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Sunday, 19 April 2020

An Outdoor Festival In Winter In a Cold Climate

In Ayodhya, a city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, as I was walking in a fair during Dussera, a festival commemorating the death of the demon Ravana, I could see a humongous model of the demon in the middle, ready to get burnt. Around it were hundreds of stalls selling sweets, savouries, wooden toys, cloths etc. The place was covered with a mild blanket of mist. I could hear people chattering like a mob of sparrows as they walked, along with the playing of devotional songs and the sizzling of edible oil. I could sense the damp smell of the mist mixed with the aroma of oil and sweets. The cold air was poking my skin as I walked and I shivered as if in a deadly chill. As I was feeling as cold as a dog's nose, I had a cup of hot milk which tasted delicious. Finally, a man dressed up as Lord Rama, the slayer of demon Ravana shot a glaring arrow at the model of the demon, which sizzled to the ground like a bundle of burning grass. I felt relieved as I smelled the smoke and felt the cozy warmth of the fire.

Finally, I experienced a boost of energy as the people around shouted, 'Jay Sri Ram'.


In The Theme Park


When I got my ticket for the fair punched, a wave of excitement went up my heart. As I entered the theme park, I could see so many rides and activities, which made me indecisive about what to engage in first. I could see a roller coaster whizzing on a track with people raising their hands and screaming with thrill. 

The smell of chaat sizzled my nose as I walked past a stall selling it. I was tempted to try something. So, I had a plate of sev puri; I never tasted anything like it before. The sev puri seemed to give me an adrenaline push, so I rushed to the roller coaster. I could hear myself and the other riders in the roller coaster scream to the top of lungs as the wheels on the roller coaster clattered with the tracks. 


Later, exhausted, I drank some sugarcane juice which tasted awesome and helped me regain my pulse. As I noticed around me, everyone was chitchatting and rushing past me, like it happens in the railway station. I felt like I was listening to music as the people chatted along. 

Next, I saw a board which said, 'The Alien Tunnel'. When I went inside, I tried to touch a rock, but my hand went through it, I got frightened. My friendly and humorous guide explained that it was virtual reality. Throughout the trip acorss the tunnel, I felt like I was lost in an entirely different planet outside the solar system. Different rock forms through which hands pass, gosh! 

As I got out from the tunnel, I decided to have my lunch, so I went to the foodcourt. I ordered a bowl of vegetarian fried rice with gobi machurian, cooked ans served joyfully by the chef, who understood my tastes. Finally, I got back home, exhausted. I will never forget this day in the fair, though I participated very little.