Namascar,
(See Wikipedia links for photos)
The festival of Rathyatra was celebrated on July 13th in Ahmedabad. Each year thousands of Hindi people flock to see a procession of painted and decorated elephants carry chariots with images of the gods along the main city streets. The day before, while visiting the SEWA women in the vegetable market (see previous blog entry), we were delighted to come upon the elephants being readied for their “big” day. About 8 elephants stood patiently as they were being painted with brightly colored designs. We saw the wooden canopied chariots where the statues of various gods would be placed. Due to the dangers of being out in the crowds, however, we were advised to avoid the actual festival, and departed early on the morning of the 13th to visit various sites outside of the city.
Our first stop was the Sun Temple at Modhera. It is a magnificent structure with a pond a ground level for feet washing, and steps to various levels with shrines, a main hall, and the sanctum sanctorum. While sitting and enjoying the beauty of the Sun Temple, I was asked to take a photograph for a group of five young American women working for World Camp, an NGO doing Aids education work in Ahmedabad. They too had left the city to avoid the Rathyatra crowds. They were full of enthusiasm not only for the work they do, but also for having some time to explore the cultural riches of Ahmedabad.
Next we visited the Rani-ki-Vav ( scroll down at Wikipedia) step well at Patan. The well is an ornate structure used to capture rain water in the arid state of Gujarat. Constructed by Queen Udayamati around 1050 AD, the actual tub that holds the water is at the base underground. Steps leading down to the water were used for community gatherings as well as worship at 800 shrines to various gods. Nearly 400 sculptures remain. Our guide explained that women were secluded from the men when the people gathered at the well.
Our final discovery on July 13th was the Patola weaving workshop in Patan. Here an intricate technique using hand-dyed silk on a loom has been developed by families in the area, who pass the skill from generation to generation. Saris and wall hangings woven in the Patola technique are quite expensive and have received worldwide recognition and awards. It may take 4-6 months to create one sari for a wealthy woman from Mumbai.
On Wednesday (July 14th) we spent the morning at the Centre for Environmental Education learning about the support this agency provides for developing instructional materials as well as training teachers in methods that support the education of India’s students about critical environmental issues. At many of the schools we have visited, we see posters and bulletin boards created by the children with slogans such as “Save Water” and “Plant Trees”. We were told that Ahmedabad is the most polluted city in India!
A highlight of the Fulbright-Hays Seminar for me was the excursion to the Sabarmati Ashram established along the banks of the Sabarmati River in 1917 by Mohandas K. Gandhi. Here Gandhiji developed the movement based on passive resistance that ultimately led to India’s Independence from Britain in 1947. In 1930, Gandhi and 78 supporters walked from the Ashram to the Indian Ocean (the Dandi March, about 241 miles) to protest the British Salt Law, which taxed Indian salt in an effort to promote sales of British salt in India. Gandhi never returned to the Ashram, having vowed to stay away until India had won its independence. The Ashram has been preserved so that it is easy to imagine Gandhi, his family, and his supporters living and working there to develop a self-sufficient community.
On Thursday, July 15th, we traveled to Pune, an IT hub, and center for educational, research and development institutions. I will write about our enlightening experiences in Pune next time!
Namascar!
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