Mehsana: Residents hailing from Jhulasan village, located in Gujarat's Mehsana district, emotionally erupted in jubilation early this Wednesday morning, marking a phenomenal occasion that was his successful return from a space mission by NASA astronaut Sunita Williams. The Celebratios was conducted as the astronaut swooped into the Florida coast of America after a successful splashdown of her SpaceX capsule at the end of a long delayed mission aboard the International Space States.
The celebration came off soon with firecrackers, dancing, and chants of "Har Har Mahadev", after the news about her triumphant return trickled into the little temple where dozens of villagers had entered for an event to live-view the respiring historic moment on a television screen.
Sunita Williams had hitched thoughts and prayers from the largely resident-audience, who awaited eagerly for her safe homecoming after the extended mission owing to a technical glitch. And since Williams left, the villagers have been offering special prayers regularly and lighting the 'a khand jyot' (eternal flame) in the temple as a demonstration of their desire for her safe and successful journey and return.
Navin Pandya, Williams' cousin, said that the villagers now kept the flame burning for her safe return. Now, it would be ready to do a grand procession through the village.
Students will be leading a vibrant procession carrying the photograph of Williams from the village school to the temple. On the way, prayers will be recited, crackers will be burst and finally, the eternal flame will be doused in scale with temple as part of the closure ceremony.
Williams has paid at least three visits to India after her missions into space in each of the years 2007 and 2013. She was also feted with the Padma Bhushan in 2008. Deepak Pandya, her father, hails from Jhulasan, and the villagers await her next visit. More than anything, this is an evidence of the pride and admiration for Williams' remarkable accomplishments in their minds.
[Source Credit: NDTV]
