The village of Manakpur

A slow start to the day this morning, managed to get Monday’s post sort of completed with adding pictures, still working on the Rock Garden album.

We were organized to go for a walk to the village this morning at 7am but a certain person who I shall not name didn’t wake til much later, and it wasn’t me!

So we headed off to the studio after breakfast and started work on a design for a series of lamps for around the gardens.

Chris was doing some blindfolded throwing which was videoed while Anamika and I created a template after much discussion and miscommunications but we got there in the end. I am hoping Anamika took some pics that she can send to me and I will add them. 

Template for outdoor lamp

After rolling a large slab of clay we cut the shape and started the drying process. 

After lunch we started to shape our lamp but soon realized that we had mistimed the drying and it split, but the good news was we had a look at what was happening and decided to do it in two pieces rather than one to make it easier. The double curves are going to be a bit of a pain.

So after that we revised our template and then headed out for a walk to the village of Manakpur around a kilometer up the road.

The village has a population of around 3000. 

We entered into the Dargh Sharif Muslim mosque after donning headscarves and removing footwear. Was a very old mosque and has been used as a backdrop for many Bollywood films.

Quite dark but rather awesome. A peaceful place for sure.

We then wandered around the village heading for the Guru Dwara Sikh Temple and managed to find it after many twists and turns. There was some sort of celebration happening across the street with very loud prayers, songs and music.

Wandering the streets

We were guided inside after donning skull caps and removing footwear.  The temple was very different being much more open and airy. Again the feeling of peace and tranquility was very present. As we went to leave we were offered Kara Parshad, a sweet which is offered to all visitors and is understood and experienced as a blessing from the Guru and should not be refused. it was very sweet and enjoyable. 

As we left the temple

Guru Dwara Sikh Temple

there were a group of youngsters one of whom was asking me a question. Luckily Anamika was able to translate. The young lad wanted to know what country we were from so it was New Zealand and England. They went away smiling after I asked for his name, introduced myself and shook his hand and those of all the other young boys present.

It was an interesting walk. Manakpur is an agricultural village with a lot of cows that are raised and fed in the courtyards of the homes

as many cannot afford to either buy or lease land for grazing as there is a huge demand for food production and so pretty much all available land is cropped, rice and sugar cane being very common in this area.

As we got back to the outskirts of the village it was apparent that school was out for the day, Manakpur has a large school on the outskirts.

The bus arrived heralded by the ubiquitous horn honking and there were 2 autos there to take the children home to other villages. There was one for girls and one for boys and were they crammed full of children!

On the way back we passed some interesting transportations.

and got a wonderful wave and smile from a motorcyclist that I had waved to the day before.

There was an interesting object on the side of the road so being me I went over to have a look and low and behold a shed snake skin.

Now whether it had been picked up earlier by someone and put in the bag, or had used the bag as assistance in shedding it’s skin, we couldn’t decide. We left it there anyway. It was the first time Anamika had seen a snake skin. 
Further up the road a motorcyclist stopped beside us and asked if we had enjoyed our visit to the village. Very much, dhanyavaad (thank you) 
So an interesting day and many more to come. I can see a number of days in the village in the weeks to come. 

आपका दिन शानदार गुजरे

aapaka din shaanadaar gujare

Have a great day