Chaitanya: 298. Trip to Chokhi Dhani.

The date was 11^th August, Thursday. It was a very special day. We were going for our trip on that day. We were going to Chokhi Dhani. That was a place of Rajasthani culture. It was at Sri Perumbuthur. We went to our school at 7:30 am. It was a little difficult to wake up that early, but I managed to do it. We started from our school at 8:00 am.

Songs were put in the bus and we all were dancing. That time, a girl fell down and was hurt. So, the bus was stopped for some time to take her to the hospital. That time also we were dancing. We reached there at 10 am. My partner was a girl called G.L.Varsheni.

When we reached there, a Rajasthani girl kept bindhi for all of us. There were chats, sweets and lemonades given for us. Then we saw the big pool, were there was boating. The teachers did not allow us to go. Then we went into a cave, where in the middle was a statue of Sai Baba. Then, we went on a maze, where there was a small open – air building, where there was an entrance, an exit and many closed areas. We struggled and somehow got out of the maze. I put on my sunglasses and cap as it was very sunny.

Then, a woman, dressed in black lehanga, who had many pots on her head, started dancing. She amazed us. First, she tapped her legs on tumblers, balancing very well. Then, she tapped her legs on the blunt side of iron nails. She also tapped on the blunt side of two knives. And at last, she tapped her legs on pieces of glass!! But, not a single drop of blood came from her legs. After that, she kept two blades on a tumbler. She then bent backwards and took them in both her eyes. Everybody got nervous. But, she coolly took them out from her eyes. Everybody applauded.

We went to the place where they sold handicrafts and cool drinks. There was a cool drink called ice – gola. It was a small cup of ice. The ice was dipped into any flavor. There was a big crowd in front of the shop, but no one bought it. I was the first to buy. When I tasted mango flavor, it was very nice. The crowd saw me tasting it and all of them rushed to buy the ice – gola. Me and my friend played games like basketball, bowling, tumbler – hitting, balloon – shooting, archery, etc.

Then we went for putting mehandi. There were two women, who were putting mehandi. They were putting beautifully. I put my mehandi and went to join my friends, who were playing snakes and ladders, in which there was a small ground painted like the board of the game and a dice made of cushion. We started playing. We enjoyed it.

Then, it was time for lunch. After lunch, the teachers made us go for the camel ride, three at a time. I was sitting in the front, Varsheni in the middle and another girl in the back. The camel started to go. It shook. We all became scared and screamed. We went one round and got down. It was an enjoyable experience.

Then, our lunch group, which consisted of five girls, started playing in the maze, three runners and two catchers. Sometimes, I got separated from the rest of them. By the time they find me, another girl will get separated. We enjoyed very, very well. Then, we played in the slide. When I and one of my friends, Varsha, went, we did not have any problems. When I went with another friend also, it was very nice. But when I went with a fat friend of mine, she occupied all the space and I did not get any space, and while sliding down also, the hot slide scratched my right sock and it tore. Then we swinged four at a time, on the big swing.

Ice water was given by the people of Chokhi Dhani. As it was very hot, I and my friends poured it own our faces.

The time came for leaving. That time, I bought kulfi. It was very tasty. It did not taste like ordinary kulfi. Then, as a gift, the people gave us small pots, which smashed and broke for most of us while coming in the bus. It was a very enjoyable trip.