I am exhausted! This weekend was the anniversary celebration for the local Gurudwara (Sikh temple). I went Friday night and did Seewa (selfless service). I helped to prepare and serv dinner, which is offered to all who show up. For meals in the Gurudwara, people of all social ranks (and formerly castes) sit together on the floor to eat.

On Saturday morning I got up early so I could make the 30 min. trek to the Gurudwara by 8. I spent the morning helping in the kitchen (peeling carrots, radishes and potatoes), and then serving lunch. At the end of lunch I was recruited to be the photographer for a group of bangra (Punjabi dance) dancers who had come all the way from the Punjab. They were lots of fun, and I got to watch them getting their costumes on.
Next came a parade through town to take the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book) through town to the other Gurudwara. The procession consisted of a very loud band (in which brass instruments and drums seemed to compete with their own sound system), the bangra group (who were amazing!), a group which danced and fought with weapons, mounted flag bearers…
At every turn thre were people giving away chai and prasad (food offerings). It was certainly the slowest parade I ever saw. Every 100 ft or so, groups would stop to perform, give Prasad, etc. It took three hours to get to the end of Landour (about 1.5 km). By then it was 6 PM and they had 3 km to go. I decided to bid my friends farewell, and head up to my hotel.
Sunday I again made the early trek down to work. This time I only worked for a couple of hours, and then dragged myself home. As I told a friend here, it is work that is good for the soul, but hard on the body. So, I’m happy but tired!