To become a Buddhist novice, young Myanmar boys go through a ritual which lasts two days. On the first, they are dressed in what their parents think Burmese prince wore in bygone days and made up as heavily as the sacred whores of India. To commemorate the Prince Gautama before he became the Buddha, the enlightened, they are paraded - on horseback in village lanes, in cars in city streets. They visit the local pagoda for prayers and instructions. The day ends with food offered to all guests.

The second day starts with beautifully adorned young women welcoming guests with cigarettes under the...