The Charming Mulomulo School...

This morning, we ventured out to head to the Nausori Highlands, not too far from Denarau. On our way to the highlands, we stopped by the Mulomulo Primary School at Nawaka village for a peek into Fiji Indian education and how the community keeps its culture alive in this distant land...

Our route from Denarau to the Mulomulo Primary School...

Passing by a mosque in Nawaka village - most Fijian Muslims are of Indian origin...

We drive through thick green vegetation...

Crossing little streams...

Look at the reflection...

Fiji is indeed beautiful...

And we get to the Mulomulo Primary School...

And the one principle that should define humanity - सत्यम शिवम् सुंदरम seems to be the motto of the school...

सत्यम शिवम् सुंदरम, a phrase which is drawn from the holy Hindu Upanishads, literally translates to “Truth-Godliness-Beauty” signifying the truth of existence arises, and, more than good, is an experience of “Godliness”...

Seeing this gave me goosebumps - 12,000 kilometers from home, Fijian Indians are keeping their traditions alive and are inculcating them in the younger generation. That makes me a proud Indian and privileged to see examples of this first hand on the lovely island of Viti Levu...

The school is closed for the Christmas break...

It appears the school was established in 1931...

A small shrine in the school courtyard...

A map of Fiji...

A diya on the door...

The library...

Mickey...

The solar system...

The shrine again...

The digestive system...

This reminds me of the school I went to in Mwinilunga...

The ground...

And they seem to have regular havans here - the Hindu ritual, signifying the power of fire to purify...

And it's time to bid adieu to Mulomulo to drive up to the highlands...

A Journey Through Viti Levu...

After an exciting day at Suva, we made our way back to Denarau, passing by the southern coastline of Viti Levu island, along the Queen's Road, enjoying the idyllic Fijian countryside...

On our way out of Suva, we pass by Mishra's Pooja Shop - the board says that it's a one stop shop. And that reminds me of my frantic runs to Manish Market in Andheri West whenever we had a havan at home...

A cemetery on the outskirts of Suva...

Clouds forming up in the horizon scare us - we really wish to visit the Nausori Highlands tomorrow - we won't be able to if it rains!

Passing by Ciriwai, Sigatoka...

The rolling landscape of Viti Levu is indeed enchanting...

And the clouds casting their shadows on the rolling green hills do make for enchanting vistas...

There's little I can say except that I am absorbing all these sights and etching them in my memory...

Passing Nalovo...

The golden rays of the sun look so amazing...

Approaching Yako, we gradually make our way towards Nadi...

The volcanic origins of Viti Levu makes the land here extremely fertile and productive, especially for tropical cashcrops like sugarcane. And that's what prompted the colonial rulers to get in poor Indian labourers...

And since the land titles were vested with the Fijian tribes, land could only be leased for cultivation. The hardwork of the Indian workers made them prosper, which led to a cultural conflict - the Fijians felt "deprived"... 

Fair or not fair, you decide...

A freshly laid out field...

Approaching the outskirts of Nadi...

A rainbow welcomes us into Nadi...

Can't get enough of the rainbow...

The rolling hills give way to the urban sprawl of Nadi....

Advertising the Big Bula Waterpark...

The unmistakable ॐ symbol at the 3035 Nadi Primary School, the enduring symbol of Indian diaspora here...