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6 February 1906 — Mandalay | |
Tuesday. 6th [February 1906]. Miss Townsend came to call for us at 7.30 and she drove us to the Arrakan Pagoda, in her nice little poney trap. We found the place full of worshippers & the great Buddha with its brass face & gilt body under a huge pagoda. Offerings of flowers, fruit, candles &c were being brought by men & women—chiefly the latter—they were down on their knees either holding up their offerings or with hands upraised as tho’ in prayer. They did not mind our walking amongst them even threading our way into the very shrine itself. All round were little booths where the devout could buy these offerings—all happy—quiet & busy. We saw there the Chin peasants with their distinctive costume– Many peasants with their immense wide peaked hats—chinamen with long pigtails—all kinds of people. The Burwomen with their bright pink skirts & white jackets & the bunch of little yellow orchids in their hair. A procession of pilgrims came up the steps led by the clang of a gong—each person carrying on their heads a plate or bowl containing food, flowers, or other offering. We went down to the great tanks where people were throwing in offerings to feed the fish. All this mass of people were coming & going so absorbed in their own business that they seemed not to notice each other & took little notice of us foreigners– It was a wonderful scene. We were sorry to leave. Returned to hotel for 10 o’cl breakfast. At 11.30 Miss Townsend came to us again & took us by the tram to the Zegyo Bazaar. It is the centre of commerce here. It was formerly of wood but having been burnt down our Govt built a more solid structure in brick. We went thro’ the silk bazaar & made small purchases– The women generally sold—sitting on their heels on a kind of dais—the purchaser sitting on the edge. The goods were kept on shelves behind the seller. It took some little time to bargain by signs as even Miss T. understands little Burmese—but the women were quick & very merry over it all. We went to the silver Bazaar & the fruit ditto & found it difficult to tear ourselves away & get back to the hotel at 2. At a house at the back of our hotel there were great sounds of music & merriment– We found that a rich magistrate lived there & that there was a fête going on in honor of the boring of his grandchildren’s ears which is the great event of a girl’s life here. At the same time one of the boys is going to be made a monk in Pungi for 7 days. We went across the road to see what was going on & found a great temporary room had been erected for the occasion, open on one side which was enclosed by a balustrade. Outside were booths & also a place where sat the band, consisting of 2 huge drums & some smaller ones– The man who played them with his hands, played a kind of castanets with his fist—clashing together 2 long pieces of stick. Other people sitting by sang from time to time, what was rather like an octave of bells with changes such as bell ringers do at home. It was not unmusical tho’ monotonous. On going to the door & asking if we might look in we were immediately asked in, & were ushered into the private house where we found some Europeans already seated. Chairs were at once brought & the children in their gala costumes were exhibited. They were very gorgeous in bright coloured silk garments & red velvet long coats embroidered thickly with gold & spangles. The cut of the ends of their sleeves & coats had the usual old Burmese points that one sees in their wood work & this gives a most quaint appearance. On their heads they had kind of crowns heavily embroidered round their necks & wrists massive gold jewelry. The women were dressing the children & admiring them, & seemed delighted at our approval. An English gentleman who was present & knew the country kindly explained what was going on to us. After a while we were invited to go to the platform below where tables with refreshment were laid out. Weak tea with much sugar & milk was handed round with cakes & biscuits. One side of this platform had a place raised in which were cushions & where the girls are tomorrow to have their ears pierced– On the other side was a long raised place where the Pungys are to sit when they come to perform the ceremonies for making the child a monk. In front of the 9 seats were placed the offerings & presents for each Pungi—in the centre opposite a little shrine of Buddha & the presents for the boy monk, consisting of a raisor, a begging bowl, a book of the law & the yellow garments which he must wear. After partaking of tea we took our leave—but the party seemed to go on all day & all night. We went to tea at the Club with Miss Townsend & met some of the “society” of the place who seemed to me very uninteresting after the Burmese society. Mrs DuBusson was anxious to go to see if there was anything to be seen at the “Burning” fair & we made a party to go after dinner. The DuBussons are now staying with the Broadbents who live here & Mr Broadbent accompanied us. We found the fair still going on & a girl dancing in a kind of theatre. The audience all seated on the ground– The dancing was merely posturing, turning & twisting—& the delight of it appeared to be the sudden changes which the dancer made. The music was the drum & singing– Every now & then to give the girl a little rest, when she mopped her face with her handkerchief, 2 men held a short dialogue—evidently like our clowns, as the audience went into peals of laughter– After watching this performance for a little while we made our way thro’ the various eating booths to another theatre where the same sort of performances was going on. The dancer was dressed in the usual light silk robe round the legs & wore the peaked jacket which was wired so as to stand out stiffly. As to the catafalque in which the body of the monk lay it was now the large center one—& no one seemed to take any notice of it except a couple of yellow robed monks who stood up on the high platform where the coffin was in the iron cradle in wh it was to be cremated & which was suspended by chains– This they kept gently rocked to & fro—& tended to the lights burning around. The Holy Man had been dead a year & kept for this great burning. We climbed up the steps to look in to the cradle & there saw the coffin which was strewn with fresh rose leaves. It was a curious sight all this under the cold moonlight & the flare of oil lamps. We left the scene & went back to the hotel. | |
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