Dusshera

Monday was the last day of a 10 day (i think) festival Dusshera. Our driver tried to again explain to us what this holiday is for. In our understanding, it is to pray over anything mechanical? He came this morning and did a puja on our car. A puja is a prayer/worship thing that they do. He did a ritual, painting and decorating the car with banana leaves and flowers. I had to go the grocery store so I didn't see the whole ceremony thing that he did, but Alan, Ellie and Ethan watched him. They said that he lit a fire on a banana leaf and walked around the car painting it. He put lemons under the tires and ran them over and took the car for a drive down the street and back. Then he smashed a melon that he had put paint on the inside of and now the smashed melon is ...standing guard? over the car. He also did a puja on all of the kids bikes and scooters. He said that this will now keep them safe for 1 year until next dusshera. After he was done, he told us that the car and bikes needed to rest for 24 hours. (I wonder if he didn't just want the day off? It was the India vs. Australia Cricket match)