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The Car Festival
 
THE CAR FESTIVAL Submit a Tale here | More Tales
It was chaotic as I imagined it was going to be. Just picture 2 million people swarming around this main avenue from 7 am to 7 pm in 110 degree heat (43 c) with two thousand of them pulling three wooden structures (cars) by rope. These structures are five stories tall with 18 wheels each and inside there are, supposedly, the three "gods".

They have to pull these things from one temple to another (which are about 3 km away from each other). You would really have to see it to believe it!! Supposedly seven days later they repeat this procession to bring the "gods" BACK to the original temple.

It was highly recommended that foreigners find a roof top to watch from. Otherwise you might get crushed by the crowds. It is estimated that 15-20 people a year DIE during this procession, either from being crushed/run over/the heat. But they also say that your soul goes to a higher place if you die in this procession!!

Because my friends and I were very satisfied with the level our souls were at, we voted for the roof top. From here we witnessed the whole thing from beginning to end and saw a couple of people being carried away by stretchers through the masses.

One scary (but slightly amusing) part was when we saw a "holy cow" (normally very docile and complacent) getting stuck in the masses. She got very confused so she started bulldozing her way through the crowd with her horns down!! People were jumping out of the way left and right to avoid getting butted, creating this pathway for the cow to zig zag through. Eventually she was steered towards the side of the road.

But the really scary part of the event happened later that evening as a couple of us were making our way away from the main hysteria (so we thought!) back through the streets towards our hotel. We walked by these two Indian guys who were beating the shit out of another guy. One was holding him while other was kicking and punching him. The strange thing is that there was a whole crowd of men standing passively around just observing this.

Cees and I immediately reacted by running up and screaming for them to stop. They did for a second to scream at the victim, then started at it again. We tried to stop them again but then the whole crowd, that had been passively watching, all of a sudden TURNED ON US, started threatening us with their fists and getting up to our faces (with murder in their eyes) and screaming: "Go, Go, Go!!!"

So, we then turned and ran with a whole group of them chasing after us for a while until we saw a policeman. Out of breath, I gestured with my hands that a man was being beaten up the road. The shit head police man just ignored me and said:"No speak English!" He then turned and walked away!! Eventually another police man took some interest and went to see what I was talking about. I just hope he made it before they killed the guy!

The South Africans that we were with (and didn't get involved) said they are used to seeing /ignoring this kind of violence on the streets with the people taking the law into their own hands. I guess I have just spent too much time in Holland.

Other than that...

... I tried swimming in the ocean only to get attacked by stinging jellyfish so THAT has been off limits to me for the time being!

Soon we're going to Calcutta before flying to Thailand where I will have try and find work in order to support my trip back to the States AND celebrate my 32nd birthday!! (Aren't we getting older all the time?) Cheers for now!!

Rebecca