Maduraimessenger issue47 november 2013 lowres by Projects Abroad

e e r F

October and November 2013

Volume 4, Issue 47

Sponsored by:

The Butterfly Effect : How these winged wonders are more important tHAn we think Plus : Ayyappan dosa kadai: dosas to die for!

Contents

October and November 2013 | Issue No. 47

Editor Dr. Nandini Murali

EDITOR’S CORNER Copy Editor

01 Poise, Purpose and Passion

Bhuvana Venkatesh Journalism Coordinators B. Pooja

COVER STORY

02 On Wings of Wonder

R.P.Surya Prakash Design

Cross culture

08 Culinary Nostalgia

Fabiola Sánchez Peregrina

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Antonio Gallo Salvador Orozco

Temples, Skyscrapers and Second Chances

Lucano Maldonado

eating out Technical Support

Eat, Smile, Leave

T. Jesuraja G. Durgairajan Reporters & Photographers

village voices

Adam Pigott 2

Laetitia Delmarche Bente van Woerden

Pastoral Paradise book review

Bambi, Chops and Wag

Pernilla Johansson

Events

Isak Adolfsson Michael van Waveren

The Mind of a Volunteer: Not Painted in Black and White

Cover Photograph Nandini Murali

Back Cover Photograph Suriya Prakash. R.P

Sivakasi Projects Abroad Pvt. Ltd., Contact: editor@maduraimessenger.org MADURAI MESSENGER No. 17, T.P.K Road Pasumalai Madurai – 625004 Tamil Nadu India Tel. 0452-2370269

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

22 Where Kindness is a Way of Life 23 India is in Me 24 Relative Certainty in Complete Uncertainty

EDITOR’S CORNER

Poise, Purpose and Passion I

n the last month I’ve had the rare privilege of meeting two remarkable people— Srujna Beg and Dr Devi Shetty.

Srujana Beg is a young school girl from Hyderabad. She was recently in Madurai to participate in an all-India creative writing competition for ISC schools. I did not meet her in person. But that hardly mattered. Instead I discovered her through her sparkling narrative. Srujana’s powerful prose is among the best I’ve read in recent times. It was a touching memoir of her childhood and revolved around her orthodox grandmother in a traditional Malalyali household and her obvious son-preference. The story unfolds against the backdrop of her grandmother’s death and the nostalgia is astringent. The prose was unpretentious, powerful, and straight from the heart. It sparkled with poise, purpose and passion. It was obvious that writing is a passion for young Srujana. Whether she is wise to pursue her passion, such that a passion also becomes a profession, whether she is able to listen to the whispers of her heart, only time will tell… Like Srujana, eminent cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty is also passionate about his work. The 60-year-old surgeon is driven by a deep desire to make not only cardiac care but all forms of healthcare available to as many people as possible through his innovative low cost healthcare model that he describes as “Walmartization of healthcare.” Dr Shetty was audacious enough to follow his dream. The challenges were mind boggling but that only made him more determined in his resolve. He said to me, “If you need to have a complete road map before you set off somewhere, you’ll never get there.” How wise and how true! Srujna Beg and Dr Devi Shetty have shown me that when passion and purpose are in place, the rest will follow…

Dr. Nandini Murali Editor

Madurai Messenger Cover Story October and November 2013

On Wings of Wonder… Bente Noel van Woerden and Laetitia Delmarche set off on a butterfly trail that enables them to gaze closely at these gorgeous winged angels and also meet with several people involved with butterflies: from a teacher in a college who did her doctoral work on butterflies, an entomologist who helped establish the largest butterfly conservatory in the state, a wildlife film maker who made a stunning film on butterflies to a conservationist actively involved in butterfly conservation Text: Bente Noel van Woerden and Laetitia Delmarche with inputs from Isak Adolfsson and Pernilla Johanson Photos: Bente Noel van Woerden, Netherland

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on’t we all love butterflies?. There is something magical about these beautifully colored winged angels. Flying gracefully above fields and flower beds, these little winged wonders are a pleasure for the eye, a source of eternal joy and wonder. At the Tropical Butterfly Conservatory in the temple town of Srirangam near Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, we were amazed by the different species that flew around our heads. The gorgeous Plain Tigers, Blue Tigers, Common Crows and the beautiful red and black colored Crimson Rose had us lost in a world of wonder. But then we started to wonder what secrets and mysteries lurk behind these little winged wonders? What is their purpose, why are their colors so bright and how many species actually exist? There is so much we don’t know about this mysterious insect…

Inspiration for art and narratives The bond between butterflies and humans is as old as civilization. Their beauty inspired human aesthetics and creativity; for instance, art. Artwork about butterflies has existed since time immemorial. In prehistoric times, people carved butterflies in dark gray stone. In ancient Egypt, you’ll

A model of the blue tiger butterfly at the entrance of the Tropical Butterfly Conservatory in Srirangam

“Now, I am very interested in the butterfly, they amaze me every day. You need to be really patient if you want work with butterflies,” says Joy Sharmila, Faculty, Dept of Zoology, American College, Madurai

A Panoramic view of the butterfly sanctuary in Srirangam

“PTR is one of the most popular wildlife destinations in the country. Because of my love for butterflies, I wanted to do a film exclusively on butterflies. That’s how the Angels in Tiger Land happened,” said Suresh Elamon discover the most graceful paintings of butterflies in old tombs. And even now in contemporary times we can’t seem to resist the beauty of the insect. Just a few weeks ago, I visited an art school in the Netherlands and the piece that stood out most was a butterfly art work! Butterflies have not only inspired art but also stories. Across the world, people have created splendid symbolic stories which are connected with these fluttering insects. For instance in China, people believe that butterflies symbolize long life. In Japan, they are believed to confer marital bliss and in ancient Greek, they are the symbol of the soul. And then there’s love. Imagine yourself falling in love. Walking around with your head in the clouds, and most importantly feeling a sinking feeling in your stomach—this is the famous butterflies in our bellies feeling! A story

with a timeless appeal is from Native America. They say that if you need a wish or you want to share a secret, all you need to do is to catch a butterfly. When you feel the soft wings of a butterfly gracefully moving in the palms of your hand, you whisper your wish or secret in its ear. The butterfly will take it directly to the Great Spirit!

The butterfly through a scientific gaze To learn more about butterflies, we had to start a search for people with informed perspectives on butterfly conservation. Our journey started at American College, where zoologist and teacher E. Joy Sharmila (42) welcomed us warmly. We entered her office which was filled with old world furniture, zoology instruments and butterfly pictures mounted on the walls.

While waiting for her colleague Dr A. Joesph Thatheyus, 49, who was still teaching, we had some great coffee and biscuits. After a few minutes, both professors were ready to give us our first zoology lesson on butterflies! Dr. Sharmila studied butterflies for four years for her PhD in Zoology, guided by Dr Thatheyus, her research supervisor. Early in her career as a teacher, Sharmila didn’t study butterflies at all. Of course, she knew about their existence but just like most people, she gave them a quick look, and enjoyed their pretty colours and beauty. It wasn’t until she started listening to her colleagues, who told her interesting facts about this little creature that she began to get excited. After a while, her excitement matured into curiosity and she started studying the insects. “Now, I am very interested in the butterfly, my amazement grows every day,” said Sharmila with stars in her eyes. And with all the things we learned about this invertebrate, we can certainly empathize with her. Sharmila’s study for her doctoral thesis was the first butterfly study in Alagar Hills, a scenic spot 20 km northeast

Madurai Messenger Cover Story October and November 2013

of Madurai. The hills are known for their impressive diversity of butterflies, monkeys, bisons and of course, the famous Alagarkoil Temple. Sharmila studied the butterflies there for two years at eight different places spread across the huge mountain area. On one of her trips, she discovered five families of butterflies and 101 species. She proudly showed us gorgeous pictures of different butterflies she spotted during her study and pointed to her favorite, the Malabar Banded Peacock. While watching the images, we wondered how she was able to study the butterflies. We can assure you they are not sitting down on their lazy butts, but are energetic insects constantly fluttering between the flower fields. “You need to be really patient if you want work with butterflies,” she admitted.

After we saw those colourful pictures, we asked her about the study and the methodology. We asked her if it meant that she needed to kill the butterflies. Sharmila explained that to study the butterflies, you need to examine their DNA. The only way to do that is by sacrificing some of them. The DNA sequences tell the scientist which species the insects belongs to and its place of origin. The colourful wings of the butterflies are a biological riddle for the scientists. One of the objectives of Joy Sharmila’s study was to study the structure of butterfly scales in different families to understand why they have different colours. The colour pigments in a butterfly’s wings are derived from the plants, the larva and later the caterpillar feasted on! Some other butterflies, although rarer, have structural colours which have to do with the interaction with light.

Some plants attract the butterflies, like the blue tiger here

At the hills, you’ll be amazed by the view of the red coloured rocks, palm trees and animals. Not only is Alagar hills the home of butterflies, hundreds of monkeys will be waiting there for you as well. ‘’Don’t look them in the eyes,’’ our guide said, ‘’They will get angry and attack you and they might bite you.’’ Luckily none of that happened to us! It was a long and exhausting climb up the hill. But if you want to experience what it’s like to search for butterflies, you have to be strong and get your climbing act together!

The butterfly hunt Of course after hearing Sharmila’s wonderful stories about the Alagar hills in Madurai, we felt motivated to visit this marvelous place. As we got out of the car, a butterfly came to greet us and that was the beginning of a great excursion.

Golden angle butterfly

Thangamalai, a former student of the American College, showed us several places Sharmila visited to study butterflies. We saw them taking nectar from flowers, fluttering in the air and playing with each other, and we saw swarms of butterflies mud puddling. Butterflies get most of their nutrition from flower nectar. Though rich in sugar, nectar lacks some important nutrients the butterflies need for reproduction. Mud puddling, we recalled Sharmila’s explanation, is a characteristic strategy

The blue tiger butterfly

used by male butterflies to gather salt and essential amino acids from wet soil, dung and carrion. The sodium gathered by butterfly males increases their reproductive success. Other ways for butterflies to gather nutrition is by searching for human sweat, or even tears. These are then given to the female butterflies as a “nuptial gift!” It was funny how the theory lesson from Sharmila came alive in the hills. Everything she told us we could admire with our own eyes! If you want to experience a butterfly smuggling your sweat, you have a good chance at the Alagar hills. June, July and August are the best months of the year to catch some great images of the most beautiful butterflies. But even in the other months, you are able to spot a few of them.

A haven for butterflies On our next trail of our butterfly adventure, we visited the Tropical Butterfly Conservatory (TBC) in Srirangam near Trichy. A large statue of a Blue Tiger at the entrance welcomed us to the conservatory. Surrounded by butterflies and flower fields, we were

“It’s not enough if we are the only ones who are taking action, the larger community needs to get involved, we need everyone’s participation. Everyone can contribute,” said Dr B Ramesh with conviction. scared to blink, because we didn’t want to miss a single moment of this grand spectacle unfolding before us. Wings fluttering high and low. Whoever created this, created magic. The TBC is an initiative of the Government of Tamil Nadu, and is modeled after the famous butterfly conservatory in Singapore. Spread over 25 acres in the Upper Aniacut Reserve Forest in Srirangam, it is the first of its kind in the state. The conservatory aims to foster conservation of butterfly species and educate the public about its significant role in maintaining ecological equilibrium. “The butterfly parks were started to conserve tropical butterflies in outdoor and indoor conditions,” explains Dr Uma Shankar, consultant to the project. According to him, the complex would include a climate-controlled indoor conservatory, outdoor conservatory,

Lepidopteran breeding lab, host plant farm, interpretation facilities, nursery and shade net house and tourist facilities. The park is still in progress. Everywhere we looked we saw hard working, sweating construction workers turning the mud into gold. Only 20 percent of TBC is finished at this moment. Within two years, the park will grow to become a haven of greenery with a multitude of blooms that the butterflies, including the rare ones, can feast on. Not only will the garden be a place to spot and enjoy butterflies, it will turn into a big amusement park as well. A pool, a playground and much more is going to be situated on the ground we are standing on right at this moment. But of course the butterflies will be the highlight of the visit. The Butterfly Conservatory is sandwiched between the River Kaveri and its tributary and is surrounded

Madurai Messenger Cover Story October and November 2013

Butterfly sanctuary work completion in progress

by lush forest. This provides a perfect isolated spot for butterflies from human interference and from insecticides that farmers spray in their fields. Naturally, it looks like a perfect picture! But without Dr. Umashankar’s talent to design the park, it would probably not even exist! Dr. Umashankar’s interest in butterflies began at college. “Butterflies are described as flying flowers, brightly coloured and attractive. I am interested in butterflies, because they need special attention. We can’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides on the plants. Butterflies are sensitive to many things. It is a great challenge to develop a park without pesticides and fertilizers these days. Taking care of butterflies and flowers is like taking care of a child,” says Dr. Umashankar. The purpose of the TBC is to educate people, to simply entertain and to improve the well being of the person traversing through it. This all sounds like a lot of fun, people walking trough the flower paths, inhaling the aroma of the flowers and treating their eyes, watching butterflies. But what it like

is for them, we wondered. Aren’t we a threat to the butterflies? Won’t we disturb them in their daily activities? Umashankar reassures us. “Butterflies have learned the art of coexisting with human beings. Also, visitors have only partial access. Core areas are protected from frequent human interventions.

In this documentary, you can see the butterflies in the wild and the metamorphosis of the butterfly. We were surprised the camera could film all the steps and we could see the magic: the adult butterfly emerging from the chrysalis. How did he manage to capture this?

Ultimately, the park needs to turn into a sanctuary for butterflies and a center for excellence in captive breeding of butterflies,” explains Dr Umashankar.

“I discover the pupae of butterflies in the wild, then bring them home and when the butterfly emerges from it, I am ready for filming the process,” explained Suresh Elamon, who took two years to make this documentary, and visits the park every two months. “I have a special love for butterflies because they represent for me all the beauty and goodness of life,” says Suresh Elamon, who’s equally passionate about birds.

Capturing nature It was amazing how much we learned about butterflies while working on this feature. But to know even more, we watched a very interesting documentary film Angels in Tiger Land, shot in Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Kerala by naturalist and wildlife film maker Suresh Elamon.

Butterfly crusader

“PTR is one of the most popular wildlife destinations in the country. Because of my love for butterflies I wanted to do a film exclusively on butterflies. That’s how the Angels in Tiger Land happened,” said Suresh Elamon.

We met several people who are passionate about butterflies. Maduraibased conservationist Dr B. Ramesh of the wildlife NGO, Netaji Snake Trust (NST), is one such butterfly fan. Founder of a string of Nature Clubs in schools and colleges in and around

Work in progress at the Butterfly Conservatory

Madurai, Dr Ramesh is a naturalist and conservationist with a huge interest in butterflies. When he started the nature club, it was actually a “snake club” but when he realized that several species of butterflies in Madurai are extinct or on the brink of extinction, the focus of the nature club shifted.

Act1972 was made. Now the law ensures that more butterflies are protected from being captured and killed. This is a small victory but much more must be done to protect these beautiful creatures. The club is working to create a butterfly park in the campus and much has been done.

“Butterflies have an important part to play in maintaining ecological balance, especially in their role as a pollinator, and so our club now does a lot of activities to protect these important insects,” explains Ramesh.

“When I arrived, this place had no butterflies but now it has many species here,” said Ramesh proudly. Ramesh and his band of dedicated student volunteers regularly visit wildlife sanctuaries, collect larval host plants and plant them at the campus and of course, the must important part, teach students about butterfly conservation.

Until recently there were over one hundred species of butterflies in Madurai but now the species have decreased to only forty. “The human population had the largest responsibility for this awful development,” declared Ramesh, and explains that deforestation, illegal trading, technology (signals emitted by mobile phones are harmful to butterflies) and air pollution from cars are the biggest threats to butterflies. The work of the NST has become a little easier since 2010, when an amendment in the Wildlife Protection

Even though the nature club does considerable butterfly conservation, it’s not sufficient. “It’s not enough if we are the only ones who are taking action, the larger community needs to get involved, we need everyone’s participation. Everyone can contribute,” said Dr B Ramesh with conviction. During this interesting journey, we learned so many things about these gorgeous insects that we could write

a book about the little magnificent flutterer. It is not just a pretty thing that flies. It is so much more than we ever thought it could be. They are extraordinary in every single way. While we were ending this story, our minds were still filled with butterflies. Then we looked at the date and suddenly we remembered something. In the Netherlands and in Belgium, our countries of origin, it is October 4, is World Animal Day, where the symbiotic relationship between humans and all life forms are honoured and acknowledged. Could there be any better way for us than to conclude this feature on this important day? In doing so, we acknowledge how the butterflies have made our own individual journeys life enriching and meaningful.

Madurai Messenger Cross Culture October and November 2013

Culinary Nostalgia: A Taste of Madurai in the UK Adam Pigot, a self-confessed Madurai fan, catches up with K. Balaji from Coimbatore in South India who runs Arusuvai, a South Indian eatery famous for its delicious dosas in Sheffield in Yorkshire. Over a cuppa tea and the aroma of dosas, Pigot and Balaji chat about cross cultural challenges, which Pigot says made him recall his recent Indian interlude Text: Adam Pigott, United Kingdom

Crispy Dosa, South Indianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite

had left Madurai with a heavy heart; such was the positive imprint the city had left on my spirit. So it was that less than two weeks after my return home that I found myself basking in the warmth of the local South Indian restaurant, Arusuvai. I had felt compelled to come here ever since I had arrived back in Sheffield, England, hoping that treating my taste buds to my favourite South Indian dish would help me recapture the magic of Madurai.

Down memory lane It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t long before the tantalising aroma of dosa and butter chicken masala crept from the kitchen and swept me in an instant back to Madurai. I was there; the heat and bustle of the kitchen replaced by the heat and bustle of the city, the cinematic score of the rickshaw horn and the bartering and business of the tailorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market returned to the forefront of my mind by the mental triggers I came across inside

Arusuvai restaurant. My recollections prompted me to think of the many people I had met and the friends I made in India, which led me in turn to consider the lives of those who had taken the daring step to move to a foreign country, set up home, and open a restaurant in this far-flung corner of Yorkshire, England. Landing thoughtfully as I provide these mundane details about myself.

9 Like being in South India

A transatlantic odyssey I spoke to acting manager Balaji, 29, originally from Coimbatore, just a few hours drive from Madurai in Tamil Nadu. I wanted to discover how his cross-cultural experiences compared with my own. The congenial interview was accompanied by a very welcome cup of genuine Indian tea. He explained that he had come to England five years ago to study to become a physiotherapist, and became involved in the management of the newly re-branded and refurbished Arusuvai only two weeks ago. “My wife’s passion was to start a business, and I love food and drink,” he explained. Without hesitation, he exclaimed that the biggest culture shock he encountered on arriving in England was the food. ”Wherever I go, I get beef or pork, the things Hindus won’t eat. I prefer vegetarian and the options were very limited for me. I ended up with just

II could understand this, having experienced the same differences from the opposite perspective. In the conservative southern states of India, I saw first hand the restrictions placed on young men and, particularly, young unmarried women. India is a land of contrasts, at its best replete with unexpected wonder, but at its worst muddled with hypocrisy. mashed potatoes and wedges, which made me quite sick. That inspired me to learn to cook actually.” He went on to say that the language barrier, dress codes and activities of the British were initially very strange to him too. I could understand this, having experienced the same differences from the opposite perspective. In the conservative southern states of India, I saw first hand the restrictions placed on young men and, particularly, young unmarried women. India is a land of contrasts, at its best replete with

unexpected wonder, but at its worst muddled with hypocrisy. He stated that the biggest challenge he has had to overcome has been the threat of competition. ”Everyone is calling their food authentic but I don’t know whether they deliver authentic food. The taste attracts people. Our chefs are well trained in India and especially near Madurai. We import everything from India. I hope I am delivering the best.” He proudly lists ”the longest dosa in

Madurai Messenger Cross Culture October and November 2013

Like being in South India

Sheffield” as one of the restaurant’s trademarks and specialities.

Mom makes it best! Talk turns to home next and with a slight self-depreciating smile on his face, Balaji is quick to identify his mother’s home cooked food as the main thing he misses. “Again, culturally it is very different; until I came here, I was barely apart from my parents. I miss mum’s pampering. Though I think English people are friendlier than Indian people, generally.” I tell him straight that I disagree with this, but he goes on to elucidate,”Everyone here gives a social smile; in India I never get a social smile. But family bonding is much more important in India than it is here. In England, at 12 or 13 years, the son

begins to get away from the family. Once I saw a father and son paying separately for their own bills, which was embarrassing for me.” This seems to concur with my experience of living in the home of an Indian family, where there were no distinct bedrooms. The family slept together in the living room, and there was less emphasis on the self. He opened up further at this point, “Every year I go back to India, and when I go home, I sleep on my mother’s lap.” He hopes to establish the restaurant and create a good name and reputation, but cautiously dreams of one day going back to India to live once again. He advises people aspiring to set up business in England to research thoroughly, “You have to know the consequences if anything

goes wrong. Think practically a thousand times.” The interview concluded just in time for opening time, leaving me to consider his words and enjoy my tea. What he told me about society and family reinforced what I learnt while I was out there. Perhaps here in the West, in the pursuit of individuality and personal wealth, we have lost something fundamental to the human experience. Despite the poverty and apparent lack of infrastructure found in some areas of India, it seems there is arguably a lot to be learnt from a country that, on a social level, values the family unit over individual aspirations.

Where Kindness is a way of Life Just as she would love to use the word overwhelming for India, Pernilla Johansson, the Swedish volunteer says that friendliness and kindness are the words she thinks best describes Madurai Text and Photos: Pernilla Johansson, Sweden

t’s like I have entered a whole different planet. With the really noisy sounds from the horns of the rickshaws, all the colourful saris of the women and eating every meal from banana leaves with only my right hand, it’s like I am a Martian entering the earth. Not to mention the way Indians feel about time and its stretchability. It’s not what it is like in Sweden. Here in India, everything takes a lot of time. With all these new things, the culture shock really hits me after some days. I have travelled earlier and have actually been to several different Asian countries that are similar to India if you just see them with your touristy glasses on! Until my visit to India, I have only been away as a tourist. I’m a tourist who has been staying in hotels with my Western friends and eating at least the first meal and usually even the second meal that is Western cuisine. But now I’m entering India as a volunteer who is to live here for a month. I would be living with an Indian family and have spicy Indian food even for breakfast, and also work with Indian colleagues. As a volunteer, it’s important to be sensitive to the cultural differences. For example, it’s important to behave appropriately by not crossing the legs and willingly take part in social activities, and like any Indian, try out yoga and visit temples. It’s a lot to take in and because I’m experiencing the culture by living it, my first exploration of India is overwhelming. When the culture shock slowly wears away, I actually see the humanity and friendliness of the Indians. I realised this on my third day when I was exchanging money. An action that takes two minutes in Sweden takes over thirty minutes in India! At first I got stressed over the delay but when I slowly calmed down and looked around me, I saw an Indian man who had been waiting longer than me. But unlike me, he was totally calm. That’s when I realized that time for Indians time is not money as it is for the Swedish, its just humanity. If humanity is the explanation of the notion of elastic punctuality of Indians, their friendliness is the explanation

The kindness of Maduraiites even towers over the Meenakshi Temple

why I feel comfortable and safe here even though it feels as if I’m on a different planet. The friendly gestures already began on my flight to Madurai where I received good advice and help from my Indian co-passengers. The friendly gestures have continued ever since, with everyone you meet asking, “Madam, what can I do for you?” It’s not a coincidence that Nandri (thank you) is the first word that you learn here. The friendliness I experience here is rare in Sweden. In Sweden, you always expect something in return, mostly money if you doing something for an unknown person. But here the people don’t expect it in that way. I think the Indian way of life is that if you show friendliness to anyone now, it will pay off in the future. I think that my stay here is going to be pleasant because I know that the people wish only the very best for me.

Madurai Messenger Eating Out October and November 2013

Eat, Smile, Leave Ayyappan Dosa Kadai needs no introduction to dosa fans in Madurai. The restaurant serves 40 different varieties of dosas and caters to 300 customers every evening. Its celebrity clients include music maestro Ilayaraja who has even invited A. Karthikeyan, the owner of the restaurant to make dosas for him in Chennai! Pernilla Johansson delves into the delicious dosa fare and declares them as being straight from an Indian heaven! Text: Pernilla Johansson, Sweden Photos: Suriya Prakash.R.P

Dosa expert Bala dishing out his dosa magic

he streets of Madurai are as busy as a beehive. People are thronging the temples and the streets stalls are busy selling sweets, dosas and idlis…. and it is not hard to understand that eating out is a vital part of life for the people of Madurai.

for their order, the servers run back and forth with balancing plates of freshly made dosas and different types of lovely but quite spicy chutneys. In this homelike restaurant, I meet smiling faces and every guest seems to be truly in love with the dosas!

Dosa magic

I love this place. Compared to other restaurants this place has so many different kinds of dosas that you don’t find anywhere else. While the incredible variety of dosas is one big reason I choose this restaurant, I must also say that the taste is also so incredibly delicious! “The dosas taste homemade and you can really feel that they are made with love,” says B. Karunakaran, obviously an extremely satisfied customer.

At every step, the smell of fresh and crispy dosas comes right at you and when crossing the Pandiya Vellalar Street, the aroma of dosas gets more intense and lovelier—it’s the aroma of the famous dosas from the restaurant Iyappan Dosa Kadai that wafts across to us. When entering Iyappan Dosa Kadai, it comes right at me, the friendly atmosphere which is crowded but somehow so homely. While some are waiting

“The dosas taste homemade and you can really feel that they are made with love,” says B. Karunakaran, obviously an extremely satisfied customer.

A. Karthikeyan with volunteers Pernilla Johansson and Michael Van Wavern

Tamil music maestro Ilayaraja’s favourite restaurant

A. Karthikeyan, the owner of the restaurant, took over the restaurant from his father in 1977 and from then on, it transformed from a regular restaurant to one that now specialises in dosas. Not surprisingly, it has been a huge success. The restaurant not only attracts hordes of ordinary people but can also flaunt its celebrity clientele. The owner proudly declares that the famous musician, maestro Ilayaraja always eats at Iyappan Dosa Kadai when he is in Madurai and that he has actually invited him to Chennai to make dosas just for him! It’s not just maestro Ilayaraja who enjoys eating at the restaurant. Kathikeyan has a good reputation all over Madurai and has over 300 guests every night. The simple explanation for the restaurant’s success is that he makes his dosas the traditional way. Most of the shops have skipped the traditional way of doing dosas but the truth is that most of the customers want their dosas to taste homemade.

Ayyappan Dosa Kadai gets ready to host its daily dosa banquet

Madurai Messenger Village Voices October and November 2013

Tiruchuli: Pastoral Paradise Tiruchuli, the lovely little village 45 kms from Madurai in Virudhunagar district is well known as the birthplace of Sri Ramana Maharishi, one of India’s most well known mystics. Latetitia Delmarche wanders around the village and ponders on the similarities and differences between villages in Belgium and India. She agrees completely with Balammal, the oldest person in the village, who would like the village to retain its simplicity and character Story: Laetitia Delmarche photos: Bente Noel Van Woerden

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inding roads lined with trees and plants. The road to Tiruchuli looks like the forested Ardennes in Belgium, but without the hills. Perhaps the roads to villages are always like that: roads full of twists and turns, through Nature. When I decided to go to India to volunteer, it was to see a slice of the real, India, not the touristy India. The visit to Tiruchuli presented me with one such perfect opportunity.

Place and population Tiruchuli is a village around 45 kms to the south of Madurai, a little more than one hour in car. On the east side of the village, you can find the river Gundaru and on the west side, you can spot a big lake. In Belgium, for instance, you are sure to finds houses in a typical village, not shops! Tiruchuli is not like that. On the main road there were shops, even clothes shops! With a population of 5500, Tiruchuli is certainly not small. The people explained to me that they are very happy because they have a train station and adequate government infrastructure. “Really!?” was my first thought when they said that. When I visited my grand mother’s village in Belgium, I had to take a train and three buses. And the last bus is just once a day … For civic amenities like

Balammal, the oldest person in the village, sitting in front of her house

The entrance to the Tiruchuli Temple.The temple is one of the oldest in south India

post office, she had to go to another town, thirty minutes by car. And for the population, they are approximately five hundred. In comparison, for me, Tiruchuli looks like a town! Tiruchuli village is considered a holy place as it is the native place of Sri Ramana Maharishi, the Vedantic seer and there is also a big temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Sri Ramana’s birth place, Sundaram Mandiram, has been converted into a shrine. The Bhuminathesewara Temple is situated right across the street from Sri Ramana’s home. A beautiful, serene and ancient temple, Venkatraman (Sri Ramana’s pre-monastic name) often played in the temple premises and took refuge here.

SFF A passage from the Life of Ramana Maharishi brings out the intimate association the temple had in Sri Ramana’s life. “Venkataraman (RM) was fond of playing. He played in the “kalyana madapam” by the side of the temple

of Bhuminatha. Classes were also held there sometimes. Going by the pictures of his handwriting, he seemed to have a clean and ornate handwriting in English. He studied in the English Middle School in Tiruchuzhi (the picture of the school now only shows a dilapidated building). One day when RM was 6 years old, he was taken to task for making kites and paper boats out of the case bundles of his father. RM was deeply hurt and disappeared. They could not find him anywhere. That evening when the priest of Sri Sahayavalli (consort of Lord Bhuminatha) was about to perform puja, he found a boy seated silently behind the idol. It was Venkatarman (RM). He was deeply hurt and seemed to have confided and sought solace with Sri Sahayavalli. According to legend, Lord Shiva, in the form of Bhuminatha or Saviour of the Earth, saved the land from a deluge on three different occasions. He placed his trident on the earth and created a hole for the water to flow. The Bhuminatheswara Temple sprang up in the exact place where the Holy Trident pierced the earth.

Production and labour The village is dry and arid most of the year and hence unsuitable for major agricultural crops like paddy. When it rains, however, the villagers grow chilies, corn, cereals and lentils. Being the birth place of Sri Ramana and a holy place, there is also a little tourist business in the village. A lot of foreigners or Indian people come to see the birth place of Sri Ramana Maharishi and worship at the temple.

People When we arrived in the village, we saw a lot of people gathered there. Panchavaranam, 35, is the panchayat president for Tiruchuli and five other villages. The president of each village is elected by the people of the village. The Panchyati Raj is a form of decentralized local governance. The role of the president is to listen the problems of the people and act as a bridge between the people and the administration. I find this system of local governance very interesting; we do not have something like this in Belgium.

Madurai Messenger Village Voices October and November 2013

Panchavaranam lives in Tiruchuli but was born in a neighbouring village. She, however, still likes her place of birth.

The Sri Yantra or the symbol of the Eternal Feminine on the temple walls

“We are always better off in our place of origin,” she adds. Her work is very important. All the people rely on her. Each day, she stays two hours in her office and after that, she visits each village to meet and interact with people. Each month, there is a meeting when people tell her all the problems. After that, she goes to the union office and later visits the collector in Virudhunagar district with this information. There, the district administration tries to address the problems that have been placed before them.

Problems

There are two major problems that need to be addressed. Shortage of drinking water, worsened by the lack of rains is a pressing problem that needs to be addressed immediately. The other big problem is the funds allotted by

the government. While the people are happy to have some help, it is not enough and those funds also need to be better managed.

Prospects When I was walking around the village, I met the future of Tiruchuli: the children. They told me that while they all like living in Tiruchuli, when they grow up, they would like live in another place, perhaps Chennai. Chinnaman, 48, and Pumar, 39, want colleges and better high schools in the village. They hope that these will motivate the children and young people of Tiruchuli to stay on in the village and not migrate elsewhere in search of education and job opportunities.

The children, left to right: Devi (14), Kanajavalli (14), Ayyammal (14), Dinerh (9), Prakash Rag (7)

Timely rain will also help. “The soil is very fertile in Tiruchuli, the only problem is that it does not rain,” explains Chinnaman. If it rains, the two men are convinced that there will be more work, and therefore, people will not go to other places to find a job.

While good schools, colleges and timely rain will undoubtedly improve the livelihoods of the people, they also say that tourism will be another source of revenue for the village and were hopeful of its livelihood prospects. The trip to this village was an eye opener. I could see the differences and more importantly, the similarities between villages in Belgium and India. Most people in the village welcome improvements that would make their life easier. But they certainly don’t want the village to be so “developed” that it becomes unrecognizable. “Since I live here, the village did not change, and that is how a village should be,” asserts Balammal, 90, the oldest person in the village. I agree with her completely. My grand mother has always lived in a very small village and it has not changed at all since I was born. And I love it as it is.

The villagers who came to talk with Mrs Panchavaranam, 35 years old (red sari)

The native house of Sri Ramana Maharishi. A lot of people go on pilgrimage there

Madurai Messenger Book Review October and November 2013

Bad Dog! A scathing review of the latest book by well known writer Ranjit Lal, which certainly does not strike a responsive chord with reviewer Isak Adolfsson Text: Isak Adolfsson, Sweden

Title:

Bambi, Chops and Wag

Author:

Ranjit Lal

Publisher: Roli Books Pvt Ltd Year:

2013

Price:

Rs 195.00/-

t’s always with an ambivalent feeling that you review a book that you did not find enjoyable but instead lacking. And when such a situation arises, the need to be objective is more justified than ever. Still, the truth must not be withheld.

A catch the ball story The author of Bambi, Chops and Wag is Ranjit Lal, a well known author who writes on Nature. The book highlights the relationship between the author and his dogs, which not surprisingly, were named Bambi, Chops and Wag. The contents of the book are filled with the every day tasks and problems that occur when having a dog. Lal lets us experience the barking-filled car drives, the importance of training the dogs (including obedience and toilet training), how people hold on to preconceptions against different breeds and their owners and all about living with a dog who acquires the status of a family member! But the book doesn’t claim to be anything else other than an easy going memoir.

Reinventing the wheel The book has two tendencies. The first tendency is stating the obvious. According to me, is Lal milking the situation of having a dog, by constantly romanticizing the situation?

He’s loading every new discovery about his dogs and dogs in general to such an extent, that it feels like he’s trying to claim credit for inventing the wheel or something similar. However, it’s done with a sense of humour which lets him get away with it. There’s actually nothing new you really learn while reading this book, which is every author’s nightmare. Only those who never have interacted with a dog will gain some knowledge by reading this book. And for those of you who are considering getting a dog, my advice would be to read a non- fiction book that deals with the subject. Sure, this book may give you a few smiles but it contradicts itself over and over. Having that said, every dog owner will, with a smile on

Ranjith Lal, the writer of the Bambi, Chops and Wag

their face, recognize themselves constantly in the anecdotes that form the narrative. The second tendency is constant repetition. It’s common knowledge that conflicts drive stories. Unfortunately, this book has an utter lack of conflicts. Instead, the pages are filled with trivial anecdotes, without a stronger coherence to one another, and the substance of one anecdote is often repeated in another. It’s by some extentcaused by the fact that Lal is describing the breeding of each dog, one by one. There’s also a lack of structure in the writing, due to the repetition. One could easily replace a paragraph from one chapter to another and no one would notice. Even a memoir demands structure.

Misleading The book’s byline is “A madcap story of how three dogs trained a family.” A title should always reflect the content of the writing. With this in mind, the byline is misleading

as there is no great focus on how the dogs’ active actions influenced the values or the lives of the Lal family. Besides, whenever a chance for depth in writing arises, Lal just does not seize it. This is best framed in the facile and abrupt way Lal pictures the death of the dogs. Lal’s fondness for using exclamation marks in every second sentence is quite excessive and unprofessional. While the story revolves around the dogs, there is little about the people in the family who are included in the anecdotes. This leaves quite a few information gaps and Lal’s solution to fill those up within parenthesis is not a reader- friendly solution. Despite this, I am aware that even though I may not have enjoyed the book myself, someone else may.

Madurai Messenger Event October and November 2013

The Mind of a Volunteer: Not Painted in Black and White On October 25, the volunteers of Projects Abroad India participated in providing a face lift to the Family Planning Association (FPA) India’s premises. From where does the will of a volunteer arise? And is the mind of a volunteer the idealistic mind of a Don Quixote or the self-critical mind of a Sancho Panza, wonders Isak Adolfsson Text: Isak Adolfsson, Sweden

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Operation new look Unknowing about what one has actually signed up for, people appear one by one outside the building of the Family Planning Association (FPA) of India. The morning sun is rising and like the murmuring of insects, small groups of volunteers are lining up, each one speculating on what the day has to offer. Some have more insight than others. The occasion is a so-called Dirty Day – a monthly collective social effort of Projects Abroad volunteers

organized by Projects Abroad India, where the organisation’s volunteers are called in to participate in work that involves manual labour. The event is a day-long social contribution with different tasks every month. As the volunteers are led to a conference room, the murmuring decreases. Between the loud strokes of a fan, the voice of Mr. Partheeban, who is in charge of the collaboration with Projects Abroad India, is carried

through. Today’s task is painting. Supplied with abrasive papers, masks, brushes and buckets of diluted paint, the volunteers get disseminated on the main building’s different floors. Like an army of egrets, the volunteers sweep forward with their abrasive papers and leave a layer of paint on the paved floor. Corridors and bedrooms are split up in chessboard patterns, which are finished square by square. People on their knees, people on ladders, people standing on any furniture that offers

While having lunch, I’m sitting down with volunteer Sean Snyder, 22, from the U.S. He is spending his time in India on a medical volunteer project. In the beginning, we small talk about the benefits of these “Dirty days” as it allows volunteers to interact with other volunteers, an opportunity that they otherwise would not have.

some height, people reaching up high. Soon the scouring is complete. Off go the abrasive papers and masks and soon every volunteer is armed with a brush. With surveyors reviewing the work, the volunteers are thrilled. The cream coloured paint is gently stroked onto the walls. With dust particles in the air and the sweat weltering down each one’s back, a common feeling of achievement emerges from the work successfully completed. As the clock ticks away, the number of newly painted rooms increases.

Not a white knight While having lunch, I’m sitting down with volunteer Sean Snyder, 22, from the U.S. He is spending his time in India on a medical volunteer project. In the beginning, we small talk about

the benefits of these “Dirty days” as it allows volunteers to interact with other volunteers, an opportunity that they otherwise would not have. We both agree that it’s nice to get a break from our intrinsic projects, as variation has never been harmful. Soon our talk skitters over to the aspect of reaching out to the community. “I graduated from school and wanted to do some kind of giving-back-to-thesociety activity during my gap year. Doing a volunteer project allows me to do so, while I experience and get exposed to reality,” says Sean. Being a frequent traveller, Sean, however, admits that his time in India is the only time he has had an actual cultural chock. “Everything is unmarked, the reality figuratively punches you in the face.”

Sean goes on to tell me that he is aware that his contribution as a volunteer is minimal vis a vis what has to been done. Due to this awareness, Sean does not see his time as a volunteer as a charade to calm himself and his professed social sensibility. He is not a blessed white knight from the West. Sometimes battling with self-criticism about his own relevance in India, Sean reveals his own comingto-terms-with-reality moment. He may not be an almighty saviour but he’s a being, who’s taking his part of the responsibility to try to improve the human condition. And for actively trying, Sean has gained self-respect. He is not a white knight. He is real.

Madurai Messenger First Impressions October and November 2013

Temples, Skyscrapers and Second Chances Michael Van Waveren compares and contrasts his American and Indian experiences and concludes that the two are as different as a crow and a peacock! Nevertheless, he is touched by the friendliness of the people of Madurai, whose warmth he says, equals or even exceeds the temperature! Story and Photos: Michael Van Waveren, Netherlands

n my short life of two decades I have traveled to many places, and I have already learned that appearances are deceptive.

One of Madurai’s soraing skywards temple towers

Two years ago, I visited New York with my parents. It was a dazzling sight. When you take the Queensborough Bridge into Manhattan, you become enveloped in this urban jungle, and a sense of wonder takes hold of you in a matter of seconds. Madison Square Garden, Broadway, Times Square…these will leave a permanent imprint in your mind for years to come. However, when I stayed a few more days, I began to experience a very different feeling. The New Yorkers were cold and distant. They wouldn’t look me in the eye, or take a minute to start a conversation in the subway. Whenever they would talk, the conversations were shallow and fake, without any real emotion. It would be like listening to a recording of somebody talking to you, if that makes any sense. There was no real connection. The New Yorkers seemed distant to me and to each other to such an extent, that after a while it started to sadden me. Let’s fast forward to the present moment. I’ve only barely arrived in Madurai, a temple city located in the lush southern tip of India. The contrast to Manhattan could not have been bigger. Whereas New York felt like an

overwhelming sight, Madurai is an underwhelming one. The streets are dirty, filled with litter and the sporadic homeless person. The air is hot and sticky, which makes it hard to breathe and easy to sweat! The people give you funny looks, like you do not belong here. All in all, the first impression you get is that this will take some getting used to. But that’s certainly not the full story. In my first ride on a motorized rickshaw, I started talking with the locals and was surprised at their warmth and curiosity. The funny looks they gave to me and my fellow travelers weren’t looks of judgment, but of timidity. A timidity that was done away with easily (a simple Vanakkham with a greeting gesture

works like magic!) and suddenly, they showed an interest in me that was explicit and genuine. Their friendliness was disarming, and right from that moment, I felt very welcome in India. The warmth of the people equals, or even exceeds, the temperature. The amazing view that Manhattan offers is a promise of delight, of opportunity and enjoyment, but like its inhabitants, that promise is shallow and empty. My journey in Madurai is far from complete, but so far it has been a stark contrast to my experience in the United States. At first it seemed unpromising, but I’m certainly warming up to the place. They say you never get a second chance at a first impression, but I feel like Madurai deserves that chance.

India is in Me Bente Noel van Woerden confesses that India turned out to be all that and more than what she had always been dreaming about. Completely bowled over by the people and sights and sounds of India, Bente confesses that despite spending just two days in the country, she already feels that India is a part of her! Story and Photos: Bente Noel Van Waveren, Netherlands

Indian women from Madurai, working around Meenakshi temple

India is everything I expected it to be and more. The family I’m staying with feels like a home away from home. I feel welcome in India. The first day the massive crowd of people scared me a little. In my country (the Netherlands), people live more inside their houses. I think it’s because of the cold weather. Especially in Bronkhorst, my home town, you won’t see many people. Bronkhorst is the smallest town in the whole of Europe with a population of only 150!

A people-friendly country In India, the streets are never empty. I’m already getting used to the large numbers of people. I actually think it’s very amusing. You will never get bored because there’s so much to see. People are very helpful and they want to tell me everything about their culture. Just yesterday, when I was walking in the city centre, the people of Madurai showed me everything they were selling at their stands. With a big smile, they tried to explain what was lying in front of them. Though I couldn’t understand everything at first because I didn’t understand their language (Tamil), they explained it to me by using sign language.

efore I traveled to India, I had no idea what to expect. Sometimes, when I closed my eyes, I thought I could see the colours of India and smell the Indian spices! I imagined myself standing in the streets of Madurai surrounded by Indian women in the most beautiful saris, hard working Indian men and lots of cows, dogs and chickens. I felt ready and excited to trade the Dutch scenery for India.

Love at first sight It wasn’t until two days before my departure that I started to worry. What if India isn’t the country I’ve been dreaming about? What will I do if I don’t like it? The worst case scenarios were rushing through my head. As soon as my plane landed in Madurai, I found that all my worries were indeed irrelevant.

I tasted a lot of great food but unfortunately, I can’t remember their names. I do have to make sure to bring a bottle of water with me everywhere I go because sometimes, it feels like my head will explode because of the Indian spices. I do really like the Indian food and hopefully my Amma (host mother) can teach me some great Indian recipes. I also had chai or tea and Indian coffee which I loved. I can’t wait to experience all the other tastes of India. Luckily, I have a whole month to learn about, taste and fall in love with India. I’m sure I will get lots of inspiration for the articles I will be writing and the big collection of photographs I’m hoping to take. I can’t imagine a better place to be in right now. In just two days, I already feel like a part of me is, and always will be, Indian.

Madurai Messenger First Impressions October and November 2013

Relative Certainty in Complete Uncertainty Isak Adolfsson muses about chaos and its implications as he navigates the noisy, crowded Madurai streets Story and Photos: Isak Adolfsson, Sweden

haos. Narrow roads. Barely no shoulders. Risky overtakes. The squeal of breaking tyres. And above all: the constant noise of the horn.

I’m walking down the main road with my room mate Lucas. Heading into the town. My friends have told me about the tailor market. I would really need a pair of new pants. Wearing jeans is literally killing me. With the sweat beading on my forehead, the sun in my eyes and the sound of a distant veena piercing my ears, I feel like a stranger in a kingdom which is not mine. Only if we raise our voices, we are able to catch the main body of the others’ sentences. A veil of noise is covering everything boarded to the road. Vehicles are sweeping by. It’s past six pm and the road is at its busiest. We catch a bus. By my European standards, I would call it over crowded. In India, you would not react to it. It’s normal. I barely get into the bus, with my feet on two different steps, before the ticket conductor blows his whistle and the bus is moving. Standing there, with my hand on a railing, I don’t perceive it to be tight. Well, at least not catastrophically tight, as one could imagine. Distance is kept. The people on the bus are accepting the situation and even though they may not find it pleasing, they are nevertheless respecting each other’s space. Mentally, however, it was the most peaceful bus trip of my life.

A busy street on a busy day

We went to the tailor market - and we got there in one piece, even though I thought we were about to collide several times with the others. On our way back home, we took a rickshaw, squiggling our way around crowds, mopeds, cars and buses. In the metal body of a rickshaw, one surrenders to the chaos of the traffic. One can not tell if it’s organized chaos or if it’s an unleashed chaos, because the chaos is complete. As an empirical person, I started to observe the chaos, trying to find patterns. I could soon chart the first and most essential pattern – the

pattern behind the constant noise of the horn. For your fellow passengers, the horn serves the same purpose of a dot on a sonar. It indicates objects in movement and helps one other to avoid accidents; it’s a guidance tool. The constant noise of the horn is a mutual human blip, trying to make a vibration on the sonar of the chaos, to help one’s fellow creature to guide their way through the chaos. A woman named Rani told me, “In India, we don’t have any good drivers. Only the best ones have survived.”