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The Obon is a
Japanese
Buddhist feast period. It is held from
13th of July to the
16th ("Welcoming Obon" and "Farewell Obon" respectively).
This Buddhist festival has been transformed into a family
reunion holiday during which folk return to their home towns.
It is customary to fashion
horses and
cows out of
cucumbers and
eggplants. This is done to facilitate the return of the dead.
Obon is a shortened form
of the
legendary Urabonne/Urabanna. (Sanskrit
for "hanging upside down in
hell and suffering")
The Japanese believe they should ameliorate the suffering
of the "Urabanna".
In the time of Shaka; one of his fellows Mokurenn saw the
image of his dead mother suffering in hell. Mokuren was desperate to relieve
her pain and asked Shaka for help. Shaka answered, "On
15th of July, provide a big feast for the past seven generations of
dead. Mokuren did as he was told, and thankfully, his mother's suffering was
relieved. This is the inception of the tradition.
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