Picturesque Nepal . bands playing theNepalese National Anthem. A perfunctoryinspection follows, and then a feu-de-joie,very creditably performed, ripples up anddown the ranks. The bands situated in variouspositions again break into music, being followedby volleys, more music, and then fifteen roundsof independent, in which the artillery air is impregnated with much noise,smoke, and music, and a wholesome martialardour thrills all concerned. While this is taking place, in the city,which forms an appropriate background tothe review, a unique pageant is being per-formed. Through the win
Picturesque Nepal . bands playing theNepalese National Anthem. A perfunctoryinspection follows, and then a feu-de-joie,very creditably performed, ripples up anddown the ranks. The bands situated in variouspositions again break into music, being followedby volleys, more music, and then fifteen roundsof independent, in which the artillery air is impregnated with much noise,smoke, and music, and a wholesome martialardour thrills all concerned. While this is taking place, in the city,which forms an appropriate background tothe review, a unique pageant is being per-formed. Through the winding streets ofwooden houses a procession wends its wayto do honour to the goddess Kali, and it isonly natural that, while the men are engagedoutside the city wall in military exercises, thisportion of the festival should be the concern ofthe women of Nepal. And a most interestingsight is presented to the crowds of onlookerswho line the streets and houses of the capitalto view this little known feature of the Durga. THE BACK OF THE DURKAR AT KATMANDU. THE WOMEN^S PROCESSION 113 Puja. The personnel of the procession isprimarily a royal one, and consists of femalerepresentatives of all the different housesconnected with the reigning family of thecountry. It is not the custom for the royalladies themselves to attend this ceremonial,although no doubt that was the originalintention of this function, but their placesare taken by subordinate deputies, who,arrayed in all the gorgeousness of the nationalcostume, personate outwardly their mistressesof the blood-royal. The crowd is gatheredthickly in the tortuous streets, and awaitswith keen expectation the advent of theperformers. A sudden movement among thegroups in the balconies, which speedily com-municates itself to the mingled throng below,and the van of the procession surges intoview. In front is borne a palanquin swathedin scarlet, and supposed to contain an imageof the goddess. This is followed by theleading royal representative,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidpicturesquen, bookyear1912
