Getaway Calendar - September
September 1: Elmali Oil Wrestling Event, Turkey
High above the city of Antalya and nestled between the Taurus Mountains is the town of Elmali. Every year for three days more than 100 Turkish wrestlers (pehlivan) take part in this 600 year old wrestling match which involves the participants slathering themselves with olive oil and wearing the kisbet (leather trousers) made of either water buffalo hide or calf leather. After around 40 minutes of battling each other in the stadium the coveted title of baspehlivan (chief hero) goes to the winner who successfully makes a move called the paça kazik which involves effectively holding his opponent’s kisbet.
Getting there: There are connecting flights from the UK to Antalya on Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and British Airways. Once there, the town of Elmali is a short drive from Antalya Airport.
September 15: Ganesh Festival, India
On the fourth day of the Hindu month Bhadrapada, the Ganesh Festival is celebrated throughout the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, but most notably in Puna (Poona). The elaborate ten-day festival is in honour of Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed deity who appeared in the early fourth century.
During the festival people gather to worship and remember Ganesh who is renowned as the supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. They mark the special time by eating his favourite sweet, modak, making offerings to him in various temples and putting up a pandal (decorated marquees) with idols of the god around the neighbourhoods. And on the last day of the festival the idols are carried to the river for the visarjen or immersion ceremony.
Getting there: Fly direct from the UK with BA or Virgin Atlantic and take a connecting flight on Jet Airways to Poona.
September 23: Gold Stilt Contest, Belgium
Grown men on large candy canes? Well close enough. The annual Gold stilt contest in the town of Namur involves men from the town battling each other on stilts that resemble the Christmas confectionary. It’s quite an amusing sight and one that shouldn’t be missed if you’re in Belgium in September.
Dating back to 1411, the contest is one of the oldest customs and began when floods would invade the town and locals were forced to use stilts to walk around. The sport involves two teams: the Mélans and Averesses who use their shoulders, elbows or try to blocking their opponent’s stilts in an effort to throw them off balance.
Getting there: Fly direct to Brussels on bmi, Lufthansa, BA, KLM or Brussels Airlines. The town of Namur is located in Wallonia, as short train ride from Brussels.
September 26: Monkey God Festival, Hong Kong
Anyone who had read Wu Cheng'en’s famous novel The Pilgrim of the West may remember the roguish acts of the Monkey God who later redeemed himself and went on to gain Buddhist immortality. Well this festival is in his honour.
The festival takes place every year in Kowloon’s Sau Mau Ping Temple where thousands flock to celebrate his birthday by the burning of incense and paper offerings; a far cry from the days when the festival involved a possessed medium running over hot coal barefoot or climbing a ladder laden with sharp knives.
Getting there: There are daily direct flights from the UK to Hong Kong on Air New Zealand, British Airways and Cathay Pacific.
© Cheapflights Ltd Seema Salaam
