Evening star., 1914-04-25
MEN BATTLE WOMEN
WITH MUD AND WATER
Traveller Describes Queer Conflict in
Heart of the Him
alayas.
Victory for Women Portends
Abundant Crops and In
creases in the Herds.

Cne~of the oldest annual contests IN
the world, mud and water fight, during
which the women Of far-off and little
known Bhutan. in the heart OF the Him.
alayas, seek to prevent the men from
taking possession Of an inundated rice
field, is described by John Claude White,
late political officer in charge of Sikhim.
Bhutan. and parts of Tibet within the
munication to the National Geographic
Society. The event is known as the
spring ceremony of blessing the rice
fields. Victory for the women portends.
during the coming season. fertility Of the
soil and increase among the foeks and
herds. -
Early one morning, the sound Of a
sweet-toned gong warned US that the
spring ceremony Of blessing the rice
fields was about to begin" writes Mr..
White "A long and picturesque pro-
cession OF men and women, led by the
donyer. came vending down the hillside
until the first rice field. into which water
had been running all the day before, was
reached. The field below was still dry
and turning in there they all sat down
and had some refreshments.
Men Begin Battle. -
Suddenly the men sprag up. throwing
off their outer garments. This was the
signal for the women to rush to the in
undated field and to commence throwing
clods of earth and splashes Of muddy
water on the men below as they tried
to climb up. Then followed a wild and
mad. though always good-natured, strug-
gle between the men and the women in
the water, the men doing their utmost
to take possession Of the watery field.
the women equally determined to keep
them out.
THE donyer, the leader of the men. suf-
fered severely. though the courtesies of
war were strictly observed, and If one
of the assailants fell his opponents help
ed him UP and gave him breathing space
to recover before another onslaught was
made. But gradually the women drove
the men slowly down the whole length
Of the field, until the last stand was made
by a very stout and powerful official,
who, clinging to an overhanging rock,
with his back to his foes. used his feet
to scoop up such quantities of mud and
water that no one was able to come near
him. However. all the other men having
been driven off, he and the donyer were
allowed at last to crawl up on the path,
The victory Of the women was looked
upon as very propitious ending. So they
dispersed to their various homes re-
joicing."
Activities of Household.
Mr.. White writes of being entertained
by one of the officials, as follows: I'VE
here saw what capable housewives the
Bhutan ladies are. Everything was done
very Systematically. In the morning the
provisions for the day were given out
no easy task, with some hundreds Of re-
tainers to feed-and the storerooms re-
locked, orders issued, and tasks appointed
in spinning. weaving, etc, to be carried
out by the large household Of women; and
it was interesting to see the Difference
in which these danes are held. We were
shown all the Industries Of weaving in
cotton. wool and silk, the process of cast
ing metals. chiefly bells and images, the
making Of swords and gold and silver
smiths work. Many pieces turned out
by the latter were of exquisite design and
finish: 1t was all most interesting and
instructive. We visited somewhat grue-
some spot, where the bodies Of the higher
families are exposed on q slab OF rock
after death to be eaten by lammergeiers.
1t was a beautiful. though terrible. spot,
close under the SHOWS and glaciers Of
their sacred mountain, Cho-mo-Lha-ri.
This country was so little known that
as recently as 1890 a high Indian official
wrote most undeservedly, as my explora-
tions proved: No one wishes to explore
that tangle of jungle-clad, and fever
stricken hills, infested with .leeches and
ing advantages to the most enterprising
pioneer. Science passes it by as a re-
gtons not sufficiently characteristic to
merit special exploration