Today is day 14

We got the morning bus into Paldi (the main NID campus) and were supposed to be meeting one of the photography students who had said that they would take us to one of the markets in the old city.

She did not meet us. This seems to be happening to us a lot. It was not a problem though; Hannah and I went on a walk in search of the photography shop that was apparently near by.  Off we went – roughly following a map, we knew the “shopping centre” it was in, but the location of this centre was slightly less clear.  I use the term shopping centre loosely – my baby sister would be horrified at what their interpretation is.

The walk was an interesting one, as was the walk back to NID, we did not find the shop, but instead we were offered food by a rather hippie looking man, invited into the home of some women, the smallest girl in this group ran up and excitedly shook our hands. I learnt later that it is good luck for a white person to enter their home. We declined their invitation, Hannah was as red as a beetroot and we were both dripping in the midday heat. On the last stretch of road leading back to cold drinks and shade four young schoolboys cycled past, and promptly turned around when they saw us. It never stops amazing me how fascinated everyone seems to be with us!

Over a cold drink or three, we sat and chatted to a fellow photographer, Ishan, he informed us that if we did not go to the gerba that night, he would kill us. We got back on the bus to Gandhinagar for lunch and some shade. We had a short rest in our room, watching a bit of a film before we headed out to shoot. We are shooting across the road from campus, in the construction site.  We walked up the road and started having a look, taking a few photos when a man walks over and says: “The boss wants to see you.”

Hannah and I exchanged worried looks, we had just walked up the road, on to the site, there are no fences or anything…so in we went to the air conditioned office, water was given to us, and then Fanta, and six men sat staring at us.

The boss man walks in and asks us if we are doing a survey, we explain that we are students doing a photography project and we are told to help ourselves, walk around, come back whenever we like. We were even given a guided tour of the site!  We soon learnt that there are two hundred and fifty workers on the site, building fourteen apartment blocks, all based around a central garden. Of the two hundred and fifty workers, ten percent live onsite with their families, which meant that small kids were also running about on the site.

After our lucky meeting with the boss and permission to photograph the site as much as we liked we headed back to campus as the sun was setting. We had little time to shower an change as when we got to the foyer of the building we are staying in, the Durga Puja had started, the foyer was filled with smoke and incense, girls were having their feet painted red, chants echoed through room and drumming vibrated through the whole building.

We stayed and watched everyone praying, while the leader of the ceremony chanted, blessed and burnt more things. English Health and Safety would have had a field day.

We rushed upstairs to change and grab dinner before heading back into the city for the night’s festivities.

At first, Hannah and I danced the steps we knew from the previous nights, I managed to get it, and did a full circle (with a few mistakes, of course).  After a break I was convinced to learn the more complicated dance for the last night, which I am supposed to do with candles in my hands!

It took a while, but I eventually got the steps! Hannah did not join in, so I will have to teach her before tonight.

The night was great, Nitti, one of the girls from our campus, was extremely kind and invited Hannah and I to stay with her and her family for Diwali, in Delhi, we had planned to go to Delhi in our two extra weeks, but will now rearrange timings so that we can see a traditional family festival – with a family.

We got back to campus and collapsed into bed for a rather good night’s sleep!

It is Saturday morning, and I am uploading this in the sun, eating the best samosas ever – Hannah and I have both said that we will never be able to eat a samosa in England ever again.

Hope its not to cold or miserable in England!

Miss you guys!

C xxxxxx

A shopping centre.

This guy offered us food!

For Grandma - Us dancing!

Me attempting to dance!