INDIA: The Fast

The bright light of a newly risen full moon sprinkled the steps of the temple Lakshmi Narain Mandir at Delhi. The temple bells clanged loud & long. Before the shrine stood a priest in a massive turban and with the holy mark gleaming on his forehead. The bells and the drums and cymbals ceased their clamor. Gently moving his hands, the priest led the congregation in a song. Offerings of flowers and sweets on brass plates were made to the deities. Then began a prayer for the life of a scrawny little man, toothless, moneyless, helpless Mohandas Gandhi.

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