Had got up by 6 and went about my chores, without delay, to be ready well in time. We left for Mundakkayam by a quarter past 8 and was met at the Rani Hotel by Elias, our co-ordinator in Idukki. After a sumptuous breakfast, we're off to Peruvanthaanam, our first point of reception.
The panchayats with which we'd our trysts today were:-
(a) Peruvanthaanam.
(b) Vandiperiyaar.
(c) Kumily and
(d) Nedumkandam.
The receptions, today, in the first three panchayats were done in grand style. Maman's voice was hoarse and therefore, I'd taken on the familiarisation. The crowd was good and the policemen put up the street play, soon after, but the sad fact was that the audience kept thinning away much before the play was over. The team keeps telling us that such non indulgence on the part of the audiences dampens their enthusiasm!
The distance between Kumily and Nedumkandam is about 50 kms. Disaster struck us enroute when the brake of the massive Science Exploratory had given way, while doing a hair pin bend and would have fallen into the valley but for the timely use of the hand brake by Aji, its driver. The vehicle was initially lying across the road and would have caused traffic obstruction, but the police team - which was just behind Aji's bus - went into the rescue mode in the immediate aftermath. I think God was with Aji and the PN Panicker Foundation's yatra, this evening and prevented a sure disaster.
Meanwhile we had got late - it was a quarter to 6 - when we'd arrived at Nedunkandam and the crowd had thinned down. The plans were altered and we'd the street play put in motion, that attracted a reasonable crowd. Here, because the town is an outpost, goods from across the border come into the market during the weekends which, therefore, become full working days and Tuesdays are observed as holidays. So, we'd come into town when most of the shutters were down!
Tailpiece.
1. Had settled down at the Rest House for the evening. The room was okay but more than that, Jabbar, the in charge was a helpful guy.
2. Rajendran of the 'Honey' team is the most energetic and enthusiastic person in the team. He keeps giving suggestions, is always ready to help the others and is extremely kind.
The panchayats with which we'd our trysts today were:-
(a) Peruvanthaanam.
(b) Vandiperiyaar.
(c) Kumily and
(d) Nedumkandam.
The receptions, today, in the first three panchayats were done in grand style. Maman's voice was hoarse and therefore, I'd taken on the familiarisation. The crowd was good and the policemen put up the street play, soon after, but the sad fact was that the audience kept thinning away much before the play was over. The team keeps telling us that such non indulgence on the part of the audiences dampens their enthusiasm!
The distance between Kumily and Nedumkandam is about 50 kms. Disaster struck us enroute when the brake of the massive Science Exploratory had given way, while doing a hair pin bend and would have fallen into the valley but for the timely use of the hand brake by Aji, its driver. The vehicle was initially lying across the road and would have caused traffic obstruction, but the police team - which was just behind Aji's bus - went into the rescue mode in the immediate aftermath. I think God was with Aji and the PN Panicker Foundation's yatra, this evening and prevented a sure disaster.
Meanwhile we had got late - it was a quarter to 6 - when we'd arrived at Nedunkandam and the crowd had thinned down. The plans were altered and we'd the street play put in motion, that attracted a reasonable crowd. Here, because the town is an outpost, goods from across the border come into the market during the weekends which, therefore, become full working days and Tuesdays are observed as holidays. So, we'd come into town when most of the shutters were down!
Tailpiece.
1. Had settled down at the Rest House for the evening. The room was okay but more than that, Jabbar, the in charge was a helpful guy.
2. Rajendran of the 'Honey' team is the most energetic and enthusiastic person in the team. He keeps giving suggestions, is always ready to help the others and is extremely kind.
No comments:
Post a Comment