Seasons may change

Seasons in Bombay are full of rhythms, tastes, and rituals for its many inhabitants. Many different religious festival seasons overlap, the oil lanterns of the Jews at Chanukah reminders of neighboring Divali lights, the Dandiya dancers rhythmical merrymaking alongside the floats of Durga-Puja coinciding with the overflowing and noisy markets at the breaking of Ramadan fasts.

This week marked the beginning of a new season for the Hindu families in my building, with everyone greeting one another with special sweets made for this time of year, Ladus, or sticky sweet roundshaped teel sesame-seed clusters with assorted pista and badam nuts and other dried fruits found within . It is a season for women, married and unmarried, with simple flower-giving rituals and spiced (hot) milk drinks alongside traditional ceremonial orange and red tikka painting on ones' forehead.

Within the Indian Jewish community, winter here with its relatively cool nights, is the peak of the wedding season. In the last four weeks there have been five weddings and even more engagement ceremonies. Large outdoor fields around town are transformed into cloth covered halls, with elaborate wall hanging and gold covered chairs for the bride and groom, small lights covering the trees and fancy gates at the entrance of the man-made outdoor hall. Fireworks are set off above the heads of the guests as the newly married couple arrive, and the celebrations don't end until well after midnight. The guests at these functions often number in the thousands.

Winter here is also the season of guests and tourists. December brought with it several guests coming in for visits to friends and family. Along with several interesting conversations between myself and those who had grown up in Bombay but had been out of this country for decades, I met youth who had recently made Aliya to Israel. Meeting the aunts and uncles of people I work with here who are also ( now) foreigners in their own land gave me a glimpse into the past life of Bombay. "The Magen David synagogues was once painted a majestic bright yellow", moans an elderly Baghdadi Indian Jew who nows resides in Israel, but remembers precisely where his kindergarden was located in the Byculla neighboorhood. Meeting him, and other Indians who have picked up Hebrew, has given me insights into the trials and tribulations these people face not only when they move abroad, but also when they come back.

Non-Indian Foreign Visitor season was also in full swing at my office this January. Five different delegations from around the States came to visit Bombay and meet with the India Jewish community. Strange and Satisfying to now confidently be able to explain and describe the Jewish community here and also answer questions, both for our guests here in India and also for the Indian kids and youth who are curious about these visitors. I once again see the city with new eyes, traveling around with the delegation from State-side. The city takes on a different look, sparkeling, crowded and exotic on an airconditioned coach bus. How different the city looks from on high, where the dust and heat, the noises and smells, cannot enter. How different the hot winter season in Bombay from the crisp sunshine refelcting over dry powdery snow back home...