Fire!We were all in my aunt's kitchen at the back of her huge rambling Victorian house. I was only small and had wandered off to go to the loo, but given up after finding the hall full of smoke. "That was quick," my mum said after a few minutes. "Yes - it's all smoky," I replied.
I've never seen adults move so fast.
So, like my cousin who'd managed to set fire to the roof, tell us your fire stories.
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chthonic, Thu 3 Nov 2005, 9:11)
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Flaming TurbansA few years back we travelled to India for a friends wedding. We went from Mumbai/Bombay to Aurangabad and from there to Pune/Poona, where the wedding was to be held.
Lots of Brits (of all colours and creeds) were in attendance for this fantastic Hindu wedding. As part of the celebration all the non-locals were kitted out with Kurtas (formal Indian men clothes) and Saris (format Indian women clothes). Really helped us feel part of the celebration, even if we didn't really fit in so much.
Before the main part of the three day celebration really kicked off, the men queued up to have Turbans fitted. Six feet of red patterned material wrapped around your head VERY tightly by three guys trained to do it very fast. The turbans were ceremonial and had a large 'tuft' of material fanned out at the top.
After the men followed the groom as he rode on a horse to the wedding place (symbomic of him coming from another village, apparently) we hoisted the bride on a palanquin to parade her around the wedding party. Four guys were given torches and stood at the corners as we carried her around.
I almost dropped my side of the palanquin as I saw one chap set fire to his turban because he wasn't holding his torch up high enough. Fortunately a friend of his said 'YOUR TURBAN IS ON FIRE!' and he dropped the torch and just lifted the entire thing off his head and threw it to the ground. He stamped it out, picked up his torch, and carried on.
We go the bride to where she was supposed to be with no more inflammatory incidents...
(, Thu 3 Nov 2005, 17:16, Reply)
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