it's Vetoba jatra in Aravali and spirits are high. let's celebrate
thousands of people gather midday and the street is lined with merchants
outside the temple the queue of devotees is long, very long. they are patiently waiting for their turn to perform the auspicious darshan and offerings. due to the size of the crowd the ritual time for each individual or family is kept to a bare minimum but that is of no concern. it's a matter of devotion, identity, privilege, duty, culture and much more all mixed together that makes this an event not to be missed. so Hindus gather from far and wide. but the festival is open to all, including tourists and non-Hindus.
after darshan and offerings are made, prasad is given and the temple provides a delicious and filling sattvic meal. feeding such a large gathering is an impressive feat in itself. but before joining the queue i want to take a look around the temple grounds and the bustling street. it being lunchtime now, maybe the queue will be shorter a little later
back on the street, of course there are vendors with bananas. they are one of the primary articles offered to Vetoba and a sure bet to attract customers
but there is a huge variety of items for sale
it is considered auspicious to buy things at festivals so money is much looser than usual
everybody is in a good mood
and there is money to be made
but the temple committee's table is where the real money comes in
there is no getting around the business aspect of temples. though there are plenty of expenses a well-managed temple runs a significant profit and acquires substantial wealth, some of which is used to provide community services
after dark the crowd surges. It's cooler and the workday is finished so more people have the opportunity to attend
and again the queue swells
new merchants appear with their wares. these are rangoli screens
you can create wonderful designs just by spreading some stone powder over the screen
but there is one thing about festivals, whether it is at a temple in India or a music festival in the west or likely huge gatherings anywhere. they do leave behind a big mess.
but let's get back to the business at hand
if you want to know more about this temple here is a good link:
https://www.aneelanike.com/2019/07/vetoba-king-of-ghosts.html
i took all these photos with my S22 phone. some have been edited with the free version of photoshop express