Nareshwadi

Ganpati Festival
I am watching fireworks outside my window now, India is such an amazing country. After spending a week in Nareshwadi, mainly being able to be act like a kid again! I am back to Mumbai this evening arriving on the 7th day of Ganapati festival, probably the second most popular day for immersions of the elephant headed god's statue.

Pulling into town and now throughout the evening I have heard drums, horns, chanting, yelling, whistling, screaming (now when they are getting closer) people pray, sing worship a ganesh idol in their home starting from the 27th of August (changes the date with the Indian calendar) then immerse it after caring and praying to it for 1 1/2, 3, 7, 11 days.

The 11th day (wed the 6th) being the day of the biggest of immersions. The idol is accompanied by a group of people, either by walking and carrying or pushing/pulling a cart or in the back of a truck to the sea. Then there is a procession to the sea and a sinking of the idol.

Week in Nareshwadi

What a wonderful week just to be a kid again. I was in the village residential school to help with a academic camp for 10th standard students during this holiday week, so they are caught up on their subjects. Besides working with a team of mumbai volunteers who taught, math, english, computers, memory skills and geology. I got to do yoga, run, stretch, draw, color, play games and swinging on a bunyan tree with a group of sweet children all staying over at the school for the holiday week either because they did not have parents or because their parents could not come from Mumbai (3 or more hours) to pick them up and bring them back to school.

I had soo much fun! I get to go back and see them on Thursday.