Pinatas India June 8th, 2009
Living in India most of my life, I’ve never had the opportunity to experience how other countries celebrate and honor some significant event, like birthdays. But, now that I have a job as a concierge of one of India 5 Star Hotels , I’ve been very fortunate to arrange for some interesting birthday rituals. For example, one of our guests were of Mexican decent and their son’s birthday was a few days away and the parents were wondering if I could provide them with a Pinata and an area big enough for them to hang it up and let their son and some local children take a swing at it with a bat.
Naturally, as a concierge, I had to say of course I can get them a Pinata and I’ll find them a place here at the hotel big enough for their son and a few friends to take a swing. I had no idea what a Pinata was and why would anyone want to take a swing at it with a bat. I had to do some quick research on the Internet. Through the Internet, I did find out all about Mexico’s tradition of the pinata. A Pinata is made out of paper-mache’ , brightly colored cardboard and sometimes clay container filled with candy, small fruit and toys. The pinata is then suspended on a rope, usually from a tree branch or a high ceiling. Then children are blindfolded, handed a stick or bat, spun around and told to start swinging at the pinata to try to break it open to release all the goodies inside. What makes swinging at the pinata a challenge is the person at the other end of the rope pulling and yanking the pinata out of the reach of the swing. The pinata has been used for centuries to celebrate special occasions.
Finding out about the pinata was easy, but actually finding a pinata in India proved challenging. I called everywhere, searched the Internet with no luck in finding a place that sold pinatas. Here in India, we just don’t have a use for one. But, I have always considered myself to be the ultimate concierge, I decided to make a pinata. I got all the instructions off the Internet, gathered up all the materials, invited all my available friends to come over to my house to help me construct this wonderful instrument of children laughter and enjoyment.
I’ve never had so much fun in my entire life as when I made that pinata for my hotel guests. But, I also never felt so bad when I witnessed its destruction and, at the same time, never felt so wonderful at seeing the joy in all the children as the candy, toys and fruit came raining out of the pinata.
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