Town and Country
Today was the start of Ganpati, a ten day celebration of the God Ganesh. Giant Ganesh statues are everywhere, being carted or trucked around with a band and dancing entourage. At night these groups fanned out into the neighborhoods and the men danced and threw colored powder over everything and everyone (except Ganesh). In ten days, at the end of this festival, everyone will gather in the city center to dance. It should be a grand ear-splitting time.A few days ago I visited Rupala, the shantytown village near the college. There everyone has animals, be it goats, buffalo, chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats, or parrots, and women go the the ancient well, next to the 500-year-old Hindu temple, to gather water. It’s a stark contrast only a few kilometers apart.
