Unusual holidays ... Are there many events you can recall at the mention of the phrase? Let's count together. Smiley Day, World Day blondes, April 1, all kinds of carnivals, so like Maslenitsa celebration, a day of "thank you". Perhaps someone will be able to complete the list with a few more dates, but in actual fact there are many more. And each of these holidays if they can not because of its exoticism be one of your own favorite, it really cheer up or, in extreme cases, provide an opportunity to once again be surprised by the diversity of the traditions of their force. And wonder, believe me, there is something!
Let psychology and political science to understand what it is we are different from each other. Let's see how we look. This can help to see the holidays as they blur the social and political boundaries and make us smile at each other. A smile and good mood can be rightfully called the most universal language of communication. This is despite the fact that some holidays are so unique that they choose analog in other cultures is impossible. But as they say, great holiday - good and different! It is about them, and we want to tell in this article.
Holi - festival of colors of the rainbow
Speaking of unusual holidays, the best start with the brightest of them. Each year, the already staggering India its color becomes a place of this riot of colors and fun. At the end of February or early March (the beginning of the holiday depends on the day of the full moon, calculated according to a special calendar) Indians take to the streets and pelted each other with colored powder and colored water poured. They do this not out of a desire to fool around, the festival is under a religious basis. However, during its existence of legends explaining the reason for this rampant, it became too much, so that we can understand them.
One legend says that the god Krishna, on whose undying love for Radha many legends, came to his mother why his skin is so different from the color lover. And he lamented the fact that this distinction does not allow them to turn into the most perfect pair of lovers. What wise Yasoda told him to sprinkle the face of the beloved powder of herbs and see how to change the color of her face.
Since then, the girls and boys in love with each other sprinkle colored powder. But just sprinkling colored powder is not an end. The whole world knows "speaking" Indian dances. So, there is a ritual dance, in which young people bring each other an apology and recognized his sympathy. Now imagine this dance apology and acknowledgment of the scale of the whole city! And the whole country ?! Is not it a stunning sight!
Dinner for monkeys
The most unusual celebrations devoted to the world is not people. For example, in Thailand and India - the culture of these countries is replete with exotic motives and ways of celebrating - organize a real feast for the monkeys. And approaches to this holiday, I must say with all seriousness. After honoring these funny animals for a reason. This holiday, like many others, has a long history and the legend of his own vindication.
God Rama with his assistant and friend Hanuman, the monkey god for a long time and tried in vain to win legions of evil on earth. Until then, until summoned Hanuman his armies. Victory over evil was complete and unconditional. Hanuman moved the earth, which is now the town of Lopburi. A monkey has since awarded annually own banquet.
At the end of November, a huge seven-meter table for marmosets nice, all the rules of design of the table, spread 2 tons of fruit, rice and sugary drinks. And the funny thing is that the drinks are poured into glasses. Monkeys are very responsible attitude to its status as heroes of the occasion, and almost human stiffly start to the meal. As long as it does not reach to the drinks. Whether they have time to ferment, whether well fed monkey forget "manners", but in the final holiday begins full revelry and fun with the smashing of crockery and the nearest unwanted faces. Very un-human, is not it?
Funeral March sardines ...
And this unusual holiday comes from hot Spain. As it turned out, the Spaniards are generally very cheerful people. In the new year they split the ears of a dead donkey, and Shrove Tuesday bury the sardine. And not just bury and a funeral march, widows and "weeping". This festival captures the great Francisco Goya in one of his paintings. However, the sardine on the canvas of a great artist, as they say, and does not smell, but reckless spree transferred lively and colorful. Why bury a fish with such honors, you ask? Everything is very simple.
At the beginning of the eighteenth century, during the reign of King Carlos in Spain 3, fish for the royal kitchen carts drove slowly. And there were times when the fish do not withstand the hardships of the long journey and the port. Once a "wise and generous" King learned of another "failed" delivery, decided to treat the fish of the second freshness residents of Madrid. It happened just as the days of the carnival. Apparently, surrounded by 3 Carlos was educated nobleman who, in order not to cause people's anger, added to the "fragrant" the treat of Spanish wine. He rolled into the streets in the barrels. But the Spaniards, despite all the myths about the irrepressible temperament or just not wanting to sin on the eve of Lent, did not contrive a revolution, and, appropriately dressed for the funeral, the poor martyr buried Sardinia.
Today is a holiday almost no stiffness in Spain of the 18th century. It is more like a carnival with traditional gaiety and fiery dances. However, the representation of a "coffin" sardines satisfied in our days. Mourning procession escorted mourners dressed mustached men, of whom then choose the most "inconsolable". Assign it an honorable widow and queen of the festival. Dummy sardines at the end of the holiday is burned, and the ashes buried in the ground. All according to the traditions.
But some Japanese - naked!
Anyone who thought that the unusual world holiday - the lot of temperamental Southerners do not know about the bottom of a naked man. This holiday will be enjoyed by lovers of male strippers. And the most amazing thing is that this festival takes place in Japan. The country reserved for men and women obey. But we are talking about an unusual holiday, but because - Down with stereotypes!
This festival takes place in the very cold day in February, and all would be good, but the men in this day have to run almost naked through the streets, take a cold shower and make a circle in a loincloth around the temple. One consolation: forward-Japanese fluster her naked heroes hot sake and not allowed to stand idle. After all bathing in ice water arranged these fights. "Hot Japanese boys" converge on a makeshift mat and compete to see who wins. Yet the proximity to Mother Russia for the Japanese was not in vain!
At midnight, all those who decided to take part in the Hadaka Matsuri, namely the so-called this feast, gather at the door of the temple to get an amulet that priests throw into the crowd. After this festival enters its apogee. A crowd of men in loincloths out into the street, shouting and singing in the crowd among the scantily clad men one completely naked, and that you need to touch him "good luck". Of course, if you're lucky enough to find him in a crowd of thousands, you can already consider yourself a rare lucky one.
Playing in the snow in Spanish
The most generous in the crazy celebrations turned out to Spain. Then you and bury the sardine. And burning in Valencia huge puppets made of papier-mache Fallas on holiday. But this is temperamental and cheerful Spanish was not enough. They brought in their custom of throwing each other ripe tomatoes. Very similar to Russian fun - the game snowballs. Apparently, because of the lack of snow the Spaniards had to do with improvised means. The fun begins in the town of Buñol in the last week of August, after the harvest. And the very celebration includes songs, dances, fairs and fireworks. It seems to be nothing unusual, if not for the Tomatina, watch and participate in the people who come, not only in Spain but also in other countries.
It all began with the usual fights, which took place in the 40s of the last century, right at the festival in honor of the patron saint of the city of St. Louis Bertrand and Our Lady protector. Townspeople so dispersed in the heat of a fight that grabbed with fairground stalls and throwing ripe tomatoes at each other. Police dispersed the fighters. But whether they do not forgive each other, or simply they liked to throw tomatoes, but exactly one year on the same area of "bullies" gathered again. A ripe tomatoes brought.
Tomatina than once banned, but the tradition has been so enduring that the city authorities put up with it and now every year in the Plaza del Pueblo brought tons of tomato "snowballs." In the Buñol about 9 thousand of the local population, but the fighters is ten times more. They flock here from all over the country just before the holiday to try your luck and climb to the middle of the square pillar soaped for ham "jamon". Once one of the lucky ones received ham, all of the fighters doused water cannon and tomato carnage begins.
There is no right or wrong, his own and others - every man for himself, and most importantly in the tomato did not win the war and to spend a few hours a child. All of us at one time as a child said that throwing food indecent. So, the festival is sure Tomatino. Importantly, do not forget to wear safety goggles and crush the tomato, not to instruct the "enemy" of bruises.
The march of zombies in Texas, dirt holiday in Japan, orange carnage in Italy, "Yoghurt Festival" in Tibet, a beauty contest for elephants in Laos - unusual holidays wave rolled across the world. Each of them has its own history, many unique and unique. But rather, it is another proof of the fact that no matter how different we may be, whatever the different nations from each other, have all one common desire - a genuine sense of joy and celebration in the shower.
