To Wish Upon A Star

Two decades ago Gandharv Kamala lay gazing at the twinkling skies of salem. At the stargate observatory, memories resurface.

- Gandharv Kamala

The afterglow of a heavy shower clung to the grass, its blades glistening with dew. It had been some time since sunrise, and there was still a nip in the air. “Get close to grass and you’ll see a star”, wrote Dejan Stojanovic in The Sun Watches the Sun. While I’m not sure about the kind he was referring to, I had arrived at Alwar Bagh by Aamod—a luxury retreat, and home to the second Stargate Observatory after the original in Kausani—for a date with the stars. More specifically, I wanted a glimpse of the Alpha Canis Majoris, better known as Sirius. The neighbouring Aravalis were guaranteed to be a spectacular backdrop.

Dressed in a white tee and blue denims, I waited past twilight for their usual appearance. But clouds played the third wheel. No star, no Sirius. Walking up to a traditional cot on the lawn—one eye on my wristwatch—I lay down for a bit, trying not to doze off. As the minute hand inched closer and closer to eight, the first star showed up. More slowly emerged, and I began trotting up the stairs to reach the observatory, located on the third level of the building.