In this village, men really, really want to make asses of themselves

Ramesh Suvagiya, a 38-year-old farmer from a sleepy Gujarat village, is looking forward to Thursday when he can have his face blackened and go around his village begging - atop a donkey. In many South Asian countries, being paraded on a donkey with a blackened face and a garland of shoes is a time-honoured way to shame someone. But not here, because Borvav's men pledge to ride around on an ass with their faces blackened and beg -- if they have a son.