On Saturday we had a party with the bal mandel groups and some of our other,older, students in the Asha centre in Ekta Vihar to celebrate Diwali, which actually took place on the Wednesday 11th November. Heather's students had made lanterns and Happy Diwali cards, which had been put up in the main room of the centre as decorations. Everyone was impressed! The children love to dance and so everyone was entertained with music, singing and dance. Both of us joined in the dancing with the older students - much to the amusement of the children who laughed and clapped. Heather and her students sang songs, some of which weren't in English or Hindi (or any known language - great for anyone to join in with). Gifts were given and the children took home boxes of hot samosas and sweets for their lunch. It was really happy time.
Ken has been missing green grass, green trees and tranquility, so on Sunday we headed off to Lodi Gardens, which was great. And it was quiet, despite the numbers of Indian families there.The day was lovely and we felt very refreshed afterwards.
After our walk in the gardens we went looking for somewhere for a coffee and ended up finding the India Habitat Centre. We realised we'd been there before, last October for an Asha celebration and on a separate occasion for a meal in the All American Diner. Ah, we thought, coffee, and a meal, while we're out. The coffee was good, but Ken's Classic Double Cheese Burger was a disappointment: it took 30 minutes to come, cold, and then another 10 minutes or so for a hot one to arrive. And it wasn't that great. Only meal Ken's been disappointed with.
On Chotti Diwali (Diwali eve) we went shopping in Vasant Square Mall and enjoyed a meal in a restaurant which was also frantically selling hundreds of boxes of sweets for Diwali. Our meal was delicious, Choley Bhatura and Mutter Kulcha, inexpensive and good. The moral of this story is when in Delhi eat Indian (well, KFC is ok too).After eating we popped across the road to the outdoor market. We were met with the most amazing displays of lights and decorations. Beautiful. Diwali is celebrated in a similar way to Christmas, with houses lit with lights, friends and family visiting each other and sharing gifts, new clothes worn and lots of music. It also comes with the most enormous fireworks being let off continually through the night. We were warned, but didn't imagine quite how loud they would be (and all night meant all night).
For Heather, the week carried on with another party with the 'bus' kids. Before we went to the venue (a nearby field) Soni took me and a few children into the slum where the children live, to give gifts to an elderly couple, decorate their home with marigold garlands and light a candle in diyas the children had painted for them. We also visited a home of a young mother who had a few days before accidentally poured boiling water onto her leg and hand. She had two young children so we gave them sweets and good wishes for their diwali celebrations.
It was a very special visit for me, as I was able to enter in a tiny way, into the world that the children I am teaching on the bus each week, live. Those memories will remain with me and they make me even more glad to be here doing what we are doing!
For the party, we took 40 or so children to a nearby field (occupied by goats, but they didn't seem to mind, and nor did we) and again we enjoyed lots of dancing, singing and retelling of the Rama and Sita story. It was great fun and all the children so well behaved! The children had all brought fireworks with them - stuffed in their pockets, matches too - and then at a certain moment, they all let them off!! (Health and safety would have had a heart attack and I was a little concerned.) They all seemed to know what to do and even kindly offered me firecrackers, and what looked like home made sparklers etc. We all enjoyed a picnic together and then back on the bus and back home again for the children - happy and tired (well I was anyway).
India is full of special days to celebrate something - lots of reasons to party!!
We joined in with decorating our balcony for Diwali with lights and a Mandala pattern.
Ken has been missing green grass, green trees and tranquility, so on Sunday we headed off to Lodi Gardens, which was great. And it was quiet, despite the numbers of Indian families there.The day was lovely and we felt very refreshed afterwards.
After our walk in the gardens we went looking for somewhere for a coffee and ended up finding the India Habitat Centre. We realised we'd been there before, last October for an Asha celebration and on a separate occasion for a meal in the All American Diner. Ah, we thought, coffee, and a meal, while we're out. The coffee was good, but Ken's Classic Double Cheese Burger was a disappointment: it took 30 minutes to come, cold, and then another 10 minutes or so for a hot one to arrive. And it wasn't that great. Only meal Ken's been disappointed with.
On Chotti Diwali (Diwali eve) we went shopping in Vasant Square Mall and enjoyed a meal in a restaurant which was also frantically selling hundreds of boxes of sweets for Diwali. Our meal was delicious, Choley Bhatura and Mutter Kulcha, inexpensive and good. The moral of this story is when in Delhi eat Indian (well, KFC is ok too).After eating we popped across the road to the outdoor market. We were met with the most amazing displays of lights and decorations. Beautiful. Diwali is celebrated in a similar way to Christmas, with houses lit with lights, friends and family visiting each other and sharing gifts, new clothes worn and lots of music. It also comes with the most enormous fireworks being let off continually through the night. We were warned, but didn't imagine quite how loud they would be (and all night meant all night).
For Heather, the week carried on with another party with the 'bus' kids. Before we went to the venue (a nearby field) Soni took me and a few children into the slum where the children live, to give gifts to an elderly couple, decorate their home with marigold garlands and light a candle in diyas the children had painted for them. We also visited a home of a young mother who had a few days before accidentally poured boiling water onto her leg and hand. She had two young children so we gave them sweets and good wishes for their diwali celebrations.
It was a very special visit for me, as I was able to enter in a tiny way, into the world that the children I am teaching on the bus each week, live. Those memories will remain with me and they make me even more glad to be here doing what we are doing!
For the party, we took 40 or so children to a nearby field (occupied by goats, but they didn't seem to mind, and nor did we) and again we enjoyed lots of dancing, singing and retelling of the Rama and Sita story. It was great fun and all the children so well behaved! The children had all brought fireworks with them - stuffed in their pockets, matches too - and then at a certain moment, they all let them off!! (Health and safety would have had a heart attack and I was a little concerned.) They all seemed to know what to do and even kindly offered me firecrackers, and what looked like home made sparklers etc. We all enjoyed a picnic together and then back on the bus and back home again for the children - happy and tired (well I was anyway).
India is full of special days to celebrate something - lots of reasons to party!!
We joined in with decorating our balcony for Diwali with lights and a Mandala pattern.
Ken and Heather, enjoying your blog! somewhat belated Diwali greetings to you from us all.
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