It’s Sunday, school is closed, and under a cloudy sky, atmosphere is pervaded with the harmonious symphony of the several species of birds hiding among the leaves of the trees of this small green lung on the bank of the Ganges. Sunday is devoted to pottering in the garden and small repairs but is also a visit day for those who work and study during the week.

Five of the six guys sponsored by Harsha V. Singh and his wife Veena Jha

Monsoon arrived on July, 10, Maitreyee’s birthday. She is a friend’s daughter and, in these day, is visiting the ashram before going back to university.

Maitreyee blows out her birthday candles

While we were handing out sweets, a cake and some jelebis, typical Indian sweets, a car came from city Magistrate’s office and offered an extra snack to the whole school. Samosa, laddus, bananas and soft drinks for everybody. For the kids double helping of dainties! At home, for most of them, daily food is monotonous and poor.

The afternoon snack the Magistrate office sent

Monsoon is still weak and has given meager rains so far. When the sun breaks the clouds the heat gets intolerable and ground sends out a dense humidity that condenses on the skin. Vegetation would become lusty again but it has to wait until abundant rains have come.

A break in company

The arrival of the rains brings also a staggering increase in the insects and many of our kids come to school covered with shocking stings on their face and body. Their family conditions are very poor and sometimes serious tragedies such as ignorance, unemployment, alcoholism, drugs and delinquency add to this. Many of these children lost their mother or father. Generally they belong to  the most indigent social classes. When in the morning I am wandering in the classes I can’t resist the smile of these little imps who, as they are neglected at home, seem to want to steal some attention, a joke, a friendly and knowing look.

A group of little boys

School have begun since a couple of weeks but every day new children arrive to enroll. Now we have 339 pupils but they are probably going to increase. We give priority to those who lives in very bad conditions and to girls, usually neglected and penalized.

Tablas and armonioum teachers

In the afternoon the kids attending the various courses come, happy to spend some time in the place where practically they grew up and I must say that they are good at the various activities they do. Primary school kids rehearse and rehearse the dances they will presents for Gurupurnima. On Gurupurnima’s night, after the aarti, a professional company will present some episodes taken from Indian mythology. The show will last more than three hours. For our guests it will be a first-class entertainment!

Chandini with the guitar and keyboard teacher

The hospital has several daily visits because of seasonal illnesses, often very serious. Malaria, typhus, intestinal, viral or bacterial infections torment people, especially kids, during monsoon season.

Girls practicing

We are making preparation for Gurupurnima that will draw thousands of visitors. Two or three hundred people will also stay for the night. The ashram will be swarming with people. The most important celebration of the year will draw many Shri Aghoreshwar and Aghoris’ devotees coming from afar too. Maurizio is coming from Italy to celebrate this day with us.

From the banks of Ganges we wish You all a joyful Gurupurnima