...Pota - what a celebration..

So today is not only stories about workers and there lifes, today there is also a story about celebration, a celebration that was in September, but when the women in this community found out Susanne and i were coming, they waited till now to celebrate so we could be part of it.. the celebration we are about to witness is call "Puja" which is something leading up to the yearly Diwali (celebration of lights, more about this next week - when it is actually celebrated..), so the celebration of Puja is something in the direction of worthshipping the Goddess Lakshmi and she in return will bless you with wealth, and it works something like this, you have to paint, or add colors on any tool or equipment you use for your work, then a small little alter is prepared, with fruits, rice, some sweets, lights with and without smell  - after that, they do some prayers, funny enough this is something that Kumar is really use to, so he is fast in making it look wonderful, you can see how passionate he is about this, i am sure he wants to make an impression on all of the women that have shown up to share this celebration with us.. - i think he is enjoying being centre of attention, and to be honest i am enjoying the rest from being the centre a lot, i am actually enjoying myself so much with having Kumar ordering the women aside so he can prepare it for them, as he believes that the man has a strong role to play in this.. one thing you might recall from previous postings is that, in the slum, the men arent really playing a very strong role - they are not very active, and all in all they are not really being to much of what we would categorize as a "man" .. so the ladies are very impressed with Kumar stepping up to his responsibility as a man, showing them what a really Indian man should act and be like.. after Kumar and the women are done with all the preparations, we are offered small bags that contains rice, fruits and some sweets, we sit for sometime, eat, talk and just relax, at this moment we could be anywhere in the world, we are enjoying this special moment - and not once does it reach my mind that we are sitting in the middle of the Indian slum, strange isnt it - that with the right people, with the right atmosphere, it doesnt matter where you are.. slum or no slum... its all about making the most out of each moment, this is what India has taught me already .. a lesson i hope never to forget .. - and now we are off for lunch and then meeting with the youth community, i can tell already now, it will be a great evening ...