Pooja Birthday Celebration

Yesterday my roommate and I got to attend a birthday celebration for my landlord's father and her niece. I assumed that it was going to be a small (for South Asia) family gathering. After talking to my landlord's sister it became apparent that that was not going to be the case. As we walked toward the community center, where the festivities were being held, we were approached by a couple of cows with horn (and no they were not bulls). After observing a few of them charging towards a unsuspecting random man on the street, we decided use his misfortune to our advantage. We walked right passed them and enter into the community center.

Before leaving to the birthday party me and Paul had several discussion about whether or not our landlord was middle class or high class. Well after entering it quickly became apparent that it was the latter. It was filled with about 100 people and children being chased around by costume characters. Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse surrounded the building and I considered it rather strange that a 60 year old man had this at his birthday, but it was probably for the kids. Anyway as they began we soon found out we where the only foreigners there.

Since our landlords our Hindu, the ceremony began with a "pooja", which is giving a gift or offering to a deity or important person and receiving their blessing. We both were trying our best not to offend them so we sat back a watched most of them perform this ritual. It as was quite the sight. He feeling of people seeking and practicing rituals really got to me. I decide to films the events. Paul decided to fall asleep. After the endless presentations and pictures they presented the family. After the costume characters kicked the party of with a confetti gun. Paul was still sleeping. As you can guess, he jump right back up. Then the characters started spraying silly foam or something similar in the are and the children began to chase after them. Paul decided he didn't get enough sleep so he decide to take another nap. Unfortunately for him he was not able to do that because I constantly bothered him about what was next.

What was next was food and we proceeded to wait for our shift to eat. After waiting for about 15 minutes we finally sat down and ate a tradition meal, on banana leafs. I got instructed how to do this by a few people next to me a proceeded to eat in courses. I really enjoyed my meal except for the chest hair in my chapati. I still couldn't figure out who it was. There were so many cooks without shirts. I'm pretty sure I accidentally offended a server due to miscommunication but I one of the hazards of living cross culturally.

We finished our meal with ice cream and a gift bag and were on our way home. We just wanted to wish the family a happy birthday. We ended up taking pictures with them. It was unexpected but says a lot. I know that me and Paul were not brought there for just a free meal but that Father wanted to do something in the families life. Please remember them and the people who were there. There's so much darkness in this word and hopefully we can be lights to the family. That Father reveals to them his love and that this family and these people see that he is "The Truth".