Suni's Gujarat village chanted 'Har Har Mahadev' on splash

Wed, 19 March 2025

09:40

It was Diwali and Holi at Sunita Williams' village

Residents of NASA astronaut Sunita Willaims' ancestral village in Gujarat's Mehsana district burst into celebrations on Wednesday morning as a SpaceX capsule carrying her and her colleague Butch Wilmore splashed down off the Florida coast.

All eyes were on Willaims' safe return as those in Jhulasan gathered at a village temple to view the event live on a television screen. As soon as she landed, residents celebrated the moment by bursting firecrackers, dancing and chanting Har Har Mahadev'.

Williams has been in the thoughts and prayers of the villagers, who were eagerly awaiting her safe return. Even as Willaims was on her way back, the villagers gathered at the temple performed yagna' and offered prayers.

They said they have been performing yagna and have lit up Akhand Jyot' (eternal flame) on the premises for her safe return. Jhulasan, known as the ancestral home of Williams' father Deepak Pandya, was alive with excitement ever since the news of her proposed return, after a delayed stay at the International Space Station (ISS) around nine months ago, trickled in.

Navin Pandya, her cousin, said that the villagers have been praying for her safety, taking care of the 'Akhand Jyot,' the eternal flame that was lit up for her safe return soon after she went to space over nine months ago. He said the villagers have planned a grand procession in her honour, accompanied by prayer chanting and fireworks to create a festive atmosphere similar to Diwali and Holi. -- PTI

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