Drew and I were very excited that we were able to attend the snake festival (Jagamaita) in Mamada, a town just a bike ride away. We knew, based on photos from past celebrations, that it was going to be one of the more exciting festivals to witness. People from each district in Mamada construct a "snake" out of bamboo, fern, vine and straw. The ceremony was originally performed around the time of rice planting in order to wish for rain and wind to keep bugs and disease away from the plant.
First off, the park in Mamada was beautiful. We were sad that we hadn't been spending more time here already.
Drew got a good shot of one of the snakes before its big debut.
First the snakes get carried up to the shrine for purification.
Next they are put in the pond to drink water. This was our favorite part.
Afterwards, I hear that they are taken around to "drool" in their local town. It was a fun experience!
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