Fun fact: India operates on two calendars. In addition to operating on the standard Gregorian calendar, there is also the Indian calendar, which I runs on a lunar system. Each month may have special things associated with it. For example, this coming month (which starts on Monday), Shraavana, has very auspicious days on Monday (that’s Somwaar to you), which means that there are about a million and a half pilgrims coming to Varanasi to take a dip in the Ganga. Every Monday. In fact, these days are so auspicious that women of a certain age will fast all day so they can have better husbands (they will also attend special temple services). Why Varanasi? Well, Varanasi is the city of Shiva, and the month is known for Shiva. So Mondays are Shiva’s days, and therefore, everyone wants to take a dip in the sacred river in Shiva’s city. They even close down some streets to accommodate pilgrims, and only allow cycles and scooties (Vespas) on the roads there. Our solution? School closes on Mondays, and instead goes on Saturdays.
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