Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

On a Sunday at a Hindu temple, I attended an elephant festival. Late in the day, these young men mounted an elephant, one of many fully decorated to take part in the ceremony. The handlers stood nearby as the air of festivity softened the heat, though the crowd was still swelling. As the elephants were being lined up, the mounts on each opened their tinkering umbrellas. They glinted in patches of filtered light. I noted the way the young men sat, particularly, the back one with his feet pulled up. Many participants were wearing the same outfits on this special day. So much to notice, to learn and to appreciate in India. Here I am in a rural area, in an unknown village, far from great landmarks visited by tourists, yet experiencing so much beauty in a small eye of a camera.