Pilgrimage

We have had a simply amazing day, which began with a walking tour of the old walled city of Ahmedabad and continued with a fascinating visit to Gamthiwala, a purveyor of fabrics close to the Queen's Tomb. The Benetton like order of the tiny shop was turned to a jumbled chaos of colour as the most amazing array of shawls and fabrics were unfurled before us. Inevitably tea was served throughout and we eventually gathered up our purchases and headed for the Auto Rickshaws. Our afternoon concluded with a visit to the Step Well, one of those haunting, magical spaces that inhabit childhood dreams. The eerie beauty of the place was enhanced by the fading evening light.

However for me the highlight of the day was our visit to Ghandi's Ashram. I had been looking forward to it for weeks now and was delighted to see it on our first weekend's itinerary. Perhaps it was because I was still trying to absorb the wonders of this morning or because I was distracted by trying to choose an image from the hundreds of photographs I had taken already today as well as trying to choose a theme for today's blog, but for whatever reason I was completely unprepared for what happened when we stepped into the Mahatma's simple room at the Ashram. I found myself standing very still and choking back emotion , hoping that my colleagues would not notice that I was welling tears. 

So in the end, the image of the day chose itself, as did the closing words of this blog, which are from Ghandi's prayer:

Lord of humility, 
dwelling in the little pariah hut.
Help us to search for Thee throughout
that fair land watered by Ganges,
Brahmaputra, and Jamuna.
Give us receptiveness.
Give us openheartedness.
Give us Thy humility.
Give us the ability and willingness
to identify ourselves
with the masses of India.

O God!,
who does help only when man
feels utterly humble, grant that we
may not be isolated from the people.
We would serve as servants and friends.
Let us be embodiments of self-sacrifice,
embodiments of Godliness,
humility personified, that we may know
the land better and love it more.