After a full day of carrying sand and stones up the hill to the village pipal tree, our Japanese students postponed their bath and dinner to climb the hill once more for bhajans with our local ladies. The only word to describe the Batwadi Bhajan Band is “ecstatic”. They love any excuse to sing and welcome anyone to join in. I will devote a separate post to them in the future, tonight was all about the Japanese.

To my surprise, the students came prepared to lead several bhajans, probably practiced on the long bus ride here. The sang Amma Amma Taye, Om Namah Sivaya, and Hari Bol. Soon the instruments were passed to them as well. That freed two Batwadi ladies to start their ecstatic dance. Again the Japanese joined in to the delight of the huge crowd of several hundred that had gathered by this time. The dance finally ended with chants of Jai, Jai, Jai!

A final Om Lokah to ground them, they were off to bath, food, and bed.

– Scotti