Nothing could compare to what happened yesterday. Yesterday was the biggest celebration of the 10-day long festival for Ganesh (you know, the elephantine god). He's a pretty big deal here in Maharashtra, and yesterday was apparently his birthday.

There was a huge celebration on Laxmi road, and all of us ACM students gathered at Allison's house to celebrate (since she lives off Laxmi). Music is blaring in the streets, and titanic floats of Ganesh cruse down them, followed by masses of people. So yesterday afternoon, we venture out into the parade. One guy stops us and says "hey, I recognize you from the paper!" We were in the local newspaper the otherday...this lady interviewed us on what we wanted to experience at this festival. He points to Nate and me and says "I recognize you guys...you all are celebrities of India!" Pretty cool, but that isn't the half of it.

People took notice of us during the parade. Some people who were a part of the parade ushered us into the center of the crowd, and before long hundreds of people are encircling us, watching just the few of us dance. Cameras flash and people smile. I must admit I was a bit shy. Some girls joined us...they grabed our hands and would churn some dance move and expect us to imitate. We were all really into it.

Everywhere we went, we kept getting surrounded. People would ask us our names, and where we were from. Smiling girls kept taking my hand and asking for me to dance with them. "What's your name" they woulds ask.. "Sydney? ohhh...are you enjoying our country? Do you like your experience here?" The answers were always the same "Yes, I love your country, and I am having a great time!"

Before long we were at the very front of the parade leading it! The trumpet players in purple uniform were all around us, and one man asked us to wave at the camera crew. I was kind of shy having so many people crowd around us, taking pictures. The young girls loved to dance with us, and the entire atmosphere was one festive whirl. If ever I or any of the others went to the side, someone would always grab our hands and pull us to the clearing of the center of the crowd to dance. Several times I crossed hands with a smiling local and spun in the center...which was a lot of fun! It was so weird having so much attention. But We all realized that they like knowing that foreigners are getting into their festival and enjoying themselves.

At night was ever better. It was so crowded in the streets. Drums were banging loudly, techno music blaring, fist pumping. Large Ganesh floats with strobe lights lit up the streets, and occasionally fire works went off. One person would yell out into the crowd "Ganpati Bapa!" and the entire crowd would yell back "Mordia!" Literally "Hail Lord Ganesh".

At night all the streets were blocked, and Laxmi was a burst of energy, beating drums, excitment, music and energy. The crowds were SOooo intense...it reminded me of the ingauration of our President. At some points we could not even move in the streets, everyone was so pressed together. At one point I really feared I would fall in the pressing crowd and get trampled...taking Garrett with me, but thankfully that didn't happen. None of us American students can fathem how this festival is half of what it usually is (the swine flu has made this year's festival half of what it usually is, according to everyone, but I don't see how it could have been any more corwded or lively.)

No doubt, this was one of the most interesting and unforgetables nights!