Daphne Beale reports on the Twinning Association Link with
Bhavnagar in the Indian state of Gujarat.
The Link continued with a visit of 6 people to Bhavnagar for 2 weeks
in December-January. This is the best time of year to go as we had
unbroken sunshine but it was not too hot or humid to enjoy going out
and about. Later it gets very hot and monsoon time makes travel very
difficult. The party that went this year was Rev David Featonby, his
son Chris, Tony and Dilys Payne, Nimu Vadher and Daphne Beale. We
spent about 10 days in Bhavnagar before moving on to Ahmedabad and
did a mixture of renewing contacts and sight seeing.
Central to our visit was our link with the Church of North India
in Bhavnagar. We attended 2 services on successive Sundays and spent
time talking to members and friends. We also visited two of their
linked village churches in Ghogha and Vallespur. Each of the pastors
of these churches had a different role, as the concerns were very
different.
In Bhavnagar there is much work to do supporting women,
particularly widows who still have a very bad time, and trying to
encourage young people to be more involved. They had a New Year
sports event that brought in children who thoroughly enjoyed the
various races, including the egg and spoon and sack races! Poverty
is a real issue in the town and the church is involved in looking
after those who need help. As on previous visits we spent time with
Shaishav, a childrenŐs project concerned to encourage youngsters
into school rather than working. This needs cooperation and
understanding from the parents! They have a variety of projects in
different areas, which include evening classes for children so they
can learn in a fun way, a savings bank and work with the state
schools to improve the level of education. While we were there they
had a kite flying festival for the children to enjoy. Our church is
planning to pack a parcel of things they need to send to them.
We also joined in a celebration at the deaf school and visited a
factory that deliberately employs disabled people, particularly
those who are deaf. The Guest House was set in another project,
again with an emphasis on children, and we spent time looking at all
the work they do.
We talked for some time with the Mayor in a more relaxed way in
his house this time. He is a businessman rather than a politician
even though he belongs to the BJP. He talked with us about the plans
for Ghogha and also about his aim to get good water to as many
people in Bhavnagar as possible. New estates include a water supply
but many of the poorer areas are hard to reach. Where we stayed most
people who lived in the grounds relied on well water for their needs
although the Guest House had running water pumped up to it.
Our sightseeing included a visit to the Bor Talav Lake,
Takhteshwar temple, the huge new Swaminarayan temple and an Adivasi
Craft Fair in Bhavnagar. We also went on a longish trip into the
hills to visit Jain temples at Hastagiri and Palitana. Absolutely
fantastic!
We had hoped to visit the Maharaja of Bhavnagar but he was
unfortunately called away. That would have been a first, but maybe
next year!
We have occasionally had folk from Bhavnagar visiting us in
Loughborough but because of the difference in cost of living we
usually need to help towards their airfares. We have no grants to
support this so it mainly relies on interested folk to help out.
However the Link can still give people from Loughborough a chance to
experience life in India and to meet ordinary people there who are
doing so much for their communities. Long may it continue.
Contact Daphne Beale, 1 Burfield Avenue, Loughborough, LE11
3AZ, 01509 261688 Email: daphneb@fish.co.uk.
Edited and published on behalf of Loughborough
Twinning Association by David Walker, 337 Beacon Road, Loughborough
LE11 2RA
