Chapter Forty-Nine: Gujarat - Land of Legends and New Friendships
The morning after Varanasi, the group woke with heavy hearts and lighter spirits.
Heavy because they were leaving Kashi—the City of Light that had touched something deep in each of them. Light because Gujarat awaited, and with it, new adventures.
Percy was already researching. "Okay, so Gujarat has the Statue of Unity—it's the TALLEST STATUE IN THE WORLD!"
C.N. looked up from his phone. "182 meters. Almost twice the size of the Statue of Liberty."
"TWICE! THAT'S SO BIG!"
Honey patted his arm. "Babe, inside voice."
"INSIDE VOICE CAN'T CONTAIN THIS EXCITEMENT!"
Keiran tugged Jay's sleeve. "Mamma, tallest statue? Bigger than Buddha?"
"Much bigger, baby. You'll see."
"Rex excited!"
"Rex should be."
---
The flight to Gujarat was short.
They landed in Ahmedabad and immediately felt the difference—warmer, drier, with an energy that felt more modern than ancient Varanasi.
But waiting for them at the airport was someone new.
A young woman stood near baggage claim, holding a sign that said "WATSON GROUP" in cheerful letters with little hearts drawn all over it.
She was nineteen, maybe, with bright curious eyes, a smile that seemed permanently fixed, and a bounce in her step that rivaled Percy's. Her hair was in a messy ponytail, and she wore a colorful kurta that somehow matched her personality perfectly.
"HI HI HI!" She waved the sign frantically. "YOU MUST BE THE GROUP! I'M AKSHI!"
Percy's eyes lit up like Christmas morning. "SHE'S ENERGETIC! I LOVE HER ALREADY!"
Akshi bounced on her heels. "I'M SO EXCITED TO MEET YOU ALL! I've never guided such a big group before! This is going to be AMAZING!"
Honey stepped forward, amused. "Hi Akshi. I'm Honey. This is Percy—" She pointed. "He's also energetic. You two might be trouble together."
Akshi gasped with delight. "A KINDred spirit! PERFECT!"
Percy grabbed her hands. "WE'RE GOING TO BE BEST FRIENDS!"
"I KNOW! I CAN TELL!"
C.N. watched this exchange with something between horror and amusement. "There are two of them now."
"Two Percys," Rakii whispered, already filming. "The end is near."
Jay laughed. "I think it's going to be great."
---
They piled into a van, Akshi in the front beside the driver, twisted around to face everyone.
"OKAY! So welcome to Gujarat! I'm nineteen, I've lived here my whole life, and I know EVERYTHING about this state! Well, not everything, but a lot! I've been preparing for THREE DAYS!"
Percy leaned forward. "THREE DAYS OF PREPARATION? THAT'S DEDICATION!"
"I wanted to be ready! You guys came all the way from the Philippines! That's SO FAR!"
C.N. raised an eyebrow. "You know where the Philippines is?"
"I GOOGLED IT! And I watched Filipino food videos! Everything looks DELICIOUS!"
David perked up. "You like food?"
"I LOVE FOOD! It's my second favorite thing after history!"
"WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?"
"PANI PURI! Have you tried it? We HAVE to get pani puri!"
Percy and David exchanged looks of pure joy.
"We're getting PANI PURI!" they shouted together.
Honey sighed happily. "She's perfect."
---
The drive to the Statue of Unity took a few hours.
Akshi kept up a running commentary—bouncy, enthusiastic, occasionally interrupted by herself.
"OKAY SO! The Statue of Unity is for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel! He was SO important! Like, he united all the princely states into one India! Without him, India might be like fifty different countries!"
David nodded approvingly. "The Iron Man of India!"
"YES! Exactly! And the statue is 182 meters tall! That's like—" She did math in her head. "—really really tall! Taller than TWO Statues of Liberty stacked!"
Keifer added, "It was built in just 33 months. Amazing engineering."
"RIGHT? They had to use like 2000 tons of bronze! And it can withstand earthquakes! And wind! And basically everything!"
Keiran tugged Jay's sleeve. "Mamma, she talks a lot."
"She does, baby. Like Tito Percy."
"Rex likes her."
"Rex has good taste."
---
They arrived at the statue in the late afternoon.
It rose before them—impossibly huge, gleaming bronze, Sardar Patel striding forward with determination.
Percy's jaw dropped. "OKAY. PHOTOS DON'T DO IT JUSTICE."
Akshi bounced beside him. "RIGHT? I've seen it ten times and it still blows my mind EVERY SINGLE TIME!"
They walked toward the base, necks craned upward.
C.N. was calculating. "The viewing gallery is at 153 meters. That's higher than most buildings."
"We're going UP there, right?" Mica asked. "Please tell me we're going up there."
"We're going up there!" Akshi confirmed. "There's an elevator! A SUPER FAST elevator!"
---
The elevator ride was an experience.
Percy pressed against the glass. "WE'RE SO HIGH! WE'RE SO HIGH ALREADY!"
Akshi was right beside him. "THE VIEW IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE! I CAN'T WAIT!"
Honey and Jay exchanged amused glances.
"Two of them," Honey said.
"Two of them," Jay agreed.
"They're going to be exhausting together."
"The best kind of exhausting."
---
At the top, the view was breathtaking.
The dam, the river, the hills, the valleys—all spread out below like a living map.
Keiran pressed to the glass. "Mamma! Tiny everything!"
"Tiny everything, baby."
"Rex can see FOREVER!"
Percy spun in circles. "I CAN SEE GUJARAT! ALL OF IT!"
"Not ALL of it," Akshi corrected. "But a lot! That's the Sardar Sarovar Dam! It provides water and power to millions!"
C.N. nodded appreciatively. "You really did your research."
"THREE DAYS OF PREPARATION! I TOLD YOU!"
---
After the statue, they drove to Sabarmati Ashram.
The energy shifted completely—from towering excitement to quiet reverence.
Akshi's voice softened as they entered. "This was Bapu's home. Gandhi. From 1917 to 1930."
They walked through the simple buildings, the peaceful gardens, the small museum.
Percy was quiet for once. Akshi matched his stillness.
They saw Gandhi's small room—his spinning wheel, his few possessions.
Akshi whispered, "He owned almost nothing. And he changed everything."
C.N. nodded slowly. "The most powerful people often need the least."
"He used to say, 'Live simply so that others may simply live.'"
Rakii lowered her camera. Just absorbing.
---
They sat in the gardens for a while, the Sabarmati River flowing nearby.
Keiran sat on Jay's lap. "Mamma, this where good man lived?"
"The best kind of man, baby. He taught people to fight with love."
"Rex likes that."
"Me too."
Akshi sat nearby, watching them with soft eyes. "You have a beautiful family."
Jay smiled. "Thank you. It's complicated, but beautiful."
"Best kind of family. Complicated means lots of love."
Percy looked at her. "How are you only nineteen?"
"I'm an old soul in a young body! Also I watch a LOT of documentaries."
---
Their final stop was the Dwarkadhish Temple, as the sun began to set.
The temple rose in the fading light—ancient stone, intricate carvings, the flag of Lord Krishna fluttering at the top.
Akshi's voice was filled with reverence. "This is one of the Char Dham—the four holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus. It's believed to have been built 2500 years ago by Krishna's great-grandson."
David added quietly, "Though the current structure is from the 16th century."
"RIGHT! Rebuilt many times! But the ENERGY—" She pressed her hand to her heart. "The energy is ancient."
---
They entered the temple, removing shoes, feeling the cool stone.
The main shrine held a beautiful black idol of Krishna—four-armed, majestic, worshipped for centuries.
Keiran stared up. "Mamma, that's Krishna?"
"A form of Krishna, baby. As a king."
"Rex says he's pretty."
"Rex is right."
Percy stood before the shrine, eyes closed.
Akshi watched him. After a moment, she whispered to Honey, "He's feeling it."
Honey nodded. "He does that now. India changed him."
"India changes everyone who lets it."
---
After the temple, they sat by the Gomti River, watching the sunset.
The water glittered gold. Bells rang from the temple. Peace settled over everything.
Akshi broke the silence. "So... what's next for you all? After Gujarat?"
Jay looked at Keifer. "We're heading to Karnataka after this. Bangalore, Mysore, Hampi—"
"OH! Karnataka! I have a friend there! Shreya! She's been begging me to visit!"
C.N. raised an eyebrow. "You have friends all over India?"
"I make friends EASILY! It's my gift!"
Percy leaned forward. "You should come with us! To Karnataka!"
Akshi's eyes went wide. "WHAT?"
"COME WITH US! You can guide us! You and your friend Shreya can be our KARNATAKA guides!"
She looked around at the group. "I—you—that's—are you SERIOUS?"
Jay smiled. "We're serious. You're wonderful. And we could use someone who knows India as well as you do."
"And your energy matches Percy's," Honey added. "Which is exhausting but also perfect."
Akshi bounced on her heels. "I—I have to call my parents! And Shreya! But—YES! YES I WANT TO COME!"
Percy grabbed her hands. "KARNATAKA ADVENTURE SQUAD!"
"ADVENTURE SQUAD!"
C.N. pinched his nose. "There are definitely two of them now."
Rakii laughed. "This is going to be amazing content."
---
That night, Akshi called her parents (who, after much excited explanation and promises of safety, agreed), and called Shreya in Karnataka (who apparently screamed with joy and immediately started planning).
The group celebrated with pani puri—as promised—at a local stall.
Percy and Akshi competed to see who could eat more.
They tied at seventeen.
Honey shook her head. "They're going to be insufferable together."
"The best kind of insufferable," Jay said.
Keifer pulled her close. "You're enjoying this."
"I'm enjoying everything. This trip. These people. This life."
"Good." He kissed her forehead. "Me too."
Keiran tugged her sleeve, face covered in pani puri filling. "Mamma! Rex likes India!"
"India likes Rex too, baby."
---
End of Chapter Forty-Nine