Myth or fashion?

There is myth behind every small thing in Bhutanese culture. I think we Bhutanese are highly influenced by such myths and everything we do are in some way related to the lifelong myths. What we do or how we approach are rooted and connected to various myths and logically I think they are all a preventive measures; something that make us more cautious and careful. Or now a day’s these myths seems more of a fashion!

Behind every parts of our body, there seems to be myth. I heard that if we don’t crush the ear wax waste after it is taken out; it will frighten us after we die and that we should not cut our nails or hair after the sun is behind the horizon of a mountain, for some weird reasons. Or if we don’t make hole in our ears, after we die the lord of death - Choeki Gyalpo will pierce our ears with huge and hot metal pin and make us suffer. All these are funny, right?

 I asked my friend who is presently doing masters in Buddhist philosophy in Calcutta, if such myths comes in Buddhist texts which some does. I asked him particularly about the hole in our ear and I wasn’t surprised.  He said that from the Buddhist text called ‘Nenga Melong ma’ the making of hole in our ear is just for beautification, a fashion in modern world.

Well; this is up to individual though. Of course girls look good and add to their beauty with their best ear- rings. Any ways, last Monday evening, after the class I was into movie when a friend of mine Sangay inquired if I will accompany him to making hole in the ear. I suddenly remembered of the myth and replied; ‘OK, let’s go’. We went outside the campus to small jewelery shop. It was 50 bucks for a hole in one ear.

 Why did I make hole in my ear? Was I afraid of the myth? Who cares afterlife after all? Frankly, the word fashion did not come to my mind until another friend of mine reminded us that these are just for fashion. But at least I am out of the league of being punished by the lord of death... :P