SINGAPORE ON THE LINE
The phone rang, a job offer in Singapore this time, the Adventurer in me couldn't resist.
One of the original agencies in Singapore, famous for it's great work in creating the Singapore Airline's Singapore Girl, and an opportunity to work with a great and very talented lady art director.
We were soon flying to Singapore, a very 'multi-cultural' island, and rather than spend too much time in the Angmo (white ghost) culture which usually was at a hotel or club after work I immersed in the local culture and what experiences and learnings it had to offer.
We became good friends with 'well-placed' people within the Indian community, so much so a truck would be sent to pick us up to take us to the special Indian festivals.often being the only Westerers present Many local Westerners couldn't believe their eyes as we happily zoomed past perched on planks of wood in an open back truck surrounded by Indians. We were privileged to be included in the Ganesh celebration, celebrating Ganesh 'The Remover of Obstacles', clay models of him were made and thrown into the ocean with much chanting for him to dissolve and wash away any obstacles.
Diwali, the festival of lights turned Little India in a bright celebration
.
I cringed. Large hooks pierced their bodies attached to things like lemons or huge decorations meters high or pulling heavy carts with sculptures parading through the Indian section of town.
The annual festival where devotees enter a trance to one of the major Hindu temples accompanied by much music and chanting.
The Indian truck came to get us again. This time taking us to the banks of the river separating Singapore and Malayasia.
A Swami, who was over one hundred years old, had made his annual pilgrimage from India to Singapore to give Darshan to his followers, and to raise funds for a non-denominational temple he was building to celebrate the 'oneness of man'.
Snaked around his neck were matted dreadlocks the longest I had ever seen, they probably reached his feet if they were unwrapped.
He was staying in a tiny one-man tent and virtually spent the whole day in the company of his followers, sometimes giving short discourses or simply sitting peacefully for them to soak up his presence as he radiated serenity and quiet power.
NOW SYNCHRONICITY ENTERS THE PICTURE
On Chinese New year our Chinese friends invited us to see a 'medium' in a large tent, set up in the middle of China Town.
A simple tailor, who entering into a trance, called on his God to inhabit and protect him, then slice his tongue with a razor blade and use the blood dripping from his tongue to do calligraphies or paint on different pictures and objects. His tongue would immediately heal and he would repeat the slicing/healing over and over again! He would auction them and give the money to the local hospital for kidney research.
Again, we were virtually the only Westerners present, he invited my girlfriend up on stage to cut up a pile of the hottest chillies, she tasted one and as she changed colour affirmed they were incredibly hot, she tipped them into a glass of water and stirred vigourously, cautously sipped the water and again acknowleded the liquid was almost unbearingly hot. He sliced his tongue and swirled the mix around his mouth, then placed some of the raw chillies directly onto his bleeding tongue, no reaction of pain at all, and his tongue healed virtually immediately. I did not buy any of the calligraphies etc prefering to simply make a donation.
I was introduced to him and my friends suggested I show him some of the video I had taken of him. We huddled together in his small tent and watched, it was delightful to see his fascination seeing himself as he had not any previous experience with video in his 100 years!
The culmination of his visit was an all night 'yagna', where a fire was lit and offerings and blessings were sent heaven ward with the smoke from the fire and incense, a purification ceremony for those present and the world. His stamina and one pointedness was incredible as he waved a heavy tray laden with offerings in a non stop circular motion all night from dark till lightest morning.
I am not a photographer or videographer, just having a very basic' gonzo' approach. I did a series of photos different different scenes and when I asked the Epson print center which papers would be good to print them on they actually asked if they could hang them in an upcoming exhibition.
I had also taken many of Buddha statues and spontaneously played with them in photo-shop, then adorned them with gold leaf and some of the fake jewelry women wear on their faces for Indian weddings.
I took them to an art gallery and showed the owner who really liked them, but said she wasn't sure if you were able to 'play' with the Buddha's images.
At that precise moment, synchronicity entered the picture!
A Buddhist monk stepped into the Gallery. The owner looked surprised and said"I've never had a monk visit before."
let's ask him I said ..and did!
His response was complimentary and gratifying, he liked them as they were both contemporary and showed a lot of respect.
We connected, and it turned out he was from the biggest Buddhist temple in Singapore and invited us to experience some of the events at the Temple.
In the course of a conversation, I mentioned we had tried to visit Myanmar (Burma) but had been refused a visa as I was a copywriter and Myanmar was refusing any one they thought had an association with the media.
He broke into a smile and said "No problem, our temple is financing the restoration of the stupas and temples in Pagan, once one of the biggest centers of Buddhist activity in Myanmar, we'll get you in"
And they did!