With its raucousness, relentless clowning, and borderline bawdy theatrics and masquerades, purim is the most unbuttoned of jewish holidays, inadvertently echoing Mardi Gras and other pre-lenten carnivals occuring at this same time of year. Some anthropologists hold that purim is no less than a descendant of the orgiastic Babylonian New Year, on which Marduk and his fellow gods were said to gamble by casting lots (purim in the Babylonian language). The consensus, however, is that Purim commemorates one queen Esther, who with her cousin Mordecai, thwarted a massacre that had been engineered by the anti Semitic royal adviser, Haman. (Haman, it is said, ended up on the gallows).
Purim is the only day of the Jewish year on which celebrants are canonically permitted in fact encouraged to drink themselves silly. After a formal reading from the Book of Esther to usher in the holiday, many temples sponsor Purim carnivals, complete with song dance, and games of the knock over bottles painted with Haman's face variety. Carnival booth after hamentaschen, triangular filled cookies that represent Haman's three cornered hat. Throughout the day, revelers are encouraged to stomp the floor, blow horns, and whirl graggers (special low pitched noisemakers) whenever Haman's name is mentioned.
