As Williams’ landing neared in the early hours of Wednesday, all eyes were on her, with Jhulasan residents gathering at one place to view the event live on a television screen
The ancestral village of Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams in Gujarat’s Mehsana district was illuminated as residents of Jhulasan celebrated her safe return on Wednesday. The celebrations included bursting firecrackers, distributing sweets, dancing, and offering prayers to the local deity.
Jhulasan, the ancestral home of Williams’ father Deepak Pandya, has been buzzing with excitement since news of her delayed return from the ISS emerged.
As soon as a SpaceX capsule carrying Williams and astronaut Butch Wilmore splashed down near the Florida coast in the US, following their nine-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS), the villagers erupted in joy. They burst firecrackers, danced, and chanted “Har Har Mahadev”.
With Williams’ landing approaching in the early hours of Wednesday, all eyes were on her, as residents of Jhulasan gathered in one place to watch the event live on television.
Videos showing firecrackers lighting up the sky in the early hours have been circulating on X. The villagers were seen dancing as news of Williams’ landing spread.
Students from the local government school joined the celebrations by performing garba, a traditional Gujarati folk dance, and took out a procession carrying Williams’ photo to the nearby temple of Goddess Dola Mata. As the procession made its way from the school to the temple, the students danced, sang, and distributed sweets along the way.
Teachers and locals said their prayers to the goddess had been answered, as Williams had returned safely. The procession and the prayers at the temple were a way to give thanks for her safe return.
Vishal Panchal, the principal of the local primary school, expressed the village’s pride and excitement. “The daughter of our village is the pride of the world. She stayed in space for such a long time and came back safe. We performed garba, burst firecrackers and distributed sweets. Our happiness knows no end,” he said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also congratulated Williams via a post on X, saying, “We, in India, take immense pride in Sunita’s connection to our land, celebrating her as a shining example of our shared heritage and aspirations.”
In his post, CM Patel extended heartfelt congratulations to “our very own Sunita Williams and the Crew9 astronauts on their safe return to Earth after an extraordinary nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station”.
