India and Ethiopia

India and Ethiopia are extremely different, yet shockingly similar. This is the first Trip Through the World.  Through this vacation, you will learn about Daily Life, Religion and Celebrations in India and Ethiopia.  Have fun!

  When the woman of India get married, their hands and feet are decorated with a plain or simple design in a die called henna.  Also when they get married, the lady receives a dot inbetween her eyes to show what caste she is in.  After marriage, the bride’s family pays a gift to the groom’s family.  Even though this act is considered illegal in India, all still contribute.  During the twenty four hours of the  day, the children of India either put on their uniform and head to school or get ready for a long day of work at home. But on the other hand…   

A great majority of Ethiopians are urban.  The families are literally judged by the number of cattle they own, which is their caste.  The woman’s jobs include carrying water to their families, weaving baskets, making cooking utensils, clothing and toys.  At mealtime, the woman makes Injera, delectable bread that tastes somewhat like sourdough.  It is part of nearly every meal.  To eat this palatable bread, the Ethiopians serve it with a spicy soup called Wat.  At Ethiopian markets, you can discover many native fresh fruits.  Unfortunately, Ethiopians raise a drug called Khat, even though the government deems trading of this drug illegal.  One of Ethiopia’s building materials is Amole, salt bricks.  Long ago, the Ethiopian landscape was dotted with salt lakes.  Another building material is stone.  India, otherwise…

Most of the Indian festivals are Hindu, for the majority of the people are Hindu.  Here are a few festivals.  Diwali is the best festival by far in India.  It falls in fall, over a time period of 5 days.  In Diwali, every Hindu lights paper lanterns welcoming Rama, said to come in the nightfall.  The food eaten at this festival is vegetarian, for Hindus do not believe in sacrificing another life for themselves.  They also eat sweets, like coconut pancakes and samosas filled with coconut.  Durga Puja is biggest in the state of Bengal.   It is also celebrated in fall and worships the Durga, wife of Shiva.  In some spots in Bengal, schools close for 9 days.  During the ten days of this festival, clay statues of Durga are paraded through the streets and priests perform their dramas of how Durga defeated the demon.   Feasting is also a part of this festival, and many eat fish, chicken and flavorful meat.  On the last day, sweets are given to friends and relatives.  Pongal is a festival donated to the cow and cattle.  Celebrated over a period of four days, Pongal is widely based in Tamil Nadu.  On the third day, cows and cattle are bathed and receive a miniature bell.  Some paint designs on their animals.  Women make rice mats, creating patterns of rice and filling the spaces with colorful flower.  Ethiopia has its own festivals…

Ganna [Christmas] in Ethiopia is jolly and cozy.  After 43 days of fasting, Christians feast on traditional food and delectable meats.  These include chicken, lamb and beef.  They also carry out modern habits, like caroling.  Maskal is a Christian festival.  This is a time to give winter a last goodbye.  It is celebrated with bonfires and plays.  Men dress up to prepare for a small parade in Maskal.  Other festivities are dancing and singing to drums.  Enkutatash is the Ethiopian New Year.  It is celebrated in September and is held in tradition for the Queen of Sheba.  It marks the day when Sheba returned from Solomon’s palace and received valuable stones.     Enkutatash means “Gift of Jewels.”  Timkat is the most important festival in Ethiopia.    It celebrates when Jesus was baptized.  During this festival, Christians hold parades, carrying golden elaborate crosses through the streets.  India is a whole different matter…

Hindu is the major religion in India.  Hindus do not eat beef, leaving many a cow to roam the roads.  Hindus, like Buddhists, believe in reincarnation.  Therefore, to leave the cycle of reincarnation and join their god again, Hindus have to complete the pilgrimage to the “Holy Mother Ganges” once in their lifespan.  Millions are trampled each year in the frustration to get to the holy waters.  If a person died before they were able to visit this sacred river, they would be cremated and their ashes sprinkled into the water.  Keep in mind that millions of humans bathe in this water, believed to save them from reincarnation.  80% of Indians are Hindu, 12% are Muslim, 2.5% follow native traditions and less than 1% follow Buddhism.  The Taj Mahal is Islamic architecture.  Have you ever seen a picture of this magnificent structure?  It is symmetrical.  Symmetrical means that if you drew a line down its center, you would end up with two equal halves.  All Islamic architecture is symmetrical.  If you looked at this building, you would never guess this astounding fact I am about to share with you.  The Taj Mahal, this beautiful palace, is a tomb!  It was built by an emperor, Shah Jahan to be exact, for his favorite wife [Meaning that he had multiple wives, required in Muslim laws].  It was constructed out of marble and 20,000 workers were needed to construct it.   

Ethiopia has four main religions.  They are Christianity, Animism, Judaism and Muslim.  F.Y.I, animism is a belief that animals are gods.  Many Australian aborigines believe this.  Another word for Muslim is Islam, which I used in the paragraph above.  Muslims do not eat pork, making me feel sorry for them because bacon is delectable.  Muslim’s temples have high, vaulted ceilings.  In the innermost part of the temples are worship rooms where you can make offerings to the gods.  Muslims can only pray five times a day, no more, no less.  They have to pray facing Mecca and on a prayer mat.  While worshipping, they wear head wraps.  They worship Allah and his prophet, Muhammad. 

This closes our trip through Indian and Ethiopian culture.  I hope you find this trip useful for your studies.  Join me on another trip, or visit my blog, Owls with Towels.

A Trip Through the World essay