the worst joke of the century, step to relate this particular event. We leave Sunday morning, a delegation of three women and one man, henceforth known as the stoic, because the railroad strike, we had to put up 400 km closed in a car and progestogens saturated with emotion talk! If there is proof of this friendship ...
After hours and hours of merciless spetteguless, rain, asphalt, stopping plin plin, gray Po valley and blocked highways full of Milanese neurasthenic, we arrive at the hotel. We park through a hole that makes us understand the meaning the word "optimism" and deposited their meager luggage in two rooms that embody the style "scalcagned recicling" (but then we Marches, our motto is "if they're clean), so we sling to the place of the meeting.
In arena, where many people are already waiting patiently in line to receive a pass to attend the ceremonies, the couple immediately intercept, to work as volunteers for the nonprofit organization that organizes the event. Before we explain in detail how to play things, examine whether we really understood (we have), check whether we are dressed properly (we are), encourage us to enjoy the evening and dentro di loro sperano che non gli faremo fare brutte figure: saranno dei genitori meravigliosi!
Prima di metterci in fila per il pass (tanto dobbiamo prendere i numeri finali perchè i matrimoni si fanno per ultimi), ci portano a mangiare alla mensa interna insieme agli altri invitati, dove pizza e pasta al forno si accompagnano al riso al curry e insalata di tofu in un tripudio di sapori e colori rigidamente vegetariani. Alcuni degli ospiti sono titubanti (tra paura dell'H1N1 e diffidenza dei sapori insoliti): io mi sacrifico e lascio a loro il monopolio della pasta al forno per lanciarmi nell'eroica impresa di spazzolare tutto quello che abbia un vago aspetto o sentore esotico. L'assenza di reazione della mia colite mi convince di aver fatto the right choice.
bodies refreshed, it's time to think of the spirit, we receive the pass and enter the room where he, very kindly, we are asked to take off our shoes and sit in silence. Everyone was prepared for the arrival of "holy ", the Hindu spiritual leader considered by some teacher of life and meditation, a missionary in the service of others abandoned (whether they are afflicted by poverty, economic or spiritual), but for more faithful she is the embodiment of pure and perfect deity (this, however, in every living being, according to their beliefs). From what I read before leaving, are already very well prepared to meet this persona: una che parla di tolleranza ed uguaglianza, che invita le persone a farsi tramite dell'amore e della compassione iniziando lei per prima con un caldo abbraccio, che apre ospedali, difende le donne e si fa portavoce di istanze ecologiche non può che starmi simpatica, indipendentemente dal mio cinismo religioso.
Il cerimoniale inizia con i riti di purificazione, a cui segue una breve meditazione e poi il discorso della santa, tutto incentrato sull'amore per gli altri e la consapevolezza di sè, che mi fa pensare come tutte le guide spirituali parlino la stessa lingua, indipendentemente dal contesto storico/culturale in cui si trovano a vivere, ma mi fa anche sorridere per le sue parabole prese dal mondo moderno (senza ricerca mistica siamo come computer senza password, cellulari senza campo). Durante la meditazione, mentre tutti intorno a me cantano OM ad occhi chiusi, io tengo i miei ben aperti e guardo: vedo gente che piange ed altri con un sorriso incredibilmente sereno, signori attempati in tenuta da nonni compiere gli stessi gesti rituali del rasta trasandato, del giovane asceta in tunica bianca e della coppia fighetta, oltre a quattro goffi corinaldesi vagamente spaesati.
Dopo il discorso, inizia la parte centrale dell'evento: l'abbraccio. Quelli che hanno ricevuto il pass si mettono in fila e, tra canti, mantra e meditazioni, vengono tutti abbracciati dalla holy person, practically invisible on stage, surrounded by aides and loyal. From ten in the evening until seven in the morning, an uninterrupted river of people lined up for a hug. While the numbers run, we will take the opportunity to review the procedure room with the couple and, around midnight, sneak to the hotel for a few hours sleep. Holy no, it makes all the sleepless night, but we do not feel guilty: after all she is the incarnation of God, we just four unbelievers who do not make it longer keep my eyes open. Time to rest the weary little head on the pillow, soft and white as a cloud, and it's already dawn! The metro is still closed (but quan'è soon?) arrive breathless at the palace, where we find that our numbers have already been exceeded, but no one is telling (everything here is love and tolerance) and there we queued to take the embrace of the Divine Mother.
When I reach the stage, are prepared by the assistants that make me kneel, I take off my glasses, I purify touching the face and neck with a white handkerchief ... I fear the same as for the person before me and that before that and who knows how many others, and a vague little voice whispers in my mind like a mantra "H1N1", but the feeling is still very soothing (and then me to go trance just me touching your hair and do not understand anything). Arriving in front of the holy I look up to my mischievous smile from "not here to be authentic but sincerely appreciate what you do" and finally I see an Indian lady in his sixties, with graying hair but without a wrinkle, despite the high natural fiber hat silver, plump, with a wonderful smile and a look so sweet. A nanosecond is another hard-working assistant puts me in the right arm around the saint's life (er, no wait, all st'intimità, I do not ... maybe it's not the AC-) and I literally sank his face in necklaces flowers that adorn the holy, who hugs me tight! Not a hint, a formality, no, this woman hugs you really tight around the neck and breast! And murmurs of the sentences (I really can not, ah if only I was a bit 'more careful when there was a course of Sanskrit philology as the committee!) With a beautiful vibrant voice that seems to rock you for a few moment, then I leave by hand in a candy ... Lemon! Really beginning to think that she'll read inside ...
get off the stage with an incredulous smile ... I do not know what they have tried others, I do not know what we've done moved my friends. I had the feeling of having embraced my mother and my grandmother put together very spiritual, very tender. The row comes to an end: our friends come along with five other couples, beautiful in their colorful saris, and agitated as all married couples of any denomination. When their turn comes, we return to the stage and the saint blesses them while they perform a short ritual, symbolic and intense ( you can see one here). The event ends with the bride and groom greeted by the entire assembly then paraded to the stage while the holy sprinkled with flower petals. One thing that continues to impress me (in addition to loving forces of the increasingly diligent assistants) is the scent: 10/15 thousand people (scalze!), many of whom have spent all night there, and anyway there is always a good smell . Even in the most pressing interest, as the final stage.
Holy took leave flowers and songs, la gente inizia a defluire (sono le 9 di lunedì mattina, molti si sbrigano per andare al lavoro) e sotto il palco restano solo i sempre più alacri assistenti (se li avesse visti Brunetta sarebbe schiattato di invidia) e un gruppo eterogeneo di fricchettoni che continuano imperterriti a cantare e ballare in estasi... una specie di woodstock in salsa al curry, insomma. Noi recuperiamo le scarpe e ci rechiamo in mensa dove gli sposi hanno preparato un piccolo buffet, sempre vegetariano, semplice ma buono. Forte della positiva esperienza della sera prima, mi accingo ad addentare un tramezzino quando mi accorgo di uno strano fenomeno: lentamente si avvicina l'incarnazione del fricchettone per antonomasia (a piedi nudi, con dreadlocks, beard, a few tattoos, necklaces loose, torn jeans, faded shirt lisa with Indian symbols, etc. etc.), middle-aged, probably Anglo-Saxon, with a huge smile and clasped hands in a gesture of good wishes. He looks at us all with a benevolent gaze (in a bit empty in truth), and always with clasped hands raised a long, lean leg crossing over the bench and approaches the table, separating the hands just enough to grab a couple of sandwiches and a mug of tea, and always smiling blissfully goes to a table away to eat in quiet solitude, love and brotherhood ooze from every pore, and then repeat the same operation to another nuptial party, and so on ...
And after him, he began a trickle to sneak that leave us between the nervous and exhilarated. Some will infiltrate and then also call friends, but the maximum it reaches an Italian woman who first eats anything it can, then start with calm determination to prepare portions of the fine to be wrapped in napkins to take home for dinner, making the 'inventory, "oh how nice, I take even this small piece of cheese so I do not miss anything" ... At this point I burst with laughter but I try to contain myself because my friends have the look of the murderess champion who defends the territory from invaders. The Stoic Meanwhile, thanks to the training the day before, will test the skills of dialectical infiltrated by pointing out that their is a marriage and were not invited, and noting the answers best. But in the end because they complain, if spouses and freeloaders are united by the awareness that everything is love and sharing? Take another piece of pie, the brother with dreadlocks, but then let me eat, ok?
Eventually, all good or bad they are filled, and we can enjoy a little 'company of the newlyweds before returning home. We are happy, excited and tired (especially the stoic, the thought of what awaits him in the long return trip), but we are already planning to return to the next opportunity to better understand the spirituality and Indian culture, let us embrace a little '(as the affection is never enough), and maybe sneak a few refreshing radiant!
