Kapitel 104: Chapter 104: Song of the Himalayas part 3
As Geon approached, the elderly man struggled to rise from his seat, clasped his hands together, and bowed respectfully. Geon, looking a bit surprised, hastily clasped his hands and bowed in return, saying, "Namaste. Do you happen to speak English?"
The elder, with his hands clasped, stared intently at Geon, indicating that English was not understood. With a puzzled expression, Geon scratched the back of his head, and Chaeun, who had followed, asked, "What's up? Does he understand English?"
Shaking his head, Geon replied, "No, it seems he doesn't understand English just by looking at his face. Let's find someone else."
Geon then clasped his hands towards the elder once more and said, "Dhanyabad."
Chaeun looked puzzled and asked, "What's 'Dhanyabad'? Is that Nepali?"
"Yeah, it means 'thank you.' I only memorized two phrases: 'hello' and 'thank you.' Haha."
As Geon and Chaeun entered the village, people who were busy with their own work started to gather around them. When about ten people had assembled, Geon shouted loudly, "Does anyone know how to speak English?"
Hearing Geon, a man in his late thirties raised his hand and stepped forward, saying, "Yes, I can speak English."
Geon was relieved and said, "Oh! That's such a relief. I was worried what we'd do if no one understood English. What's your name?"
"My name is Tenzing."
"Ah, Tenzing. I'm Geon, and this is Chaeun.. ah, just call her Ryu."
"Nice to meet you."
Chaeun, looking anxious, opened a map and said, "Geon, let's first find out where we are."
Showing the map to Tenzing, Geon asked, "Where are we right now?"
Tenzing pointed to a spot on Geon's map, causing Geon's eyes to widen.
"ABC? (Annapurna Base Camp) You mean Annapurna?"
Tenzing nodded and said, "Correct. This is a Sherpa village in Annapurna."
Chaeun, looking dazed, crumpled the map and threw it towards the camera, shouting, "What do we do if we're dropped in Annapurna without anything!"
Yeongseok dodged the flying map, laughing, "Ah, we haven't started climbing the mountain seriously yet. It's not that tough."
Geon, incredulous, said, "Bro, ABC is over 4,000 meters above sea level. It's a thousand meters higher than Mt. Baekdu, and you're just gonna leave us here with only a guitar?"
Unperturbed by Geon and Chaeun's resentful looks, Yeongseok shrugged. Geon, resigned, looked at Tenzing and asked, "Tenzing, how long does it take to reach the village of Deurali from here?"
After thinking for a moment, Tenzing replied, "For an experienced person, it takes about five hours by foot, and for a beginner, around eight hours."
Chaeun seemed to lose strength in her legs and slumped to the ground, saying, "Without food or money? Ah, we're dead."
As Geon also shook his head in disbelief, Tenzing said, "Come with me. It seems you've come from far away; I'll offer you some tea."
Brightening at the mention of food, Chaeun quickly stood up and followed Tenzing. It didn't take more than a minute to reach Tenzing's house, and as they settled in the living room, a young woman who appeared to be his wife brought out tea. Sitting on the stiff sofa and holding a teacup, Tenzing said, "This is Mustang tea. It's made with salt and butter. Please, have some."
As Geon and Chaeun sipped the warm tea, Tenzing looked at his wife and said, "Honey, could you also bring some bread?"
Shortly after, his wife brought out a flat, round, golden-brown bread. Tenzing tore the bread and spread the accompanying butter on it before taking a bite.
"It's called Roti. It's a Nepalese bread made from a mix of wheat flour, cornmeal, and barley flour."
Chaeun, following Tenzing's example, took a bite of the bread and smiled happily, "Wow, this is delicious. It suits my taste too. And this gentleman speaks English well, right, Geon?"
Geon nodded and then asked Tenzing, "You speak English very well, Tenzing?"
"Yes, my job as a Sherpa involves dealing with trekkers from all over the world,
so I speak a bit of English."
"Wow, I see. Are you the leader of this village?"
"Yes, for now. The village elder handled it until a few years ago, and I've only taken over a few months ago."
"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Tenzing."
"It's nothing. You're guests in our village."
After Geon and Chaeun had eaten the Roti and rested for a while, they stood up to leave, "We need to get to Deurali in time, so we should be going now. Thank you very much for today, Tenzing."
Tenzing clasped his hands and said, "No problem. May the blessings of Brahma be with you."
As Geon and Chaeun left the village, the elder who was at the entrance came up to Tenzing. The elder, unable to take his eyes off Geon's retreating figure, said, "Kshatriya, Tenzing. There's the scent of the Deva on that man."
Tenzing, with a thoughtful expression, nodded slightly, "I felt it, Brahman, Rahul."
Rahul, noticing a man waiting nearby, saw him hastily put on his motorcycle helmet and start the motorcycle. Seeing this, Rahul said to Tenzing, "Spread the word to the Kshatriyas of other villages. A man who might be a Deva has arrived."
Tenzing nodded and began to make a call on a satellite phone. Rahul, without taking his eyes off the distant figures of Geon and Chaeun, looked up at the sky and thought, "Brahma, is he the messenger bearing your oracle?"
**
Geon and Chaeun made their way down a somewhat rugged mountain path. While it was not too difficult to descend, the journey was somewhat challenging for Chaeun, being female. Fortunately, it was a descent from above rather than an ascent, so it was not overly strenuous, but the continuous strain on their waists and knees brought rapid fatigue.
After about three hours of descending, Geon, noticing Chaeun looking tired, said, "Sister, let's talk while we go. It seems harder because it's boring just going down."
Chaeun, biting her tongue, replied, "I'm so out of breath. Maybe this was a mistake."
Geon, trying to distract Chaeun, continued, "You asked me earlier how I got into music, right? When did you start acting?"
After thinking for a moment, Chaeun said, "Well, for me, it was during my sophomore year of college. That's when I dreamed of standing on a theatrical stage."
"Why? Was there a particular reason?"
"Yes, actually, I had no dreams. I just studied like everyone else, went to college like everyone else, and planned to enter a company like everyone else. I thought that was the set path in life. If you couldn't follow it, you were falling behind."
Geon grimaced and nodded, "Korean education does seem to enforce that. So, what happened?"
Chaeun, moving forward, continued, "In my sophomore year, I went to watch a play in Daehangno with some classmates for the first time. There was this line in the play."
Curious, Geon looked at Chaeun, who smiled and said, "A high school girl was talking to a homeless man in the park and said life was too hard. Then, the homeless man said, 'Life is hard? Have you really lived your life? Until you're twenty, it's not your life but your parents'. You eat what your parents give you, wear what they buy you, and go to the schools they choose. How is that your life? It's your parents' life. A baby has to fall 30,000 times before it learns to walk. If your life starts at twenty, you have to fall 30,000 times to take your first steps. Live like that for ten years, and you're just starting to live your life, then another ten years to reach forty, and another ten to fifty.' That's what he said."
After delivering the lengthy dialogue, Chaeun took a breath and added, "That's when I realized, ah, I haven't been living my life. I need to fall and stumble more. Only then, when I can truly stand on my own, will I look back and see what life is all about. That play made me want to become an actress who can deliver such messages to others."
Geon nodded appreciatively and said, "Sister, that's impressive. It was right to travel with someone not from the music industry."
Chaeun, embarrassed, smiled and said, "Impressive? I'm barely getting recognized by people, far from being a star recognized in America like you, Geon."
Geon, puzzled, asked, "But isn't your dream not to become a star but to be an actress who can deliver messages?"
Chaeun stopped walking. Staring into the distance at the mountains, Geon also stopped and quietly observed her. Sensing that Chaeun was experiencing growth, Geon gestured for silence to Yeongseok, who had been following them. About twenty minutes later, as Chaeun came to, she and Geon locked eyes and she smiled. Chaeun, with a shaky voice, said, "Coming here was a good decision. Being able to travel with someone like you, Geon, has been a real fortune."
Geon draped an arm around Chaeun's shoulder and asked, "Really? Did you feel something, sister?"
Chaeun, smiling brightly, nodded, "I've been too focused on becoming a star. That wasn't what I wanted. Wow! I'm really glad I did this program!"
With renewed vigor, Chaeun's steps quickened. After four more hours of trekking, the two cheered as they spotted the entrance to the village of Deurali in the distance.
"Wow! There's the village! Sister
, that must be Deurali!"
"Yes! Yay!!! My feet are killing me, I can't wait to wash up!"
Rushing, almost running to the village entrance, they saw many people gathered there. Seeing everyone looking in their direction, Chaeun tilted her head and said, "What's this? Is there a festival in the village? Looks like more than a hundred people."
Geon stepped forward and said, "Let's go see. There should be someone who speaks English in a village this size."
Yeongseok quietly asked the assistant director, "Hey, was there a festival in the village when we did our preliminary research?"
"No, CP. I heard there was a wedding in the village, but nothing else."
"Then what are all these people doing?"
"I don't know, why are you asking me?"
While Yeongseok was scolding the assistant director, he noticed an elderly man, looking about ninety years old, approaching Geon, clasping his hands together and bowing deeply. The elder, without raising his head, said, "Welcome, messenger of Brahma."
As Geon and his group entered, the Nepalese people gathered around. More precisely, they crowded around Geon. Having experienced crowds in America, Geon remained calm but began to feel slightly uneasy as he read earnest and reverent intentions in the people's eyes, not that of fans. The people approached Geon closely but did not touch him or ask for anything.
A woman wearing a Nepali traditional dress called Choubandi Cholo kneeled near Geon, and following her, children and other women began to kneel. Enclosed by the people, Geon started to be captured on camera as people took a step back and kneeled. Geon, looking very puzzled, shouted to the people who were clasping their hands towards him, "Hey, what's going on here? Yeongseok, Chaeun?"
Yeongseok, equally confused, asked the assistant director, "What's happening here? Where did the person who speaks the local language go?"
The assistant director, adjusting his cap, replied, "We were supposed to meet up in Deurali. I'll contact them now."
As Yeongseok and the assistant director conversed, Chaeun, pushed aside by the crowd, stood alone, watching Geon standing amidst the people. She could hear the murmuring voices of the people kneeling, "Is this an audience with the Deva, the messenger of Brahma?"
The assistant director, who climbed up to a higher vantage point to make a call, shouted down after finishing, "Here comes the local interpreter!"
Yeongseok, looking where the assistant director pointed, saw a man wearing a Nepali traditional top called Daaural and jeans, running towards them. The assistant director quickly came down and approached him, asking, "Simba? Are you Simba?"
Simba, catching his breath, nodded, "Yes, I'm Simba."
The assistant director, pointing to the people, urgently asked, "What are these people saying? Why are they bowing to him and kneeling?"
After listening carefully to the people, Simba quietly approached Yeongseok, asking, "You're Simba? Can you speak Korean?"
The assistant director stepped aside, saying, "He went to college in Korea. Yes, his name is Simba."
Yeongseok, nodding, asked Simba again, "What are they saying?"
Simba, gesturing for silence, listened carefully before opening his eyes and saying, "They are calling him a Deva, a messenger under Brahma."
"What's a Deva? And who's Brahma?"
Simba smiled gently at Yeongseok's questions, "Don't worry. It seems to be a misunderstanding, but it's not harmful. Brahma, along with Vishnu and Shiva, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism in Nepal. A Deva is a male deity under him."
"Wait, so they think Geon is a deity?"
Simba nodded with a smile, "It seems so. But I'll explain to clear up the misunderstanding."
Simba then shouted to the crowd, "Everyone, he is not a Deva. These people are here from Korea for a shooting. Please make way!"
The people, who had been praying on their knees, looked at Simba. However, they seemed hesitant to get up. Simba called out again for the village chief.
As the people pointed to one direction, an elderly man in his late sixties stepped forward and spoke in English, "I am the village chief of Deurali."
Approaching the chief with a smile, Simba introduced himself, "Nice to meet you. I'm Simba from Kathmandu."
The chief introduced himself as Timo, "I am Timo, a name meaning reverence to the deity."
"Nice to meet you, Chief Timo. These are producers from Korea. There seems to be some misunderstanding; could you ask the people to disperse?"
Timo looked at Geon and asked, "Is that your wish?"
Simba turned to Geon, indicating it was the wish of their group as well.
Timo nodded and announced loudly to the people, "The Deva commands, return to your work."
The people, after touching their foreheads to the ground once more in prayer, slowly began to disperse, turning back several times to catch another glimpse of Geon.
Geon immediately looked for Chaeun, asking, "Sister, are you okay? Were you scared?"
Chaeun shook her head, "I'm fine. The people were interested in you, not me. How about you?"
"I'm okay. It's not the first time I've been surrounded by people, haha."
The ENG director approached, and Geon said to the camera, "I was a bit surprised, but I'm okay!"
As Geon looked at Yeongseok, he approached with Simba and Timo, suggesting that the shooting should continue and
that communication with Timo, who spoke English, would be smooth.
Simba, gesturing towards Timo, asked him to have a natural conversation with Geon.
Timo approached Geon, clasped his hands, and greeted, "Namaste, may the blessings of Brahma be with you. I am Timo, the village chief of Deurali."
Geon returned the gesture, and Chaeun, noticing, also bowed her head. Geon straightened up and introduced himself, "Nice to meet you, I'm Geon."
Timo maintained a reverent demeanor towards Geon, "Ah, Deva. You bear the name Geon."
Confused, Geon asked, "Deva? I heard that term earlier. What does it mean?"
Timo explained with a kind smile, "A Deva is a male deity in Hinduism, Geon."
"A deity? You think I'm a deity? Haha, what a misunderstanding."
Chaeun, pulling on Geon's sleeve, said, "Geon, let's first find out if there's a place to stay. It's getting dark, and I'm hungry."
Timo, noticing Chaeun rubbing her stomach, offered, "Are you hungry? Please come to my house."
Geon, beaming, replied, "Really, Chief? Wow, thank you. Sister, the chief has invited us to his house. We can eat!"
"Really? Hooray!"
Chaeun jumped for joy as they followed Timo to a large house in the village center. The village was large for a rural area, with fewer than 300 buildings, including a temple at its heart, opposite which was Timo's house. Whistling at the size of Timo's house, Simba approached Geon, "Hello, I'm Simba, the local interpreter."
Geon smiled, "Hello, I'm Geon. Call me Geon. You speak Korean really well."
"Haha, I went to university in Korea."
"Is this Timo's house? It's huge."
"Yes, a village chief of this size would belong to a caste higher than Kshatriya, so they live in large houses."
"What's a Kshatriya?"
As Simba glanced at the filming camera, he explained, "Nepal maintains a caste system. There are four main castes, with the highest being the Brahmins, the priestly caste. Below them are the Kshatriyas, the nobility and warriors. The common people are called Vaishyas, which includes most of those who were bowing to Geon earlier. There's also the Sudra, the servant class."
Chaeun, surprised, asked, "Servants? There are still countries with a caste system?"
"Yes, the national law banned it in the mid-20th century, but many of the older generation still follow it. The government knows but has to accept it."
"There's a class below servants?"
"Yes, the Pariahs, considered untouchables. They face social ostracism and contempt, similar to 'baekjeong' or 'mangnani' in Korean history."
As Simba pointed towards Timo signaling them to enter, Yeongseok hurriedly directed the ENG camera crew to film Geon and Chaeun entering through the grand entrance. Astonished by the large courtyard, Geon saw several Nepali women standing by a table filled with various foods, dressed in traditional attire, avoiding eye contact.
Timo gestured towards the table, "Please, have a seat."
As Geon awkwardly approached the table followed by Chaeun, Simba whispered to Yeongseok, "It might be considered disrespectful for Chaeun to dine with them. They might find it uncomfortable for a woman to eat at the same table."
Yeongseok, gauging Timo's reaction, said, "Let's focus on filming for now. Timo doesn't seem to mind Chaeun being there. Camera team, center the shot around the table. Geon, don't start eating until we're ready to film."
While the camera crew set up, suddenly music filled the air. Surprised, Chaeun looked towards the source and saw three men laying a carpet to play traditional instruments. Approaching the musicians, they stopped playing and prostrated themselves. Confused by their reaction, Timo instructed, "Raise your heads. The Deva is uncomfortable."
As the musicians lifted their heads, Geon, hesitating, knelt down to point at an instrument, asking Timo about it.
"This drum-like instrument is called a Dampu, made from goat skin. The wooden flute next to it is a Bansuri, similar to a flute. The violin-like instrument is called a Sarangi."
Intrigued, Geon reached out to touch the instruments, and the musicians respectfully offered them for him to examine. Overwhelmed
by their deference, Geon stood up, and the musicians once again prostrated themselves. Sighing at their gesture, Yeongseok signaled that filming was ready. Hungry, Chaeun urged Geon, "Let's eat first, Geon. I'm starving!"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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