- Tuesday, March 18, 2025
The residents of Jhulasan village in Mehasana district have been praying for her safety, with many offering special prayers at the local temple
By: India Weekly
RESIDENTS of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ ancestral village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district are gearing up for Diwali-like festivities on Wednesday (19) morning to celebrate her scheduled return to Earth after a nine-month stay at the International Space Station.
Williams has been in the thoughts and prayers of the villagers, eagerly awaiting her safe return.
Jhulasan village, known as the ancestral home of Williams’ father, Deepak Pandya, is alive with excitement.
Villagers have been praying for her safety, with many offering special prayers and lighting an Akhand Jyot (eternal flame) at the local temple of Goddess Dola Mata.
According to Williams’ cousin, Navin Pandya, a grand procession will be held in her honour, accompanied by prayer chanting and fireworks to create a festive atmosphere similar to Diwali and Holi.
The villagers are keen to invite her to her paternal village in future.
“We have organised a procession with Sunita Williams’ photograph and will perform a dhun (prayer chanting) at the temple.
“We had been offering prayers and lighting the Akhand Jyot for her safe return. This Jyot will be offered to Goddess Dola Mata on Wednesday after her return to Earth,” said Pandya.
He said villagers are looking forward to inviting Williams to visit Jhulasan.
The villagers’ excitement has only grown with the news of her third space mission.
“The atmosphere here is festive, with everyone eagerly anticipating her return. We will definitely invite her to visit Jhulasan in the future. It would be an honour to have her among us in her ancestral village,” he added.
Sunita Williams’ father, Deepak Pandya, originally hails from Jhulasan, having migrated to the United States in 1957.
Williams, along with astronaut Butch Wilmore, is returning to Earth after spending more than nine months at the ISS.
Modi sends invite
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to Sunita Williams and invited her to visit India.
The letter, written on March 1 and sent through former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, was shared on X by science and technology minister Jitendra Singh.
“Even though you are thousands of miles away, you continue to remain close to our hearts. The people of India are praying for your good health and success in your mission,” Modi said in the letter.
“After your return, we are looking forward to seeing you in India. It will be a pleasure for India to host one of its most illustrious daughters,” the prime minister said.
Modi recalled meeting Williams and her late father Deepak Pandya during his 2016 visit to the US. (PTI)
