Strike Up The Band!
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The sound of fire-crackers and drums was unmistakable.
Another festival had started.
This time it was celebrating the patron saint of the small chapel at the end of my lane:
St Anthony of Padua.
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We emerged from the house in time to follow the sound of music –
A fusion of Tijuana brass and Dravidian percussion.
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Fr. Martin, our local Catholic priest, walks in the heart of the procession.
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Men wait their turn for the honour of carrying the statue of Saint Anthony bearing the Christ Child.
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The drum beats intensify.
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The perfectly synchronised, varying and complex rhythms are intensely powerful.
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The procession stops at intervals, allowing the drummers to perform special sequences in well-rehearsed formations.
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Once again, I find myself blinking back tears of sheer joy and excitement.
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Neither Use Nor Ornament 