Diwali

Ever since I learnt about Diwali at primary school, I have wanted to experience it for myself. Also referred to as the Festival of Light, Hindu teachings tell us that earthen lamps (known as diyas) were lit and firecrackers set off to celebrate the return of Lord Rama, after 14 years in exile and his defeat of the demon king Ravana. These traditions have continued to the present, with Diwali becoming the biggest festival in the Hindu calendar.

Billed as 'Indian Christmas', anticipation has been building in Dhrangadhra and at school for weeks, as fairylights and decorations have been put up, street stalls have emerged and cards have been made. The children have been in heights of giddiness, as the 'end-of-term fever' set in, making teaching somewhat difficult.

At Srirajni, the festivities culminated with a special school celebration on the evening of the last day of term. Arriving early, the older students and teachers were divided into groups, with each group given the task of producing a rangoli. Rangoli is a traditional Indian art form consisting of  symbolic designs made from coloured sand/pigments, which are used to decorate public areas during Diwali. Dotted around school, the bright colours and intricate designs were truly beautiful. Alongside rangolis, little red footprints, representing those of the Goddess Lakhshmi, were painted outside doorways, diyas were lit and fairylights were turned on. By the time darkness descended and the younger children had arrived, the school was awash in light and colour.

Sweets were shared and the evening was brought to a close with a fireworks display. Needless to say, my first experience of Diwali did not disappoint.

The Desert

Gujarat is a dry state. This means one of two things; first, alcohol is illegal, and second, we live in a desert. Whilst our days are mostly limited to the parametres of the courtyard where we live and work, the cooler evenings are ideal for getting out of town and going for a walk. The desertous landscape is astoundingly beautiful, with its orange-red dusty terrain interspersed with patches of green. The low-lying shrubs seem to almost transport you to Africa for a minute, before the various native wildlife species make an appearance and bring us back to India. On a typical walk, we see blue bulls (a very weird animal which appears to be the result of a cross between a cow, deer and horse), buffalo cows and wild asses. This is the only place in India where you can spot the Indian wild ass, as it has all but disappeared from the rest of Asia. Upon entering an area of protected land a few weeks ago, we were casually informed by our host told to stay alert and keep the dogs on their leads as there could be wolves about. A little unnerving!

Our evening walks usually coincide with the Sun going down, setting the desert sky on fire. Awash in a multitude of colours, from pastel pinks and powder blues, to brilliant oranges and reds. The sky appears almost continuously on the point of melting. It really does take your breath away.

Life at Sri Rajini is pretty intense, with busy days and a heavy workload, so our evening walks provide a necessary contrast. They are a welcome release, putting things into perspective and rebooting energy levels. They are yet another part of my life here that I have started to treasure.

The Indian Wild Ass