Fulmani of Varanasi

Location: Varanasi, India. 2 December 2010.

Tonight we went to a Hindu (aarti) prayer along the Ganga (Ganges) River, and what an experience.  Sitting on the ghat’s stairs, our large group was immediately targeted by peddlers and beggars alike.  One peddler who I got to know a little about was a girl named Fulmani.

Fulmani first approached Jackie to try to sell her a box that contained the equipment to make powder bindis.  Jackie refused, and because I was near her, I was Fulmani’s next target.  With a long black braid, the beginnings of the skin disease that creates white patches of skin on her normal darker face, a sweater over a pink salwar chemise, Fulmani was a very captivating young girl.  Her English was very good and she seemed more intent on talking and laughing than selling.

I was still talking with her when the prayer service ended, and she ended up walking with Annabel and I, helping us find other places and an ATM.  Along the way, she told me she is 12 years old and in the 7^th standard.  She told us she wants to become an English teacher.  Since it was very dark out when she was walking with us, and she would otherwise be alone, I asked her if she was scared to be out alone.  Fulmani told me, “I can take care of myself.”  And take care of herself, and us, she did.

Whenever we were approached, Fulmani would chastise the person (usually a man) in Hindi and pull us away.  When it was just she and I walking, I noticed people looking at us with interest, but not approaching us.  It was a nice change.

Before I had to meet with the group to go to dinner, Fulmani asked me if I would visit her uncle’s shop.  I said I couldn’t buy anything, but she said that was okay and took me there.  I looked at the beautiful silk scarves, but didn’t buy one and Fulmani walked me back to the ghat.  But before I left the shop, Fulmani grabbed a pink scarf from a shelf (her favorite color) and told me it was a gift.  I’ll carry it home as a reminder of Fulmani and of this night with her.

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