Optic Nerve

By BillFroog

God's teeth

Well, in fact the teeth aren't visible - so 1 out of 10 for the title.
The final day of the Mela in the village - the five days gathering to a deafening crescendo of drumming, whirling, horns & supplication.
The day started with the visit. Living with the local Shiva priest does have advantages.. like a front seat for the god's visit - providing a quick tea break upon his journey - and feeding the acolytes too along the way.
A little delayed (the god's were fighting, a local godess annoyed that Shiva's son was arriving on the same day.. this disagreeable protocol having to be settled with some (verbal / physical??) jousting - out of sight, so cannot report on exact scenario..) the procession wound around the kilometers of dusty roads from the hills of the nearby local village - from where Mataji's family originate - to the god pow-wow here in Naggar. The shady courtyard filled up with the musicians, dancers, priests and other travelling hangers-on - the god's palanquin seated on rugs spread with rice and rose petals, incense swirling around.
We all took prassad (a rice based halva with raisins and coconut - lush), I declined the chai - which came around for several refills - refreshing those that had made the inter-village journey. Offerings were made - including our 'chardr' - a brocade cloth that will help adorn the god on his processioning for the next 10 years or so..
Then the signal was given, the entourage pulled up their stumps and everyone wound their way back onto the main drag - and on, up into the main village square for their ultimate communion with the other god mates..
I was told (OK mainly hand signals) that I was to be main photographer for the house today.. and with about 700 shots to wade through - this blip was a little tricky to select.. but when in doubt - on a day where the local gods come to visit you at home, what other shot could there be - but the shining masks of Shiva's son in the Himachel sunshine.

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