dumbfoundry

"In earlier days, our mothers and grandmothers taught us how to cry when we were to leave for our in-laws’ homes after marriage. That tradition does not exist now. So, to remember this tradition, we are participating in this crying competition,' said Arnapurna Nayak, a competitor.

However, residents say the ancient custom is dying out as brides nowadays don't even want to cry, leave alone sing poetry. 'I've known the art of crying since my childhood days. I got married at an early age. My mother and aunt taught me this art,” said Taramani Pradhan, another competitor.

As the mainly women audience cheered the crying ladies, there were mixed emotions. While some could not hold back their laughter at some amateurish attempts at sorrowful poetry, still others shed a tear when the performance touched a raw nerve.

This entry was posted by Ivy on Thursday, July 05, 2007 at 6:42 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.