Nalanda Journey: Nepura visit with the Film Crew

I was fortunate to visit Nepura Village and the women's cooperative there once again in just a little over a week later. The film crew was pressed for time, but they managed to squeeze in an hour to visit and make purchases of the handmade stitch work.

We were welcomed inside the building where the stitch work had been placed in piles upon a beautiful sheet on the floor. I immediately picked up some items and started to show the guys the exquisite work. Once again, I found myself eyeing many pieces but I held back this time and will make my purchases closer to the end of my trip. The guys had an easier time because they were buying gifts and so didn't have the same attachment that I always find I have.

When everyone had gathered their items together it was time to purchase them. Nanda-ji started to help Ole with his items. Then a second receipt book was brought out. No one was writing in it, so I thought I'd help out by filling in the top portion of the receipt with Noah's name and the date. Then I turned to the women and gestured for someone to start writing. No one took the book from me, so I went ahead and started to write down the codes fro all of the items Noah was purchasing. Then I handed it to Nanda-ji to check my work. He said it was okay, except that I had not placed the carbon paper under the right page. The carbon had accidentally gone through onto a second receipt page. So I hand wrote Noah's order on the page that should have been a carbon copy.

I gave the receipt book another try with Amardeep's order. But since I was using the receipt page that was a carbon copy of Noah's, I removed the carbon paper to cross out Noah's order. Then I placed the carbon paper back in the book, once again under the wrong page and messed up a third receipt form!! Luckily, I, too, was making a small purchase, so third time is a charm, I got the carbon paper under the right page and then handed the receipt book to Rakshami to fill it in for my order. She started to fill in my name in devangari script and so, Nanda-ji then completed my receipt spelling my name in English at the top! So at least now their receipt book is back to normal and I've learned how to use it correctly! They were all very sweet and Nanda-ji even laughed and said "Monica is a sister to all Nalanda women!" I took that as a wonderful compliment!

With a few snapshots outside, the film crew with their new purchases were ready to go catch their train in Patna.