This evening I asked my neighbor about the mysterious "watermelons" I saw smashed alongside the roads when taking my Ayudha Puja photos yesterday. Smiling, she said that they were not watermelons, but green pumpkins. She explained that after a person completes his/her puja including cleaning, decorating, and worshiping the puja (i.e. auto, sewing machine, shop - see yesterday's post), a specially prepared pumpkin is then smashed signifying the puja process is finished. A hole is cut into the top of the pumpkin, into which some red powder (the same stuff Hindus use to decorate their foreheads) and coins are placed, with the hole then plugged. The result is a very deep pink interior. Because the smashed pumpkins cause a driving hazard for vehicles (particularly bicycles and motorbikes), the large pieces are removed much more quickly than they have been in the past.
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