Gujarat

THE FOLLOWING SHORT STORIES + SKETCHES WERE RECORDED DURING A ROUNDTRIP IN GUJARAT, INDIA IN 2017. PHILIP SCHAUFELBERGER TRAVELED WITH ME AND TOGETHER WE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE & CONTRIBUTE TO CHITRAKATHA 17 AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DESIGN IN AHMEDABAD.

ON AN EARLY MORNING TUK-TUK

RIDE I SEE PEOPLE SLEEPING ON SUSPENDED MATTRESSES

HAULING THEIR STUFF TO A MARKET SOMEPLACE, SOME OTHER PLACE

IN THE CITY. THE FLOWER MARKET

SUDDENLY IN AN OCEAN OF HONKS AND HORNS

white light

A CLOSE CALL, TRAFFIC WEAVES THROUGH THE BUSTLING

STREETS. SMALL FIRES ALONG THE WAYSIDE, LITTLE MOUNDS

OF DEBRIS. PUSHING THROUGH THE DARK

market

HELLO SIR, DO YOU SELL TOILET PAPER

HE NODS AND STROLLS TO THE BACK OF THE SHOP

AND PRESENTS HIS FINDINGS

NO WHAT I MEAN IS TOILET PAPER

OOH, TOILET PAPER!

(searches in the back)

TOILET PAPER

THANKS

ON THE BUSRIDE

TO PALITANA

N.K. AHIR INTRODUCES HIMSELF AS SECRETARY OF RAJKOT BANKERS RECREATION CLUB

HE KNOWS A LOT AND SO WE TALK ABOUT MANY THINGS

AFTER A WHILE, I ASK HIM ABOUT THE COWS

EVEN IN BIGGER TOWNS THEY ROAM THE STREETS UNHINDERED

THEY EAT AND SHIT WHERE THEY PLEASE

WHATS THE REASON YOU CONSIDER THEM HOLY I ASK

THEIR EYES HE SAYS

YOU HAVE TO LOOK INTO THEIR EYES

AND YOULL UNDERSTAND

(bird has landed)

GOIND TO SHATRUNJAYA HILL ITS 4:00 AM AND THE STREETS ARE DESERTED

SHATRUNJAYA CAN BE TRANSLATED TO A PLACE OF VICTORY AGAINST

INNER ENEMIES. AT THE FOOT OF THE HILL, A 3500-STEPS STAIRCASE STARTS,

LEADING UP TO THE TEMPLE. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT WE START EARLY SINCE

TEMPERATURES WILL BE SCORCHING HOT AFTER SUNRISE

SOME LOCALS WITH A LITTER FOLLOW ME, BETTING THAT I WONT MAKE IT

TO THE TOP. PHILIPP IS WALKING WAY AHEAD OF ME

THERES NO WATER ALLOWED ON THE HILL AND YOU CANT SPEND THE NIGHT

(arrived at the temple)

SINCE WE DONT HAVE MANY THINGS TO OFFER

WE BUY A PRESENT, A BOX OF CHOCOLATE

AS USUAL, PHILIP IS CONFIDENT

LATER WE ARRIVE AT SEKHARS APPARTMENT. HES HOSTING TONIGHTS DINNER.

WERE TALKING ABOUT ATTEMPTS TO KEEP OLD KNOWLEDGE ALIVE, AYURVEDA FOR INSTANT

THE ATMOSPHERE IS FESTIVE & SPECIAL WITH ALL THE DIYAS

VIJAY SHOWS US HOW HE LAYERS THE INGREDIENTS OF THE BIRYANI AND SEALS THE POT WITH A DHOSA

DELICIOUS FOOD. ABILASH ENTERTAINS US WITH A STORY ABOUT HIS AUNT FAINTING

BECAUSE OF HIM... (they put chemicals on my face)

AFTER DINNER WE GO TO THE ROOFTOP. WE HEAR IT BEFORE WE

SEE IT: THE WHOLE CITY IS LIGHTING UP THE SKY

THE MAYHEM WILL CONTINUE FOR TWO DAYS, INTO INDIAN NEW YEAR

THE BIRDS ARE ALL SPOOKED

AND SUN IS FLINCHING EACH TIME A ROCKET BLOWS UP

AND THE AIR IS FILLING UP WITH SMOKE

AFTER SOME ICECREAM WE HEAD OUT FOR A WALK AROUND THE CAMPUS

WITH ALL THE NOISE, IT FEELS AS IF THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE CAMPUS

IS NOT AS FAR AWAY AS USUAL

AS WE APPROACH THE BASKETBALL-COURT I SEE SOME

STUDENTS SITTING IN THE DARK, STARING

I TRIP OVER A CANDLE

WE WALK ON IN SILENCE AND I FEEL A BIT FOREIGN

OVER ON THE PARKING AREA, SOME DOGS JOIN US

ABONTI KNOWS ALL OF THESE DOGS, SAYS SUDHANYA

THEY ARE PROBABLY SPOOKED BY THE FIREWORKS (they are probably spooked by the fireworks, rights?)

ABONTIS REASSURING WORDS GUIDE US TO THE GUESTHOUSE (no they wont bite! except maybe the black one)

THE FIREWORKS KEEP ON BLOWING UP THROUGH THE NIGHT

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Thank you: Sekhar Mukherjee and Chitrakatha ’17 with it’s many collaborators and students,
all of NID Ahmedabad, the people of Gujarat, Maitree Dasgupta from Swissnex India
and of course Philip Schaufelberger

December 2017