Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Birds crying, people dying

Yesterday morning I heard the most bizarre bird noises. I looked outside and saw big cranes or herons, flying above, and landing on nearby trees. They weren't really making bird noises though, they were shrieking and screaming in a shrill voice I've never heard from a bird before.

I learned later in the day that the King of Mysore had unexpectedly died that day, from a massive heart attack at the age of 60. He bore no sons, said to be from a curse put upon the family. Their are no proper heirs to the throne. The city is very sad today. A lot of things are closed and it's a little quieter around the streets. His sister has a son, so he will become King, even though this is not the proper/ideal procession.

Today in chanting class, Lakshmish was talking about intuition and omens. Last year there was no rain during the monsoon season and this is a very bad sign. Not only did farmers struggle and food prices rise, but there was political unrest in Karnataka state too. This year also no rain. And then the cage thingy on top of the elephant where a Ganesha statue is carried in a parade, fell off the elephant twice this year, which apparently has never before happened. And then the King died. He also talked about how animals seem to know something bad is going to happen. Dogs not only bark, but cry with some kind of intuitive rage when something bad is about to happen, and he heard this yesterday morning from the local street dogs. I told him about the birds I heard too. He said he remembers the same thing right before Guruji died...

The city shut down in the afternoon to watch the ceremony on TV.
The king was cremated with 250kg of sandalwood and buried in the afternoon.
There was a procession/parade near the palace in Mysore city.
The usually bustling streets were deserted all afternoon, a very eery thing to behold. 

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