Today has been the most amazing day of our trip, so far. It started off with Hope’s annual Foundation Day and this year marked its 11th year in Kolkata. A huge auditorium in Science City was rented out and over 2,500 Hope children were bought for the morning to dance and sing as part of a Hope celebratory show. The children themselves have been practicing and rehearsing with their choreographers for over 3 months in preparation for this day – the excitement in the weeks leading up to this was palpable.
 |
Patrick with Soubagya, Jagdish
and Bishu |
So we get up early on a Saturday, make an effort with our appearance (something that is unheard when volunteering in Kolkata) and we head to Science City. It’s fantastic to have all of the kids from the projects together in the one place and we spend the first part of the morning running around saying hello to our kids, being introduced to their friends and meeting each other’s project kids. Patrick and I both get some knowing looks when we introduce each other to our kids with the braver ones coming up afterwards to whisper “Auntie, your boyfriend”??
 |
| One of a number of traditional acts |
We take our seats and after some speeches honouring Hope, its founders, contributors and the children themselves, the show begins. Now we were expecting something like a usual children’s show – a little boring till a child you know comes on, whereon you go mad clapping with pride etc… This was not the usual children’s show. They were Out Of This World. The music, costumes, props, choreography was just fantastic and halfway through the show most of the kids in the audience were out of their seats dancing in the aisles. A particular favourite was a mash up between Waka Waka and Waving Flag – everyone just went crazy for that. And of course… Jai Ho!
All the Hope homes were represented and this included SICW – a home for children of which the Hope Foundation funds their special needs unit. The children came on stage, those who could walk danced and those who couldn’t were carried around by the nursing staff. The song they chose was the poem “All Things Bright and Beautiful” from Alexander’s Hymns For Little Children;
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
 |
| Group photo of volunteers |
That night we were invited by Gora (the man, the legend) to his family celebrations of Kali Puja/Diwali (Kali Puja is the feast day of the god Kali and Diwali is the festival of lights – depending on who your personal god is either Kali Puja or Diwali is celebrated). So off the 14 volunteers trooped, to what we thought would be a small, low key party in someone’s house or flat.
 |
| Live music in front of Kali's alter |
Eh No… We arrived to a party, so big that the crowed had spilled onto the streets, with passer-by’s stopped, looking in the windows. We met Gora’s cousin Raja who had organised the puja party and he brought us through to where the band was playing. We sat, mesmerised at the band who were a funky Indian group, sang upbeat songs that were obviously devoted to Kali. It was very intense and very enjoyable. After a while people got up and started dancing and one by one we were pulled onto the dance floor and made dance. What started off as awkward shuffling (it wasn’t Havana Browns on a Saturday night) ended up with us shaking the hips and really getting into it. This was all part of the ceremony to Kali, the dancing and burning of incense and food offerings before immersing Kali in the Ganges.
 |
Elaine finding the eye burning
smoke less appealing than others |
So we danced. And danced. And danced! We danced till we were bordering on dehydration. Then they lit the bowls of incense and danced around the room with them. It stung the eyes something awful so we had decided to make our exit to fresh air when they passed the bowl to Patrick and we had to dance all over again while Patrick shook his arse around the room. We made our escape to the roof where we chatted and watched the fireworks for about an hour, when we got word that the immersion was about to start so we filed down the stairs and out into the street where a crowd had gathered around the idol Kali who had been moved from her place of honour on the altar to the back of an open bed truck to be taken to the Ganges.
 |
| Patrick getting in with the natives! |
So we danced. And danced. And danced! We danced till we were bordering on dehydration. Yes I know that’s repetitious of me but it’s what we did. The truck drove at about 5km an hour and we danced behind it for about 4km while the people on the truck passed out sparklers and set off fireworks. This was about half 1 in the morning but people didn’t seem to mind the noise levels – Hey it’s Diwali! We danced so much that at one stage I honestly forgot how to walk normally without some sort of jiggle going on.
 |
| Dancing in the streets (with Gora leading the celebrations) |
About an hour of dancing later we all piled onto the back of the truck (about 20 of us) and headed to the nearest tributary of the Ganges. After about 3 solid hours of dancing, going 30km an hour on the back of a truck in the cool of night was heavenly. Except for when we had to go over a set of speed bumps which left some bruises. We reach the Ganges, where we wait for more prayers – thankfully there was a chai man set up so we waited in relative comfort with cups of sugar laced tea. The stillness of the river was a well needed contrast to the madness of the previous hours.
 |
One of a number of
different spellings for Diwali |
Kali is ready to be immersed. She is lifted down by about 8 men and bought to the river mouth, turned several times before immersed in the water and pushed out to sea. We break into applause which soon turns to shrieks as the men start to ‘bless’ us with holy Ganges water. To those who may not be familiar with the Ganges hygiene statistics I’ll enlighten you – water that is safe for bathing should have less than 500 faecal coliform bacteria in every litre of water. Samples show that the Ganges has 1.5 million. So blessed us is right but seeing as I have lived to tell the tale, I’m going to chalk it up to experience.
It’s now after 3 and we’re all wrecked after our day so we head back to where the party began (20 of us in the truck again, but this time we’re minus Kali so it’s more comfortable) to get taxis to our leabas. We get there and are about to get into the taxi when we’re asked the best question that can be asked at 3:20am – are you hungry?? Of course we are! We’re invited to the final section of the night – the dinner. Rice, dal, pompodoms, potato curry and mutton curry - . It was quite possibly the nicest meal I’ve ever eaten. We ate till we were fit to burst, thanked our hosts, got in a taxi and hit the hay. It will need to be one hell of a trip if if anything is going to top that night.
Elaine (7th of November 2010)
No comments:
Post a Comment