Once named after a swing, now rooted in space¡ªSunita Williams¡¯ village gears up for fireworks as its people watch from abroad
Jhulasan, Sunita Williams¡¯ ancestral village, is set for grand celebrations as she returns from space. The village, once named after a swing, is now famous worldwide. Most of its families have moved abroad, yet it remains deeply connected to its astronaut daughter
Jhulasan, a small village in Gujarat¡¯s Mehsana district, has an unusual story behind its name. Some believe it originates from the Sanskrit word vasa?a, meaning ¡°dwelling.¡± Others say travelers, who once rested under a tree and built a swing (jula), decided to settle there and named the place Jhulasan. But who could have imagined that one day, this quiet village would be known worldwide as Sunita Williams¡¯ village?
Now, as the astronaut prepares to return to Earth after an extended mission in space, her ancestral village is buzzing with excitement. The villagers are planning grand festivities: prayers, processions, and even fireworks, to welcome her back, celebrating her return as if it were Diwali.
A hero¡¯s welcome awaits Sunita Williams
Sunita Williams' connection to Jhulasan runs deep. Her father, Deepak Pandya, was born here before moving to the United States in 1957. While she grew up in America, the village has always considered her one of their own. Every time she embarks on a space mission, prayers are held at Dola Mata temple, where an Akhand Jyot (eternal flame) is lit for her safety. This time was no different.
#WATCH | Ahmedabad, Gujarat | On astronauts Butch Wilmore & Sunita Williams finally set to return to earth after over 9 months, Sunita William's cousin Dinesh Rawal says, "... She was determined to go on this mission to serve the world, and although she faced problems in her¡ pic.twitter.com/C2fpgvVMiv
¡ª ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2025
Her cousin, Navin Pandya, revealed that a grand procession featuring Williams' photograph will be taken through the village, with prayer chants filling the air. Once she lands safely, the Akhand Jyot will be offered to Goddess Dola Mata in gratitude. The villagers hope to invite her back to Jhulasan one day to celebrate her achievements in person.
A small village with a global presence
Though Jhulasan is a small village, it is one of the most developed in Gujarat¡¯s Kadi Taluka. The majority of its population consists of Patels, with other communities like Thakors, Prajapatis, Ravals, and Rabaris also residing there. Surprisingly, around 350 families from Jhulasan have migrated to the USA and Canada. These families stay connected through reunions held every two years.
Jhulasan is also known for its majestic temples, with the Dola Mata temple being the most famous. Other significant temples include Swaminarayan Temple, Radha Vallabh Temple, and Ramji Mandir, drawing devotees from around the world.
Why did Sunita Williams go to space?
Sunita Williams and astronaut Barry Wilmore embarked on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Boeing Starliner on June 5, 2024. The mission was a test flight of the new crew capsule. However, due to technical issues, their stay was unexpectedly prolonged to nine months.
On March 18, 2025, Williams and Wilmore, along with astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, finally began their journey back to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule. With this mission, Williams has further cemented her legacy, having already spent 62 hours across nine spacewalks, holding the record for the most time spent spacewalking by a female astronaut.
Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions¡ªyet!). For her, writing isn¡¯t just work; it¡¯s a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts.
Read More