Semana Santa

Semana Santa i.e holy week is a huge deal in Spain and I didn't really understand till I unknowingly landed there bang in the middle of it. It was nothing like holy week in India. In India, it's subdued. Granted there aren't that many catholics in India but I thought we were big enough in number. But, when you see the extravagance of Semana Santa, you can only be awestruck.

The basis of what happens: For a whole week that is the week of Easter, a bunch of brotherhoods take to the streets carrying their patron saints on their shoulders. This might not sound very grand. The patron saints are on floats which are carried by the brothers. These floats are huge and accordingly VERY heavy! Most of the floats were carried by at least 60-70 men. I was pretty much in awe the whole time. (jaw on the road and everything).


You also cannot fail to notice the big pointy Ku Klux Klan like hats but these are colourful. Everyone colour you can imagine. I asked someone why the hats and he said the person under that is repenting for things he has done and therefore hides his face. The fact the KKK used the same kind of hats is totally unrelated (phew) but it still is quite something to look at!
The kids with the pointy hats were the cutest! Running around (ok, walking) in their pointy little hats not looking dangerous at all ( some of the older ones looked like pointy hatted hanumans!)
There were some other kids who were not part of the procession but who i'm sure came to see it everyhere and had wax balls which they had made with wax collected from processions every year. I guess it would be something I would do too if I got to see it every year!

Overall I was awed, creeped out a bit but mostly in awe that I got to see such a solemn and beautiful tradition in person. We got to see it in action in Malaga and in Madrid!