Residents of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams’ ancestral village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district celebrated on Wednesday morning as a SpaceX capsule carrying her and her colleague, Butch Wilmore, landed in the sea off the Florida coast.
Villagers in Jhulasan gathered at a local temple to watch the event live on a television screen. As soon as the capsule safely landed, celebrations erupted with firecrackers, dancing, and chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev.’
Williams had remained in the thoughts and prayers of the villagers throughout her extended mission. They performed a ‘yagna’ and kept an ‘Akhand Jyot’ (eternal flame) burning at the temple, praying for her safe return.
Jhulasan, the ancestral home of Williams’ father Deepak Pandya, had been abuzz with anticipation since news of her return emerged. The astronaut’s initial seven-day mission was prolonged due to a technical issue, extending her stay at the International Space Station (ISS) to around nine months.
Navin Pandya, Williams’ cousin, expressed the villagers’ devotion. “We have been praying for her safety and maintaining the Akhand Jyot since she went to space,” he said.
In honour of Williams’ return, the villagers planned a grand procession from the local school to the temple. Participants will carry her photograph, and students will join the festivities. The eternal flame will be ceremonially extinguished at the temple upon the procession’s arrival.
“We have organised a procession with Sunita Williams’ photograph and will perform a dhun (prayer chanting) at the temple,” said Pandya. He also expressed hope that Williams would visit Jhulasan soon.
Williams has previously visited India multiple times, including trips in 2007 and 2013 following her space missions. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2008 for her achievements.
Vishal Panchal, the principal of Jhulasan Primary School, said elaborate preparations were made for Wednesday’s celebrations.
Williams’s SpaceX capsule successfully parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico just hours after its departure from the ISS. With 62 hours spent on nine spacewalks, Williams holds the record for the most spacewalking time by a female astronaut.
The villagers’ festivities, marked by traditional rituals and community joy, reflected their admiration and pride for Williams’ accomplishments and her safe return to Earth.
Also Read: Sunita Williams Makes Much-Awaited Return To Earth After Completing Historic Space Journey
