Arrival, Thank You, and Follow Up

All bags retrieved, all connections made! Continue to check the blog for new posts which will reflect upon our experiences and also new pics of our last two days in Varanasi. To all: thanks for being a part of our journey and becoming a part of our story.
Team Kahani

Travel Update

We are here! At ORD and heading through customs. Thanks for being with us.
Team Kahani

Travel Update

Through security and waiting to depart Delhi.

Through Security in Varanasi

Friends,
We are through security in Varanasi and await our departure for Delhi.

Final Performance

Final Performance:  NIRMAN school in Betawar

Friends,
     Our final performance took place earlier today upon the NIRMAN campus in Betawar.  Betawar is a small rural village outside of Varanasi and the satellite campus for NIRMAN, teaching both younger students from surrounding villages, and older students who are not able to be taught at the downtown Varanasi location.  The NIRMAN campus at Betawar is a beautiful place, along the Ganges, and after our performance we had an opportunity to walk along the Ganga, and through the village of Betawar before departing for home at our downtown NIRMAN center.  We hope you will enjoy some of the pictures.
     Our moments today are bittersweet, as we pack our bags tonight and begin our two days of travel back to the states.  Many of us have connecting flights to various East and West coast destinations, and a 1 hour turn-around in Frankfurt should keep us on our toes (although the 9 hour layover in Delhi....?).
     We look forward to sharing more of our stories as we continue to post our reflections about our experiences upon the blog.  
     Thanks so much for being with us, and for being willing to share in our story...
Team Kahani

Old Traditions, New Friends

Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath

    

Dinner with new friends....

Friends,
     In the morning we traveled to Sarnath - on the outskirts of Varanasi - to visit one of the most religious sites in the world, where Buddha preached his first sermon to his five disciples.  The area contains many additional religious and archeological treasures and is a primary place of pilgrimage.  
     This evening, we enjoyed old traditions in another form, as we gathered together and shared a large meal with our Nirman friends.  It was wonderful for us to share with all the staff who have been so amazing to us during our stay - cooks, drivers, office workers, and other fantastic staff - as we were able to share  and enjoy the tradition of meal and conversation with one another.
     Big day tomorrow as we travel to Betawar to rehearse and prepare for our final performance of Kahani.  Thanks for being with us on our journey.....
Team Kahani

Coming Together: Second Performance at Raja Ghat Complete

Friends,
     We were reminded today of how special it is to be a part of this group.  This team.  This company.  These friends.  One of our team members down and unavailable to perform this evening due to illness, we understood at this time and in this moment that what we have created is... a piece, yes - but most importantly - a process: by which, and through which, we communicate our story.  I know I can't wait to hear from some of the personal blog stories of the company as they share how they worked through reworking the piece in the absence of one of our members.  How did it go?  How did it work?  Fantastic!  We hope to share more soon, and, want everyone to know that while we are not all feeling 100%, we are enjoying our opportunity to share, and understand, in Varanasi.  Our day ended with a boat ride along the beautiful Ganga - peaceful, calm, and cool after our sun-drenched sauna day.
    It was a big day.  Big.  Although it is just midnight now and we are arriving home from our day, we look forward to what tomorrow brings. Tomorrow morning we go to Sarnath, and then probably (India willing) for a rehearsal to Betawar to prepare for our next performance.
     Thanks for being with us....
Team Kahani