Thursday, 4 August 2011

The tricked piercing



The tricked piercing

the next morning I was woken earily in the morning as the ceremony had many things to do.  My mother asked me to do the toilet routine and get ready.  When I came back with the towel around my waist I could see that there was a kollam in middle of the  backyard with a wooden plank in it.  My grandmother also joined us and made me sit in the plank.  Then she applied turmeric paste all over my body.  Meanwhile my grandmother has started to heat the water with neem leaves in it. It smell was pleasant. I could feel the wind blowing through my entire body.  Then I was bathed in warm water and was taken to the pooja room.  There I was told to read a entire book of holy mantras.  When I opened my eyes my uncle presented me with a gift.  I was anxious to open it but was stopped by my mother.  All this while I was wearing a pavadai around my chest like a lady.  While I was in the pooja room both my grandmother and mom were ready in red saree.

When I went to the room with my mother I opened the gift to find the red saree and matching blouse in it. Then I finally understood that all the shopping on the way to temple was for me.  I was scared thinking about the piercing pain. My mom sensed it and took the saree from me and started wrapping it around me.  My grandmother started to get the jewels and wig ready.  When I wore the saree , wig and flower. I got some jasmine in my hair and big jimmikis in my ears.  They almost touched my shoulder and sensation was unique.

I was shy to come out in the saree but my mom gave me confidence that no one will guess that I am a boy.  I felt even more shy.  Then I took my time and came out to see that the car was waiting for us.  Then we went to the temple and did all the ceremony.
We were accompanied by our eldest lady.  Then the jewel and saree were given to be kept under goddess feet to do the pooja.  When the pooja was over we came to backside of the temple with the pound.  The barber was ready there to shave my fathers head.  It was really funny to see him and we took some pictures of it. To my utter shock he also cuted my mother hair at the tip.  I felt sorry for her but she said that I was for my good.  Then there was a trouble the goldsmith arranged for me met with a accident and could come.  The eldest said that it was the auspicious day and time was running.  She told me that she would pierce me herself.  Now I was scared.  Because mother told me that the goldsmith had a gun which would do piercing painless like a pinch.  But now I had no chance but to accept it.


As the temple was well know for piercing ceremony the temple priest suggested that the eldest to use the equipment from the nearby room used by the goldsmith.  The eldest left with the priest to make things ready.  My uncle being caring had brought a lotion that would numb my nose to ease the piercing pain.  He holded for  moment and kept in on my left nostril.  After 15 mins I was called to the eldest.  My uncle did not come as he did not wish to see my crying.  When we enter the place I could see the same kollam as in backyard.  She asked me to sit in the plank. I could see the a pot of hot coal and a silver needle in it.  Now I was dead scared.   My mother gave her the two jewel boxes.  I could see two stud in it.  I thought it was earring for me.  But what really scared was when she asked the priest to hold my hand at the back.  I started to get up to run away but was held down by my mother and grandmother.  By now the priest had locked my hands to the behind and my mother had cupped my ear preventing my head from shaking.  First the eldest took a needle dipped in turmeric paste and marked my ears.  I tried to relax but not for long she kept the needle in the right nostril.  I thought I was in trouble.  The my mom corrected it is the left side or so did it think.

She pierced my left ear and left the needle it and proceeded to pierce my right ears.  Then she slowly undid the stud and replaced the needle with stud in shape of mango. Already my face was red like tomato and I could feel the heat in my head. So far I have not cried only tears were visible in my contained eyes.  When she reached for the hot needle in the coal tears started falling and I wanted to run for my life.  I refused to show her my nose my looking down at the kollam.  When she teasingly twisted my ears and my grandmother lifted my face.  I could feel the hot needle on the top of my nostril. She just flipped my nose and pierced it painfully and I started to scream.  Then she again slowly took the stud and undid it and placed it no the needle and pulled the needle.  This was more painful than the piercing.  The started to scream for help and try to see my mothers face but the tears had blocked my view.  Then she removed the needle and placed in the coal.  Then she took the screw and locked the stud in place.  My mom bowed down and kissed my nose.  Then the eldest turned the stud to relieve me from pain.  Though the pain in intense I wanted to get up and ran for the car.  Since I was busy with the pain I forgot that I was still locked in the priest arm.  Then I could feel someones hand in my right nose.  Then the needle came with painful piercing with the same procedure.  The whole temple was echoed by my scream and I managed to gather some common women of the locality.  They started to gossip among themselves which I was not aware of.  When the second stud was locked the priest blessed me and released my hands.  My reflex wanted to touch my nose but was stopped my the eldest.  God I wanted to kill her then.  Then she started to rotate my right nose.  I relieved some pain.  When I got up I  could see my mother crying herself by this incident.  I hugged her and heard the local women laugh.  Even my mother has only left nose pierced.  I was mad at her to trick me in double nose piercing. So I switched side to my grandmother.  When she laughingly commented that I was her and eldest plan to have my nose pierced on both side and my mother knew about this just in the morning. 

we returned to the temple to join my uncle I could not find my father to see him shooting all my piercing act in his handy cam. I just covered my face blocking the view and touched my nose and ouch!  My uncle who was first shocked to see my right nose stud came near me and kissed it saying I was beautiful with both nose stud and he had surprise for me.  Then we went to worship the goddess. When we got to the car to return the eldest also accompanied us. As I was angry with her I asked whether she would be joining us in the farm house.  My dad got angry over me and was about to begin to scold me when the eldest interrupted and asked to remain calm.  I sat in the middle of my mom and eldest in the car.  So the car started I had fallen asleep and eldest started took me in her shoulder and started applying some oil on my studs.  When I woke up it was late in the night.  I found my mom and the grandmother in the room.  I asked my mother how will I return to my normal life with all these piercing. I was shocked when she commented “u dont have to” . Then she explained that I would have a private tutor for a year so I can dress in saree for a while.



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