Week Ending 21 October 2018

We had a quiet week between our trips to Pune and Nagpur.  It was nice to catch up on our public affairs projects and callings in the Malviya Nagar Ward.

I had a chance to do some Indian cooking which for me, takes some time.  I made chana dal (chickpeas) and baingan bharta (eggplant).

We tried the bingsu at a new Korean bakery/sweet shop in Prya Market near our apartment.

On Monday, October 15 we flew to Nagpur and then drove to the village of Totladoh to attend the closing ceremony for a water project that LDS Charities undertook with the National Council of Churches in India.  This reservoir and a bore well were dug to provide water for the village.

Here are some of the assembled villagers and Wendy Keeler (front left), a Church photographer missionary who came in from Mumbi to meet us.  Her home is Spring, Texas, outside of Houston.

After the ceremony in Totladoh, the three of us drove three hours south to the Tadoba National Park to find tigers.

Over the next two days we took four safaris into the Park and saw all kinds of wildlife including  sloth bears, a leopard, crocodiles, many types of deer, monkeys, and several gaur or Indian bison, the largest bovines in the world.

This sloth bear was shy.  When he realized we were watching him, we went back into the jungle.

Of course, we saw tigers too.  This female cub was relaxing in a dry stream bed.  

Her brother was hiding in the jungle further up the road.  

This pregnant female was on the hunt and followed our jeep for about a hundred yards.

We returned to Delhi on Thursday morning.  Friday night we attended the burning of effigies for the festival of Dusshera which celebrates the victory of Ram over the wicked King Ravana, pictured here in the center flanked by his brother and son.

After dousing the firecracker-filled effigies with gas they are set on fire.

  

The burning of the representations of Ravana and his kin represents the triumph of good over evil.  The culmination of the festivals comes in 20 days with Diwali which celebrates the accession of Ram to his rightful place on the throne.  

Saturday was a Stake Primary activity day.  Our amazing Primary president rounded up five of the children and brought them to the Stake Center.  They had a good time doing crafts, playing games, learning about the Gospel and eating.  Here they are, from left to right:  Aman, Vivek, Neha, Drhuve, and Elias.

Beautiful, beautiful people!

After the activity all six loaded into an auto and went back to Malviya Nagar.