Magicians Without Borders

At Ajanta with Walter Spink

August 24-26

The emerald parrots swoop and sing through the blooming teak trees as I carefully navigate the steep stairs leading to the Ajanta Caves.Between me and the caves is the Waghora River. In this monsoon season the river is a tumbling torrent of seven water falls spilling into seven pools. The pools are held by immense water smoothed rocks suggesting gigantic Henry Moore sculptures. If this was all there was here it would be enough, but now I cross the bridge and up the path that leads to the great UNESCO World Heritage site of Ajanta.

As I arrive at cave number one Walter is there, carried in a sedan chair by four men -he is still recovering from a hip operation. It feels fitting that this man who has come to Ajanta twice a year for the past forty years should be carried through the site in a sedan chair. Everyone greets Walter with respect and admiration for the work he has done all these years unraveling the mysteries of this amazing place. His art historian friends joke with him that he has studied the Ajanta caves for more years than it took to make them.

Walter struggles up the steep stairs inside Cave 6 to a second story porch from which we could see most of the site in the glorious late morning light. We sit there for an hour talking about this awesome place. We then go on to look at a number of the caves in some detail. I have enclosed a link to a short film of Walter talking about the caves, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZsAbzR1-vk --a few of the shots he is sitting on that second story porch of cave 6.

I will be coming to India regularly to train the children at Prerana to become magicians. I hope on some of these visits to return again to awesome Ajanta, to visit the caves and wonderful Walter. The next morning, a friend of Walter's drives us to Bhushawal so I can catch the train back to Mumbai to begin the work with the children at Prerana http://prerana.org/ I am sad to say good bye to Walter, our visit has been so short, but I know in my bones I will be back.


I am excited and a bit nervous as I head to Mumbai to begin this exciting new adventure of working with these children of sexually trafficked women in the red light slums of Mumbai. I know Prerana is thrilled that I am coming and they will do every thing they can to make my work with their children a success. In my next entry I will let you know how my first meetings with the children went. Namaste.