12/21 Buses with Personality

Today was the result and report card Assembly.  Everyone is nicely dressed up.  Siddarth looking smart and Mitali in a beautiful blue (maybe it was green;)) Salwar Kameez.  Siddarth, Mitali and I line up in front of the temple and the kids line up as they do every morning for Assembly.  Bhola takes pictures.  Even though I have only been with these kids for two weeks, I feel so excited when Sumaniti gets first in class and so very sad when Krishna fails - just to name a few.  Only seven women and one father attend.  Mitali says this could be because it is a market day.   We have a special lunch of black eyed peas, rice and daal.  Siddarth can tell that I really like them and continues to fill my plate.  This will be the last meal until Calcutta so I guess it’s a good idea to fill up:)  The afternoon is spent chatting and packing.  I take another walk and shower.  By the way, I was very intimidated by bucket showers but after the first few awkward attempts they are quite lovely.  Suman heats up a large bowl of water everyday after lunch.  So the shower is warm but invigorating.  I even manage to get a bit clean! Six of us pile into Bhola’s little taxi (Just a little bigger then my Mom's trunk btw;)) headed to Godda to catch the bus.  On Saturday’s trip, I noticed that certain villages seemed to be making baskets others pottery.  One village in particular was making beautiful bamboo baskets.  Siddarth says that years ago the villages did specialize but for various reasons the specialization has blurred. More on this later. The bus station is total chaos and I’m very grateful to have friends to rely on. Some of the buses are totally decked out with colored neon flashing lights.  They all have multiple pictures of gods, goddesses, and guru's on the front dash.  Myrrh is burnt to keep away the mosquitoes.  Mitali and I take the two front seats.  I get the window to enjoy the view at dusk.  Ends up they usually play a movie or two around midnight!  However, they are usually more masculine and violent.   Siddarth and Mitali are both happily surprised though when they play some beautiful Hindi music instead of the usual piercing pop.  I get lost in days dreams or dusk dreams until it is too dark to see anything.   Ends up Siddarth has asked the conductor if he will play a movie with Hrithik, Abhishek or Ajay!  They don’t have any, but will buy some at the next stop.  Lovely!  So around 11p they put in Zameen with Abhishek and Ajay.  It’s a good movie but keeps poor Mitali up.  I tried to sleep after wards but just couldn’t. Arriving in Calcutta, we cross over the Vidyasgar Setu bridge.  Very exciting as it was in one of my favorite movies Yuva.  Also with Abhishek and Ajay.  Okay enough Bollywood;)  By the time we get to Mitali’s, I’m really awake but can’t do anything or go anywhere for a few hours so read and watch the news with Siddarth. Interesting note on Indian politics:  Gujurat is the first Indian state today to pass a law requiring mandatory voting!