奇聞趣事

India’s Beggars Eye(注視) Commonwealth(英聯邦) Windfall(意外之財)

Beggars in the Indian capital are eying a windfall from tourists during the next year’s Commonwealth Games(英聯邦運動會，始辦于1930年，四年一屆，限英聯邦成員國或其附屬國及地區運動員參加的大型綜合性運動會) and some are learning to ask for alms (施舍) in foreign languages， according to a newspaper report recently.

“More than one lakh(100，000) foreigners will be in the city during the period，”Vijay Babli， reported by Hindustan Times(《印度斯坦時報》，創刊于1924年，印度著名的英文大報) as the leader of over 1，200 beggar families living in New Delhi， told the paper. “Even if one beggar earns 150-200 rupees(印度盧比) per day， you can understand the turnover(劇變) for us，”he added.

The multi-sports event is scheduled to be held in October 2010. An informal academy (專門學校) had been set up in the colony(聚居區) and children given coaching to beg in foreign languages， the paper said.

“Bright children are taught how to say phrases like，‘I am an orphan， I have not eaten for days， I am ill， have no money for medicine， please help me in the name of God’，” Raju Sansi， a head tutor at the school， told Hindustan Times. And real foreign currency notes were shown to the children so they can recognise them.

Lipstick-wearing Thai Monks to Get Etiquette(禮儀) Training

Senior Thai monks are to teach Buddhist etiquette to novices(新手) to help curb(約束)“flamboyant”(夸張的) behaviour including wearing lipstick and overly tightening their saffron (橘黃色) robes(長袍).

They said numerous reports of new monks plucking (拔) their eyebrows into a feminine arch(弓形)， walking with an exaggerated swing of the hips and carrying handbags were all sullying(玷污) the reputation of the conservative Buddhist faith.

“The aim of teaching them etiquette is to educate them on how they should act， talk， eat and dress properly，”leading preacher Phra Vudhijaya Vajiramedhi， who launched the behaviour classes in June， told AFP.

The first lessons were for 120 new recruits at the country’s first Buddhist missionary(教會的) school in the northern province of Chiang Rai(清萊，泰國最北端的邊境城市，與緬甸和老撾接壤).

He said he planned to introduce the course at other temples and religious schools in the near future.