Mission Update: India 2013 – Moving Like The Wind

January 22, 2013

Day 2 of the mission ended at 5:30 PM with a quick and chaotic ride to the beach for Dariyai (seashore) Uttarayan. Uttarayan occurs on the 14th or 15th of January when the sun begins to travel northward and rise earlier. Indians of all ages in the state of Gujarat celebrate Uttarayan with a festival of kites from dawn until dusk. On the first Sunday following the 14th, citizens of Khambhat gather at the seashore for Dariyai Uttarayan. Here you can see thousands of people, young and old, rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim, flying kites of all shapes, sizes and colors together in one place.

As the sun was setting bonfires of fallen kites started to appear all over the beach and fireworks were shot off in celebration. Sky lanterns were also being launched and littered the night like fireflies. Darkness fell upon us and the mass of humanity started working their way home so we followed suit returning to the guest house for a rooftop dinner before turning in for a well deserved rest.

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