when strangers show you their world
A TRAVEL STORY
There are two stories to this collection of photographs. One is that of the Thira Festival, a spiritual ceremony performed. The other story is of the kindness of strangers.
There are two stories to this picture. One is that of the Thira Festival, a spiritual ceremony performed. The other story is of the kindness of strangers. The magic in this moment began during a bus stop for dinner while my boyfriend Jamie and I were travelling in India. We had just arrived in the country and didn’t even have a menu to point to for food. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and lost, we were soon rescued by an enthusiastic group of journalism students who were on the same bus as us. They invited us to join them for dinner, and began to discuss the Thira Festival, which they were travelling to observe at one of their family temples. Rather than only hitting up the routine tourist hotspots, Jamie and I love to experience a new place and culture as close to the eyes of a local as possible. I shared this with our dinner companions, and they generously offered to share their world with us.
We got off the bus with the group, following a gut feeling, at 2:00 am, a full 5 hours earlier than we had originally intended. We received a warm welcome from our new friend’s family and everyone went out of their way to be sure we were comfortable.
The next morning was a special morning. Amma, the mother of the house, and my new friend Athira dressed me in a traditional Kerala saree. The women paid close attention to details, taking time to pick out a colour to suit my fair complexion, then folding and pinning the saree in a meticulous fashion to ensure I looked my best.
We spent some time in different family temples being shown how to dress and proceed in the temple as a man and woman.
After an amazing homemade meal by Amma, we squished into a car to head to the top of a mountain. Once again they were more concerned about our comfort than their own showing the kindest hospitality. It was a beautiful drive filled with stories and facts about their home, delicious snack stops (they did the ordering of course) and lots of chai.
I expected the Festival to be public and celebrated on the street. After driving up a mountain I was surprised when we arrived at another family home. Past the house, down a path into the forest, we came upon a clearing. This was area was another temple and the Thira Festival was already in full effect. We were immediately greeted with warmth and hospitality. Elder women greeted me with smiles and offered me their seats. The feeling of community around us was consuming and electric. In the clearing a goddess was performing a story. Although I couldn’t understand everything, the deep feeling of devotion, faith and art was undeniable. I later had my future read to me by the Goddess, she spoke of a powerful fortune that was very personal to me. The environment of the moment was profound and I cried with happiness and gratitude.
The group we met had a saying; “adhithi deco bhava” which means “give your guests the same respect as god”. This is how our new friends treated us and certainly how they made us feel.
Our time in India began with an intimate experience holiness and community. It is a memory I cherish deeply, and a lesson I will carry on as I continue to travel and experience the world.
