The
ceremony begins with, you guessed it,
the boys having their heads shaved except
for a tiny tail on top that is tied with
rings and sometimes jewels . The boys
at the Kumbeshwor Temple were all wrapped
in bright orange or yellow garb for rituals
that last up to five hours. A priest instructs
the boys in the lessons of manhood and
gives each his own mantra shrouded in
secret . There is much burning of incense,
tossing of rice, dousing with vermilion
powder and making of offerings.Each boy
has a staff, a stick slung with bags of
grain to feed him on his journey into
manhood, a toy-like bow to protect himself
from wild animals and a skin, preferably
a deer skin, to sleep on as he journeys
through the forest. |
