13 years old. The boy is put through a series of rituals and a puja (prayer ceremony) is held for a few hours. One sign that the boy has had his Bratabanda, is the ceremonial shaving of his entire head, with a small tuft remaining on top. Although it is a serious ceremony, it is overall a very fun time for the boy because after the ceremony, he is showered with many gifts and there is always a wonderful feast for family and friends who have attended. Being there for the entire ritual is not compulsory, so you can still enjoy the food even if you weren't there for the ritual! Yum!

Doug arrives in a few days and as I mentioned earlier, Kathmandu will be experiencing a general strike. We hope it will be peaceful and for the most part, I think we will be safe... Gotta go now, my time is up.

Peace, Namaste,
Jackie