TheWorldJournal.com

Paint the Town Red, With 'Tomatina'
By Chhandita Chakravarty, TheWorldJournal.com

What do you do with tons & tons of tomatoes? Get into a tomato fight of course! For the uninitiated, we are talking about 'Tomatina', a yearly tomato war held on the last Wednesday of August. Bunol, a tiny village in Spain has been playing host to this out of the world experience since 1945. But be warned-if tomato gives you allergy, stay as far as you can from Spain during this period. This is the time when the sober inhabitants of this beautiful village let their hair down and celebrate life in their own unique style. Today the festival has become one of Spain's most popular celebrations with a number of tourists flocking to Bunol to try their hand at some 'tomato pitching'. For more than two hours tourists and locals alike use up truck load after truck load of tomatoes supplied by the government, enjoying every hit they get and give.

If you are getting guilt pangs thinking about 'wastage', relax-the tomatoes are especially cultivated for the purpose of getting squashed and trampled on! Moreover, for once can't we just have some fun? And its just not slugging tomato, that attracts drove of tourists to this place. The atmosphere and energy itself is enough to give one an adrenaline rush. The festivities have more than just turning the streets into rivers of tomato juice. There's laughter, good-hearted mischief and esprit de corps. And of course, luscious Spanish food! The weeklong celebrations lets you enjoy musical bands, fireworks, and over all fun.

But before any one pack up their bags and head for a taste of 'Tomatina 'one persistent question needs to be answered. How did this 'tomato' carnage begin? Well there are several interpretations on the origin of this popular festival. However, the most reliable and historical version says that everything started in 1945. The town square (where the "tomatina" is traditionally held nowadays) was crowded with young people enjoying the "Gigantes y Cabezudos" parade (giant carnival figures with a grotesque head). Some of them decided to join the ones at the front of the parade and to do so they pushed the ones who were wearing the giant disguises. Soon a real fight broke out. As fate would have it, there was a vegetable stall nearby and the young people involved in the fight took tomatoes from the stall and started throwing them at each other until the police intervened.

This incident was not forgotten and the next year on the same Wednesday of August the youths of the town met again at the square but this time with their own tomatoes. Thus began the grand tradition of 'Tomatina'.

If you are planning to indulge in some tomatina yourself, plan your trip now. Bunol is well connected by train and bus. Or you can rent your own car.

Some advice: Don't come dressed in your favorite attire unless you are looking for some tomato prints on your dress. (Although it could become the latest fashion rage), use only tomatoes and that too after squishing them. You are not allowed to use bottles, water bombs and the like. And no ripping of other's clothes. Make arrangements for your stay beforehand as Bunol is a small village and you may have to make some arrangement in the neighboring towns. And finally- keep an eye out for flying tomatoes.

© July 10, 2003