Culture event

Recently, while out on the road with a friend, we came upon a large gathering of people on the side of the road.  We decided to stop and investigate.  My friend pointed out it looked like a traditional funeral procession to the grave site.  The attendants welcomed us to tag along, so we did.

Below are a progression of video clips documenting what we saw.

Funeral Procession @ Yahoo! Video
We followed these men for about a half an hour to the burial site.  Along the way we asked some questions to understand the situation better.  Apparently, by the roadside, several villages had gathered to observe the occasion.  But only the men from a couple of those villages attended the actual burial (along with the wife and daughter of the deceased).

Burial Site @ Yahoo! Video
When we arrived at the burial site, we discovered the grave had not yet been dug.  Apparently, burials in this area are a day long event.  They said after they finished they would have a feast in the evening.  In fact, a friend we met at the site called me later that night in high spirits, inviting me to attend.

Burial Rites @ Yahoo! Video
At one point during the ceremony, this gentleman used uncooked rice to essentially write words in the grave's bottom.  They then  placed a chicken in the bottom of the grave.  They explained that if the chicken was willing to eat the rice, then the place chosen for burial was appropriate.

Burial Rites 2 @ Yahoo! Video
Finally, they lowered the coffin into the ground and began to fill it in.  They added a headstone before covering the entire grave with earth.  The whole process took several hours.  From what I understand, the actual burial is important for two reasons.  First, you want to ensure that your loved one is comfortable in the afterlife.  Second, you want to make sure they don't bring you trouble from beyond the grave by upsetting them.