The Hues of Gujarat .

- Meera gasped, but before she could digest it, the saree began to fly like Aladdin's magical carpet!

- Janushi Raichura

M eera had just moved to Gujarat and was entirely new to the culture. For months leading up to the move, she had wondered what the state was like and what kind of things she would experience. She felt scared and out of place in the new state.

One day, when she was unpacking her grandmother's bags, she discovered a beautiful red bandhani tie-and-dye saree. The saree was folded neatly, just like the other clothes, and between the layers was a black-and-white photograph of her grandmother wearing that saree in a Gujarati fashion.

In awe, she opened the saree to examine the borders when suddenly, the saree began to unfold on itself! Soon, it was lying flat on the floor, and it had managed to sneak its way beneath Meera's feet. Meera gasped, but before she could digest it, the saree began to fly like Aladdin's magical carpet!

"Whoa…" she muttered, and soon, the saree began to wrap in rolls around her before rotating. She felt like she was inside a washing machine! When the motion stopped, the saree uncurled, and Meera found herself floating in the night sky over a group of people dancing loudly, wearing chaniya-cholis.

Navratri, they were celebrating Navratri!

Meera watched in fascination as they danced like there was no tomorrow! The energy they carried was different from anything she'd ever seen! It was as if the only thing they cared about was dancing to the beats!

The saree began to rotate again, and this time, when it stopped spinning, Meera found herself over the bank of the holy river Narmada, lovingly called Reva. Hundreds of people were gathered, praying, muttering chants, and emptying the contents of brass vessels. The spirituality was so powerful that she could feel it in her heart.

The saree spun again and led her to Dwarka, the grand city established by Lord Krishna. It was nighttime, and they were over a water body with hundreds of diyas floating. She was awestruck by the beautiful sight. In the distance, she could see the Char Dham temple that people traveled thousands of kilometers to visit. She sent a small prayer just in time for the saree to start moving again.

This time, it was morning again. They were below a sky that didn't look like a sky at all! It looked like a majestic canvas with colorful kites adorning the sky. Uttarayan was the festival that people were celebrating. Loud music was playing, and people kept shouting 'Lapet...!' at the top of their lungs. As the saree kept flying, morning faded into night, and now, the sky was filled with beautiful Indian lanterns. People joyfully ate dinner on terraces, and some burst firecrackers.

The saree began to spin yet again, leading her to Saurashtra, the heart of Gujarat. Thousands of people covered the streets, and along with a hint of gulal, there were swords! The men engaged in mock battles in traditional attire, dancing with adrenaline Meera had never seen before! It was the most unique Holi celebration Meera had ever seen!

The beats of drums grew louder as the saree began to rotate, and she was high up in the sky under the burning sun, over the great white desert of Kutch. She had heard about it: the Rann Utsav. The desert was filled with tourists and camels, along with local people who wore traditional white attire to remain cool. As nightfall came, their attire changed. The temperature dropped so much that Meera began to shiver. The locals were dancing in front of an audience, performing folk dances near a bonfire. In the distance, there was a puppet show going on, and in another direction, there was a laser show narrating the story of an honorable Maharaja.

The saree spun again, taking her along the coast of the Arabian Sea, showing all the districts and their cultural beauty. By the time the saree dropped her back home, Meera was more than excited to stay in the state.

All she could do was wait as the festivals rolled by.

She folded up the saree neatly and placed the picture back before emptying the rest of the bag. Gujarat felt like home now. And she couldn't wait to live through all of its traditions!