Happy New Year 2066!

Yup, it's New Years here in Nepal. We are celebrating the start of the year 2066. I had no idea we were this far of in the West. Here i am constantly fearing what will be beyond the year 2009 and now I am finding myself already far ahead and totally fine. Hahah. So yesterday and today there have been many celebrations going on and of course the special sales - "Hey Misses, by today for cheap - it's new years - if you buy it will be good luck for me and you." And I did buy.....
Today I left the hotel not knowing what to do with my day. The taxi driver I already know from all my errand runs suggested to drive to another town. He showed me pictures in the newspaper from a festival going on, New Years related Hindu festival, which naturally only happens ones a year. I said okay. So we went in the car and onto the road. The drive was about half an hour to a little town, I don't remember the name. we passed hundreds of people on foot onto the way to the festival, which ended up to probably some thousands squeezing into the tight little streets in the old stone midtown center. we parked and I left alone walking into the center to see whats going on. I counted in total amongst the visitors we were three white western tourists. this is a first for me to be this much the odd one out, but my time here has made me adjust and i learned that a smile can bridge miles of waters and candy for the kids is my own personal insider tip. accordingly the reaction of the Nepali people was curious and attention orientated, but as always in my experience, friendly. the crowed increased by the minute and the heat increased by midday. standing, leaning against a house wall with a bottle coca cola in my hand the driver appeared. obviously worried about me he decided to join the festival and to keep me company. there was nothing to worry about but in the end it did help to have a strong local man push against the crowed at times when it got to tight. several small carriage shrines were parked on the street for exhibition reasons and to pay tribute to. the second part of the festival was dedicated to a public viewing of a tongue piercing of a young man. how they choose the man or why they do this I couldn't figure out and no one could answer me either. this is what we do every year, they said. i gathered it was some sort of sacrifice or initiation process. the young man was surrounded by a group of about 20 of his kind, all dancing in a circle with instruments, obviously increasingly intoxicated. we were told that as part of the ritual the young man had not slept in 4 days and not eaten. the group of young man circled the city for about 2 hours before the process began. in this time i had the chance to be really close up to the locals. the woman touched me friendly as we leaned up against the wall together tightly, the children smiled and gave me curious looks and everyone was so exhibited about the festival activities. a large group of people danced to loud drums, trance like. as part of the tradition colored powder is thrown into the crowd. i got quiet a lot of it. there is no hiding. the orange and red powder ended up in my hair, on my dress and face. i didn't mind at all and couldn't stop laughing. all part of it. finally, the chosen man was put on a stage where the older town man already prepared the ritual with boiling water, burning butter candles and heating the needle/knife. then he was hived up on stage and put on a chair. i held my breath. in front of thousands of people the long metal, which looked like a double thick kebab metal stick was pushed threw his tongue. everyone was pushing up closer to get a good look. and so i did. seriously - this was no ordinary piercing. the knives/metal pierce was much thicker than anything i have ever seen used on humans. the man bravely did not move. but here comes the topping. after he was lifted back onto the street and then had to carry a large fire ring on his shoulders, plus long metal stick in his tongue and walk around town for another hour in circles through all the streets for the people to see. at this point i felt for him - strongly. strange to me, but very much a normal tradition to the locals. i left once again with new insights and a new experience. perhaps one day someone can tell me what the meaning behind the ritual really is.