Maduraimessenger issue52 april 2014 lowres by Projects Abroad

April 2014

Volume 4, Issue 52

Auroville: A Utopian Dream Still in the Making PLUS: MEIVAZHI SALAI: A VILLAGE AND ITS TRUE PATH

CONTENTS April 2014 | Issue No. 52

EDITOR’S CORNER

Editor Selina Joseph

Regeneration of Nature and the Human Mind

Copy Editor Bhuvana Venkatesh Journalism Coordinators R.P.Surya Prakash

COVER STORY 02

N.S. Barath

Auroville and its Utopian Ideals: The City of Dawn Dreams On ISSUES

Designer & Technical Support T. Jesuraja

High and Low: A Palm Tree Climber’s Life EXPERIENCE

Reporters & Photographers Nora Roger Ione Wells

Kayleigh Robinson

The Village Deity’s Festival: Celebrating the Community Spirit

Agnese Cupido Anthony Hewitt Cover Photograph 2

Nora Roger

SPIRITUALITY 17

Back Cover

VILLAGE VOICES

Photo credit: Guna Amuthan Sivakasi Projects Abroad Pvt. Ltd.,

Becoming One with the Divine: Meivazhi Salai Shows the Way

Palamedu: Fighting Oﬀ a New Challenge FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Contact: editor@maduraimessenger.org MADURAI MESSENGER

No. 17, T.P.K Road

Pasumalai

Madurai – 625004 Tamil Nadu India Tel. 0452-2370269

A Tale of Two Cities Heat and Dust: My Madurai Sojourn Thirsting for More than Just Knowledge

othing tells a story more powerfully than a picture. If we look at the pictures of Auroville taken in the late 1960s just after its inauguration, what is apparent to us is a vast, barren plateau, dotted with palm trees and characterized by steep canyons cut into the land where the soil was eroded by rain water run offs. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photographs show an entirely transformed landscape - a canopy of green covers the whole area and in the canyons, where banyan and other trees now grow naturally, check dams store much-needed rain water and act as filtration points for the ground water. While Auroville was created with many lofty and laudatory objectives in mind, the one that stands out as the most successful is the regeneration of the land, which is a testament to the powers of transformation that all human beings are endowed with. It is this â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;inner powerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which The Mother dreamt of harnessing while charting out her plans for Auroville. How and whether Auroville is capable of meeting these other objectives is what remains to be seen. 1

Selina Joseph Editor

Madurai Messenger Cover Story April 2014

AUROVILLE AND ITS UTOPIAN IDEALS:

The City of Dawn Dreams On In mid-February, the MM journalism team visited Auroville, a large village 10 kms north of Pondicherry, in Tamil Nadu. The place was founded to create human unity and to raise man to a superior level of consciousness. Nora Roger investigates the to see for herself the extent to which the city has achieved its utopian objectives, 46 years after its inauguration Text and Photos: Nora Roger France

The Mother and Her Dream The Mother, who was the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, was born Mirra Alfassa in Paris in 1878 to a Turkish father and an Egyptian mother. After her divorce from her first husband, painter Henri Morisset, she married Paul Antoine Richard in 1911.

From the landscape to the economy, education and health, she maturely thought out the construction of Auroville in all its aspects Together they came to Pondicherry and met Sri Aurobindo for the first time in 1914. In 1920, she came back to Sri Aurobindo’s side and started a new life in India. Sri Aurobindo gave her the

famous appellation ‘The Mother’, and asked her to take care of the Ashram which had spontaneously formed around him, when he had decided to retire.

The idea for the city encompassed several ideas - abolishing private ownership of property, deleting the concept of money, erasing differences whether theological, racial or social, putting more emphasis on sustainable energy, involving citizens in community life, etc. In a word, overhauling the present system as a whole She founded Auroville with the French architect Roger Anger. Anchored in reality, she thought about this city following a dream, but inking it in the reality. Weighing the pros and cons: what is achievable and what is not and if so, by asking questions of how to build this city. From the landscape to the economy, education and health, she maturely thought out the construction of Auroville in all its aspects. This is evident in the unanimous affirmation of most countries, as well as that of UNESCO from the very beginning. “What I see is the world of tomorrow, but the world of yesterday is still alive and will still live for some time. Let the old arrangements go on so long as they are alive” explains The Mother (Collected Works of The Mother vol. 17 p 326, December 6, 1969). Auroville is a city planned to hold a maximum of 50,000 people from around the world. Today there are 2,345 inhabitants. Some of the old timers stayed and gave birth in this city; others came after it was inaugurated, while some others left or were not given citizen status and some young people studied abroad and never came back. “The earth is certainly not ready to realize such an ideal, for mankind

does not yet possess sufficient knowledge to understand and adopt it nor the conscious force that is indispensable in order to execute it; that is why I call it a dream,” explains the Mother in Bulletin (Collected Works of The Mother vol. 12 p. 93-94, August 1954). Inaugurated in February 1968, Auroville celebrated 46 years of its existence in February 2014. Is Auroville an experimental model city or is it still a dream?

The Blooming of a Desert Auroville, or literally “the city of dawn” in French, was inaugurated in February 1968 in India on the Coromandel Coast, 10 kms north of Pondicherry. Each tree was planted by someone, each relief carved by a man, everything was built from nothing. The goal of this

place is to raise man to a higher level of consciousness. The Mother had a project “a universal town where men and women of all countries can live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities” and whose purpose was to “realize human unity.” A beautiful ambition but Man is not going to wake up one morning neither transformed nor better, no matter where he is in the world. Mirra had the idea of a city contributing to the natural elevation of man’s consciousness: that is Auroville. The idea for the city encompassed several ideas - abolishing private ownership of property, deleting the concept of money, erasing differences whether theological, racial or social, putting more emphasis on sustainable energy, involving citizens in community life, etc. In a word, overhauling the

Madurai Messenger Cover Story April 2014

present system as a whole. Therefore, it would be fair for a visitor to expect a city covered with solar panels or windmills, fields everywhere, bicycles on the roads and some electric cars maybe... The reality is slightly different. Is it possible to create a different city, one diametrically opposite of today’s society without isolating it from the world? Auroville has not walled itself, its purpose being to share its philosophy to the world as explained in the Master Plan.

When you arrive in Pondicherry, it is quite complicated to get to Auroville by yourself. You have to figure out which bus to take, where should we take it from and so on. Auroville hides behind lush vegetation and a maze of streets. Fortunately most rickshaws in Pondicherry know where the City of Dawn is located. Twenty minutes later, we are standing at its gates. A large driveway, grass on the sides and no one except a security guard at the entrance to the city. A little further on, a young Aurovilian, a 34-year-old French woman informs us frankly, “This is a place where everyone is helping the others; it’s nice to live here even if it requires a lot of work.” Far from the small ecovillage we’d imagined, Auroville is really a “city” where a lot of motorcycles and other two-wheeled motorized vehicles and a few cars ply. But really it has very few bikes, which is quite surprising. (Cycles have a different network of pass ways which are not always visible from the roads). All over the world there are lots of villages based on Utopia; Auroville is said to be the first and one of the internationally recognized centers for research in human unity. It is endorsed by UNESCO and got the full support and encouragement of the Government of India which has approved Auroville’s Master Plan. This Master Plan is based on a spiral galaxy shape and incorporates four radiating sectors (international, cultural, industrial and residential zones), plus a surrounding Green Belt. In the center,

Indeed Auroville has a special visa for its inhabitants, which you can obtain after spending a test year there. For a year, the “newcomers” receive no maintenance and cannot voice their opinion because they are not citizens yet

“the soul of the city” stands - this is the Matrimandir, a 29-meter-high and 36-meter-wide golden, globe-shaped structure, whose construction began in 1971. While the Mother seemed to reject the notion of religion, she believed in divinity and in spirituality, so the Matrimandir, literally ‘the temple of the Mother’ is a place of peace, quietness and contemplation. Inside are white marble walls, and in the center is one of the largest crystal globes in the world (70 cm in diameter) illuminated by the sun’s rays through a system of mirrors installed on the roof. If you want to meditate in one of the twelve rooms of the Matrimandir you must make an appointment; it is neither a museum nor a place of worship and is definitely not open to visitors that easily. You can go there to meditate, but for that you need to make an appointment, free but mandatory. “During the tourist season it will be difficult I think,” indicates an inhabitant. Thus Auroville is also a town where tourism plays an important role.

Membership and Voting Issues Auroville is the only place on Earth where an ongoing non-political, multinational experiment in human unity is underway on behalf of all humankind. Auroville wants itself to be an apolitical city. Three separate but interdependent bodies compose the Auroville Foundation: a governing board with the Secretary (who live in Auroville), an International Advisory Council and a Residents’ Assembly, represented by the working committee. There is also the Auroville Council which takes care of all the internal matters. As Robert Hessing, a citizen of Auroville working for Outreach Media explains to us, the daily decisions are taken by the Working Committee. Then there are all kinds of groups that are specialized in one particular field: green group, land group, farm group, etc. They have an important role to play in their field of action. Decisions are debated in general meetings and ratified at the Residents’ Assembly meeting. Ideally, decisions are taken by consensus while others

It is difficult to become a citizen of Auroville but it is still possible to work there. Auroville survives partly from its commercial activities including handicrafts, design, food processing, engineering, fashion, etc. About 30% of the earnings go to the city

Madurai Messenger Cover Story April 2014

by voting. “To be honest, not many people turn up and vote. People are so disappointed with all the systems of decision making, so only about twenty people will show up and no decisions will have been taken,” says Robert. At least 10% of the population needs to be present for a decision to be taken, but often this quorum is never reached. That’s why the voting is often postponed. Decisions take a long time in Auroville. So we have got a democratic city where it is easy for the people to speak up but yet they don’t.

Testing Times for Newcomers

The project was given a special status by the Government of India, when the Auroville Foundation was created by an Act of Parliament. Indeed Auroville has a special visa for its inhabitants, which you can obtain after spending a test year there. For a year, the “newcomers” receive no maintenance and cannot voice their opinion because they are not citizens yet. They have to spend one test year, in order to see if they really want to become Auroville citizens: they’ll have to prove themselves. After one year, Auroville decides if they have fulfilled the criteria. “It’s a test for both sides, you and Auroville. You can choose to leave even if they decide to make you an Aurovilian,” says Robert. If they’re announced as Aurovilians, their names are put in the Master List of Auroville and they can vote. “People can cheat during their test year. But we believe that if you’re meant to be here you will stay and if not, you won’t be happy here and you’ll leave. Because it’s not that easy, there will be some disappointment. If you come for a few days it may look like paradise but in a few months you’ll start to realize that there are a lot of problems. So the people who don’t belong here will leave,” he adds. A few hundred people apply every year.

Giving Back to Mother Nature Auroville is a nature lover’s paradise, where birds launch from the enchanted foliage and squirrels scamper around

Looking at so much of nature, it is difficult to remember that it was a desert just 46 years ago. All this was possible because of the environmental regeneration and reforestation of the area, a tribute to the hard work of the first members of Auroville the Matrimandir. Looking at so much of nature, it is difficult to remember that it was a desert just 46 years ago. All this was possible because of the environmental regeneration and reforestation of the area, a tribute to the hard work of the first members of Auroville. Some endangered species were replanted and now grow naturally. Tens of thousands of trees were planted by men using non-polluting and appropriate technology with sustainable energy. Comprehensive soil and water conservation practices have been introduced. They practice agriculture without the use of pesticides and detrimental chemicals. No doubt that Auroville was a Green City before environment consciousness became fashionable. As an eco town, they try to recycle and reuse the waste.

Auroville’s work is not confined only to meeting the needs of the township, it is a place of research and experimentation for humanity as a whole, following The Mother’s plan of human unity. For example, the Earth Institute, where they design building materials from rammed earth. It’s less polluting and you don’t have to transport the material either because you use the sand that you find here. Auroville tries to give itself the maximum autonomy, both in terms of resources and technology. The city shares its discoveries with the world and also draws foreign prowess to improve.

Addressing Energy Concerns Auroville owns wind generators to provide electricity; however, it still remains dependent on the Tamil Nadu grid. Solar power is developed to cope

with the frequent power cuts of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. However, Auroville is still a far cry from the small self-sufficient village it aimed to be and looks more like a progressive city trying to improve the existing systems to meet the needs of its population. The ground water is a worry too because the level is getting lower and lower each year. And when the sea water inundates the area, the water and consequently the soil is affected by salinity. Auroville therefore suffers from sharing resources with its neighbors. “The Tamil Nadu farmers are permitted by the government to use unlimited water. So they keep pumping, pumping and pumping. They’re not conscious about the use of water,” explains Robert. But this does not prevent them from renovating the complex of artificial lakes, thereby helping nearby villages to improve their water holding capacity by improving and restoring all the traditional kolams (ponds). Raising awareness about the dangers of salt intrusion in the

immediate coastal zone caused by overpumping of ground water seems to be the best solution for now. Besides water conservation, the Center for Scientific Research has done really important work like inventing cheap and efficient new techniques, like the solar kitchen, but nowadays it’s more of a consultancy agency.

To Each According to His Need Auroville has several farms. People try to eat organic food as much as possible. Money here is virtual money. The inhabitants aim at zero circulation of cash within the township. Aurovilians have an Auroville bank account and pay with their Aurocard. For example, if you order a coffee you won’t give any coins to the bartender, he writes it down and the administrators will take care of that. Sharing is important here. In a supermarket, you don’t pay attention to the prices, only to your need. Indeed “a certain amount of money is being

taken for my shopping every month. I have no idea what it really costs me but I take everything I need. Of course you must be disciplined because if you take too much it won’t be fair to the others,” Robert tells us. There is a control mechanism, if Rs. 2,000 is taken monthly on your account but you take food for the equivalent of Rs. 3,000 each time, they will charge you more because it won’t be fair for the others who don’t take as much products as you. “When you come to visit for one day you have a problem, because you cannot be part of the system,” Robert reminds us. That’s why Auroville has got certain places where you can use actual money, mostly at the Tourist Center.

A Philosophy of Live and Let Live Although paper money and private property were abolished, some disputes are bound to arise because of human nature. Problems arise also with the neighboring villages. Some

Madurai Messenger Cover Story April 2014

Aurovilians look upon the inhabitants with suspicion and anger and vice versa. But at the same time, the City of Dawn helps these villages in many ways - for over 45 years, Auroville has been working in the villages and with the villagers in all disciplines and activities. Some of them are education, health and dental care, water and sanitation management, farming and agriculture along with the development of skills from senior management, entrepreneurial opportunities, along with training in plumbing, arts, crafts and computer/software only to name a few. During our visit we stop at a handicrafts shop run by a young woman at the Tourist Center. It’s been six years since this young Indian has been working here. All products are handcrafted in Auroville. “Here women learn to manage a business, manage money. It is really beneficial for our self-esteem,” she exclaims proudly. She is not a citizen of Auroville; she applied several times though and lives in a village nearby. Thanks to Auroville, she has a stable financial position and has responsibilities. It is difficult to become a citizen of Auroville but it is still possible to work there. Auroville survives partly

All the inhabitants are volunteers who either receive a monthly basic “maintenance” in local rupees or pay for themselves partly or entirely from their own private resources as a contribution to the project from its commercial activities including handicrafts, design, food processing, engineering, fashion, etc. About 30% of the earnings go to the city.

Money, Public Enemy #1? Auroville has 2,345 residents, 43% of whom are Indians while the remaining 57% comprise other nationalities. The city doesn’t have a university yet. After the age of seventeen, certain young people of foreign nationalities choose to go abroad if they want to continue their studies. Most of them come back when this period is over. Old timers, those who built the city, keep themselves busy. They are still working even at the age of eighty, in that way they still contribute. Except for the ones who are born here, the population is not as young as you would think. It is difficult for young people to come here because of the financial problems they will face. “If

you come you will need some money, about 30, 000 euros in your bank account I think,” advices Robert. Indeed, maintenance is not enough to live on and if you want to build a house, as the city demands, the newcomer has to finance everything on his own. But the idea of this utopia is that people come here for a ‘higher purpose’, to realise themselves and develop their inner capacity and money is just not a part of it. Money spoils everything. But nowadays that’s what the world uses to put a value on almost everything. The general financing of the city comes from fives sources: The government of India, NGOs within India and abroad, twenty-four Auroville international centers and liaison offices around the world, commercial and business units, and substantially by the Aurovilians themselves and friends of Auroville.

Naturally pure - many shops sell organic products such as essential oils and fragrances which are manufactured in Auroville itself Some people get what Auroville calls “maintenance” but that’s only the basic, it’s not much. “You live quite humbly. Because as a foreigner, your visa doesn’t allow you to work for money, you can only be a volunteer. So a lot of people are poor. We must improve our economy. It’s not working 100% as it should and that’s a major problem,” highlights Robert. “In principal, you work for Auroville, and Auroville takes care of you but the reality is that it is very difficult. A lot of people do a small job on the side or have some income from their home country, some have pension from their home...this is a problem for the economy,” he adds. Another big issue is the housing. There are not enough houses in the city. There are pro bono houses but 230 people (out of 2,345 inhabitants) are on the waiting list and they either live in guest houses, which are expensive, or rent a house in a nearby village. You have to get money from somewhere to build a house. If you stay, you can live in the house you built for the rest of your life. But if you leave, you give it to Auroville because there is no such thing as private property here. People who are rich don’t mind. But for the others, it’s a real struggle.

A Double-edged Sword In theory, paper currency was banished from the city; and a more or less equitable virtual currency system has been developed. But reality is rather different, because to become a citizen of Auroville you must have some money put aside - to build a house, not to mention that during the newcomer year, you won’t receive any financial assistance. All the inhabitants are volunteers who either receive a monthly basic “maintenance” in local rupees or pay for themselves partly or entirely from their own private resources as a contribution to the project. The money is bound to disappear according to the Master Plan. Yet to receive money from abroad, either as a pension, or a gift, or a financial assistance from your home country, is not prohibited in Auroville. We can even say it is necessary for many inhabitants in the City of Dawn. Sri Aurobindo used to say that “human nature remains what it is - one can attain a great change of consciousness, that yes, one can purify one’s consciousness, but the total conquest, the material transformation depends definitely to

a large extent, on a certain degree of progress in the collectivity” (Collected Works of The Mother -Vol.4, pp. 381 – 383, 3 May 1951). Maybe Auroville can achieve its Master Plan, maybe not in 2025 as was initially planned. It is not yet a utopian city, but it is no more a dream either. Auroville exists. But the city has to reconsider its goals regarding what it has achieved and hasn’t, like money to support all its initiatives. And, it is clearly understood that money is needed to interact with outside agencies, as the rest of the world is too big in relation to this small town to harbor similar ambitions. Like it has been pointed out: how to erase money from your life if your city depends on tourism in a capitalist world? In terms of energy, food and water resources, Auroville is trying to sustain itself. A human laboratory for some, we could agree that Auroville is more like an eco-responsible town than the ideal place it was meant to be when the project was conceptualized by the Mother. It is indeed an “experimental town” like she promised, slow on development but still pointing to a better future. Quoting her again, “Upon earth, the changes are slow to come. Do not worry and keep hope for the future”.

Madurai Messenger Issues April 2014

High and Low: A PALM TREE CLIMBER’S LIFE India’s association with the multipurpose palm tree goes back many centuries, with the tree being vital to the socio-economic development of the community of palm tree climbers. Ione Wells interviews one such climber to ﬁnd out how the ban on the tapping of ‘kallu’ in Tamil Nadu has impacted his life and that of his community Text: Ione Wells United Kingdom 10

raditionally every part the palm tree has its uses; while the leaves are used for making thatch, baskets, fans, and mats, its trunk is used for wood, while its flowers are the source of the sweet toddy which can be further crystallized to yield sugar while the jelly-like fruit is a welcome thirst-quencher during the hot summer months. In fact the importance of the palm tree is reflected in a Tamil classical poem (Tala Vilasam) composed by Arunachalam which is entirely dedicated to the glory of this tree and enumerates 801 articles made from its various parts. Evidence of the use of Borassus flabellifer (Asian palmyra palm) sugar in India has been reported by the Greek historian Megasthenes, the ambassador to the court of Chandragupta, in 4th century BC. It is no surprise therefore that whole communities whose livelihood is dependent on this tree have arisen in different parts of India, some of whom still continue to practice their age-old occupation. Palm tree climbing is a profession involving the skilled ascent of, and extraction of products from palm trees and is a hereditary occupation, one which that has been traditionally associated with one particular community and that has been passed down in many Indian families for multiple generations. In Tamil Nadu, the products that climbers can obtain from the trees are the ‘nongu’ fruits and its juices and ‘kallu’ - a beverage formed from the palm sap that can also be fermented into an alcoholic palm wine. However, in recent years, the Tamil Nadu government has placed a ban on the extraction of ‘kallu’ which has caused detrimental consequences for the palm tree climbing communities within the state, especially given that alternative

Caught in the middle - the traditional class of palm tree climbers face many hardships to earn a living after the ban on toddy tapping

The extraction of kallu was a delicate task, much like the extraction of rubber, whereby during the right season, the palm ﬂowers were cut so as to leak the palm sap into a special kallu pot - a process known as ‘tapping’

11 A sorry story - Rasappan speaks to journalism volunteer Ione Wells about the travails that the palm tree climbers face due to the State government’s decision to ban ‘kallu’ tapping employment is scarce. Speaking to Rasappan (51), a local palm tree climber, I investigated further the reasons behind the ban, what has changed since the prohibition of kallu and how palm tree climbers seek a sustainable living now.

A Precise Skill My ﬁrst sighting of Rasappan is about 20-30m up a palm tree, his agile limbs clinging on to the rough trunk, perfectly keeping his balance with his feet so that his arms can hack at the nongu fruits and gather them in his arms - a sweat-inducing task in the sticky 40 celsius degree heat but Rasappan looks unfazed. Clearly, palm tree climbing is a reﬁned skill and one that takes a lifetime of perfecting and executing. In fact, whilst sucking the refreshing juices of some freshly picked nongu, Rasappan proceeded to inform us after his descent, that he has been in the profession for 37 years, having

The white liquid that is initially collected is a sweet, non-alcoholic beverage known often as ‘neera’, that has many health qualities such as rehydrating and strengthening the immune system (so much so that it is said to help cure chickenpox) and thus was even compared to mother’s milk been taught the skill aged 14 by his father, who in turn had been taught by his father. Being an occupation that climbers such as Rasappan have practiced throughout their whole life, it is hard to envisage them wanting to, or being able to adopt any different endeavors and yet the aforementioned new government regulations are now leaving some climbers with little choice in the matter. The extraction of kallu was a delicate task, much like the extraction of rubber, whereby during the right season, the

palm ﬂowers were cut so as to leak the palm sap into a special kallu pot - a process known as ‘tapping’. The white liquid that is initially collected is a sweet, non-alcoholic beverage known often as ‘neera’, that has many health qualities such as rehydrating and strengthening the immune system (so much so that it is said to help cure chickenpox) and thus was even compared to mother’s milk. The prohibition on its tapping is therefore a great handicap to communities based around palm farms, as it was beneﬁcial to all members of the community. Women would even

Madurai Messenger Issues April 2014

be entitled to drink this form of kallu before it was fermented into alcohol. However, given its potential to be fermented into a mild alcoholic palm wine (of around 4% alcoholic content) the Tamil Nadu government has banned its extraction altogether, even if it is left unfermented.

Severing Their Lifeline The reasoning behind such a ban is not, as one might suspect, due to health concerns about readily available alcohol but instead is solely economic. Given that the Tamil Nadu government runs all the legal liquor shops and sales in the state, the cheaper market for kallu was a threat to the government’s revenue. It is all very well protecting the income of those at government level but what about the local producers, those like Rasappan, who have no regular income but rely only upon what they can sell?

Rasappan highlighted this issue, emphasising how the ﬁnancial situation for palm tree climbers is ever-worsening. Not only has consistent rainfall been lacking for twelve years now, causing a natural decline of produce, but now an unnatural obstacle has also been added to their problems. Although the ‘nongu’ fruits and its juices provide some income for the climbers, their number of potential products has been halved by the ban and palm fruits are only seasonal anyway and increasingly scant with the decline in rainfall too. Furthermore, the Tamil Nadu government, had after the ban, promised to pay climbers like Rasappan a monthly payment to compensate the income lost due to the ban on kallu production. However, it is no surprise that this compensation scheme has failed to transpire and, as a result, palm tree climbers have had to turn to other means of making ends meet. Such means normally include other forms of farming such as rearing cattle or goats

A dying skill - with the ban on toddy tapping, palm tree climbers such as Rasappan are a vanishing breed

Although the ‘nongu’ fruits and its juices provide some income for the climbers, their number of potential products has been halved by the ban and palm fruits are only seasonal anyway, and increasingly scant with the decline in rainfall too

was of more economic worth than the value of timber that could be sold from the trees, but this incentive no longer exists. Additionally, illicit production of other indigenous, alcoholic ‘moonshine’ is said to occur. It is distilled and sold in certain communities in the absence of cheap kallu and can often be contaminated with lethal substances such as methanol which can have deadly health consequences on those who consume it. Some authorities have consequently pushed for the production of Indian Made Foreign Liquor, hard liquors produced by the government, to discourage this practice. Such steps seem foolish to those who backed the production of kallu given that the drink could have satisﬁed consumers in a cheaper, healthier and more natural fashion.

A Tradition in Peril

Holding their future - the cutting and selling of the palm fruits, though seasonal, is a main source of income for palm tree climbers

Palm tree climbers have had to turn to other means of making ends meet. Such means normally include other forms of farming such as rearing cattle or goats but it can be a diﬃcult transition for those who have been born and bred with the skills and facilities enabling them to excel in a particular form of agriculture but it can be a difﬁcult transition for those who have been born and bred with the skills and facilities enabling them to excel in a particular form of agriculture. Making matters worse is the fact that palm tree climbers do not, according to Rasappan, have support from other members of the community in their opposition to the ban on kallu and thus there is little backing to relegitimize controlled practices of tapping, which is seemingly unjust given that it is perfectly legal in other states

such as neighbouring Kerala.

Dangerous Consequences Arguably, the ban on tapping has not only caused vast economic problems for local climbing communities but has also led to certain social issues. Palm wine (kallu) production by individual farmers and climbers was said to promote conservation as the household income that could be generated from kallu

Overall, it is clear that the sustainability and future of the palm tree climbing profession, a tradition that has been part of Indian culture for countless generations, is now in question. Not only is this unfortunate given the cultural significance of the palm trees and its products but also due to the main issue that has arisen from this governmental ban: the enormous economic change. An occupation that was already limited to seasonal periods (April/May particularly) and has naturally been threatened by a lack of rainfall has further had its yield diminished by a government ban on arguably, its most profitable product. The tradition of palm tree climbing in Indian culture, the health benefits of palm fruits and the welfare of local climbers such as Rasappan, all mean that a redundancy of the profession would be a huge shame and yet its decreasing earnings are offering little hope for a revival of the profession. At present, the palm tree climbers and their local communities and families can only hope for a change of mind from the Tamil Nadu government to help recover a lost source of business...or at the very least some revitalising rainfall to strengthen the profit from the limited range of products they have left.

Madurai Messenger Experience April 2014

The Village Deity’s Festival: CELEBRATING THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT Nowhere else in India is the importance of the community more tangible than in its villages. Ione Wells who takes part in a village deity’s festival at Reddiapatti near Batlagundu opines that such an experience is a ‘feast for the senses’ and therefore cannot be easily translated into words Text and Photos: Ione Wells United Kingdom

Dancing to the beat - young village boys dance with abandon to popular Tamil movie songs at the village deity’s festival

T 14

hroughout the month of April, villages across the state of Tamil Nadu come alive as each village prepares itself to celebrate their village god’s festival. With each village dedicating a whole week to the occasion, participation in the celebrations is universal. Larger cities and towns rarely demonstrate the same levels of engagement during such occasions as the smaller villages though the same apparently applies even when it comes to national holidays such as Independence Day. More personal festivals such as the village god’s festivals, therefore, have a particularly unique sense of character and passion accompanying them, due to the closeknit nature of the village residents. This was certainly demonstrated at the village of Reddiapatti near Batlagundu, where the community is fundamental to its festivals and everyday life. Even an outsider like me immediately becomes part of this event.

Pampered Guest It’s early in the morning and some villagers are still waking up for breakfast. Whilst we, the staff from the Madurai Messenger and I are still on the road approaching the village, it is clear that the festival has already begun. Music blares out of loudspeakers tied to treetops, and calls to gather at the village square can be heard. On arrival, one is immediately swept up by the community members. Within minutes, I am taken into a home to be ﬁtted

with a sari appropriate for the occasion, pampered as if it is my wedding day with four girls simultaneously combing my hair and pinning my dress, and furthermore given a front row seat in the square just in time for the ﬁrst games to begin.

Pulsating with Energy In Reddiapatti, the energy that accompanies this festival is inevitably something embraced wholeheartedly by the youth and adults of the village

Larger cities and towns rarely demonstrate the same levels of engagement during such occasions as the smaller villages though the same apparently applies even when it comes to national holidays such as Independence Day

alike. With none of the residents having left the village in the week building up to the celebrations, the excitement from the children especially, had been growing to such an extent that the resultant festivities were simply overﬂowing with it. Commencing this day therefore, appropriately were some animated games for the children in the village square. Competition was ﬁerce and generated ceaseless squeals of delight and despair during the knockout game resembling musical chairs, in which the music was either played or stopped to determine which youngsters remained in or out of the game. This was something that everybody joined in, with separate rounds for boys, girls, teenage boys and teenage girls.

Dancing to The Beat

All for their god - the village deity’s festival brings the community to celebrate together for almost a whole week Playing along - as in all Indian festivals, music plays an important role as seen in these musicians playing traditional instruments at the festival

Following the games was a vivacious series of dances. The pluckiest of young boys took to the centre of the crowd to perform dances to various Tamil movie songs, largely improvised, yet seemingly rehearsed due to their levels of confidence and precision. Their stamina and dynamism was staggeringly impressive, interrupted only by the occasional intrusion of what seemed to be the village drunk, trying to obstruct the boys’ dancing and take to the ‘stage’ himself - causing upset and contempt amongst frowning women, followed by the restraining arms of fellow village men. After several of these displays, the whole crowd seemed itching with temptation to participate and soon enough the entire square was filled with the young men of the village dancing and rubbing up against each other in circles, arm-in-arm, alone or in groups. Both the physical and emotional closeness that radiated from the exuberant dancing was also something I sensed was undoubtedly more prevalent in village festivals such as this one. Again it was apparent that, being a smaller community, the happiness and spirit of the festival was of a much higher intensity than it may have been elsewhere due to it being confined only to a limited population. However, it was notable how certain activities, such as

Madurai Messenger Experience April 2014

everyone was soon engaged in a march to the other end of the village where rituals including mock sacriﬁces, battles and weddings were enacted. Again, these rituals were proceedings that were dominated almost entirely by the men of the village, as the women stood back and observed. The beat of the drum from the traditional musicians’ band was ever-quickening, mimicking the rising adrenaline as the chants and calls increased in tempo.

Folklores to the fore - children dressed up in fancy costumes, ready to enact the story of the wild warrior (right) who triumphed over the ghost (left)

this dancing, seemed to be conﬁned to the male residents, whilst the women simply watched from the sides, cheering frequently in response to the entertainment. Activity increased as more people joined the party including a live traditional band, coconut ice popsicle vendors, prompting an increase in the singing, drumming and dancing. The effort that had gone into the preparations and enactment of the festival was vast and the pride regarding this, given it was all organized locally, was evident. With each new child encountered, each new costume displayed and each new dance performed, there was a high demand for photographs and videos. Looks of delight and satisfaction spread across the faces of all the local children as they posed for photographs, giggling and jumping on me, whilst offering to demonstrate different local customary traditions or festivities. Here are generations where snapshots lie in memories, not cameras and colour is formed through creativity not screens. Their fascination with my camera and technology almost seemed somewhat a shame given how much more beautiful and impressive their real equivalents are in the eyes of a Western beholder.

Providential Response Morning faded into afternoon as we devoured a hearty lunch from palm leaves and the sun beat ever stronger onto the village below. After the fun and games of the morning, the real traditions and rituals of the village god’s festival began to emerge. Home living rooms were all of a sudden bursting at the seams with both children and adults scurrying around frantically, armed with face paint, make-up and glitter. The aim appeared to be to transform one’s appearance as much as possible in a mad frenzy of throwing water and ink over one another, painting each others’ faces with tribal designs and devilish patterns, putting on green and yellow headbands and applying make-up and outlandish hairstyles to all the boys, much to everybody’s amusement. Once all the boys, and a select few of the younger girls, were plastered in colourful decoration, the rituals were ready to begin. Traditional village fables and stories were re-enacted, with a particularly notable retelling being the story about the victory of a wild warrior (dressed in ﬂoral garlands and black face paint) over the ghost (who sported a white sheet which was dramatically smothered in red and white melted wax). Swept up by the madding crowd,

As the rapidly increasing rhythm and volume appeared to be almost reaching a climax, as if on cue, the sky opened with a heavy shower of thick, fat raindrops. “A sign that the Gods have received our gifts! The Gods have heard us!” The cheering, clapping and dancing surged with this development. Hundreds of feet pounded the water merrily into the thirsty and grateful ground.

Hypnotic Eﬀect Such rituals and traditions continued well into the night and yet time seems irrelevant on an occasion where fatigue appears non-existent and every vigorous activity anticipates the next. Though it was only a taste of the revelry that has continued all week, a day such as this is enough to disclose just how zealous the celebrations of a devoted village such as Reddiapatti are, compared to anything else one could hope to witness in any larger or less traditional community, such as in the towns and cities. Mesmerising and enchanting, if a little hard to keep up with and tiring at times, it doesn’t take long for a newcomer to the village to be engulfed by the magic and madness of the festival. There is something about everything being so novel that makes one feel so instantly accustomed. For nothing can be more terrible than feeling lost or unfamiliar when every activity, item of clothing and interaction is attuned to the standards of the local people. It is thus the reason that such a festival is impossible to recount in words, because it can only be experienced as a feast for one’s senses, a completely hypnotic takeover of both mind and body alike.

BECOMING ONE WITH THE DIVINE:

Meivazhi Salai Shows the Way Tucked away in an obscure corner of Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu is a settlement called ‘Meivazhi Salai’, the home of ‘Meivazhi’ or The True Path, a sect whose adherents belong to all castes, religions and classes of society. Kayleigh Robinson meets one of the ‘Anandars’ to ﬁnd out more about the village and the tenets followed by its inhabitants Text and Photos: Kayleigh Robinson Canada

Erasing differences - all the houses in Meivazhi Salai are similar with thatched roofs and are painted a robin egg blue color

hree bus rides and approximately three hours away from Madurai is a small, unique community called Meivazhi Salai. The village is small but it’s large enough to have its own Wikipedia page. It is truly one of a kind because it is where the Meivazhi, meaning The True Path religion was cultivated.

religions including Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism. It is monotheistic and its practitioners believe that although each religion has unique gods or goddesses, they all represent the same omniscient power. One of the major truths of Meivazhi is that there is a universal brotherhood of religion.

However, inhabitants will tell you that Meivazhi is not so much a religion as it is spirituality and the village is more of a sanctuary. It combines the principles and ethics of many

“Even though different people have different words for water, it is the same and everyone knows what it is. God is the same,” said Meivazhi Gopala Krishna Anandar, secretary of

Madurai Messenger Spirituality April 2014

Intricate patterns or drawings called kolams, done with rice ﬂour, decorate the entrances to all the houses

the village, explaining the rationale behind this concept. 18

Perhaps the most unique facet of the village is that it is the only religion in India that rejects the caste system. Anyone can practice Meivazhi regardless of sex, religion or creed. According to Krishna, “If you are pure and imbibe yourself with the god entity, you can become a practicing member.”

Meivazhi Salai and its Rules Brammodhaya Salai Andavargal, the founder and leader of the religion, started the ﬁrst ashram in Madurai between 1933 and 1939. That place of worship was seized during the Second World War by the British government. Andavargal purchased the land which would go on to become Meivazhi Salai in 1942 for approximately Rs. 6,000. He cleared the area which was previously jungle and thereafter, thousands of his disciples from sixty-nine castes and various religions migrated to the area. In 1944, the community was registered as a sabha which means a government-recognized society or institution. If you want to live in this sabha, it is imperative that you follow the dress code for entering the temple. Like most religions in India, worshippers must remove their footwear. A man who has received the highest level of spiritual teaching known as the upadhesam, is christened ‘anandar’ and wears traditional panchakacham trousers and a turban adorned with the silver crescent symbol or Kilnamam, which is only revealed to the spiritually uplifted. All of these garments must be the colour saffron to be distinct. Women who have received the same level of enlightenment wear saffron saris and cover their heads with a scarf of the same colour. Men

It combines the principles and ethics of many religions including Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism. It is monotheistic and its practitioners believe that although each religion has unique gods or goddesses, they all represent the same omniscient power and women who have not yet received the upadhesam, do not wear saffron but still cover their heads with the end of their saris or turbans. Besides the dress code, there are strict rules prohibiting drinking, smoking and gambling. There are strict rules against eating mutton and watching movies also. Surprisingly, there are no rules regarding ‘brahmacharya’ (celibacy) and married couples are given more preference. Very little or no electricity use is permitted. Additionally, sloth is frowned upon, so it is important to maintain an active lifestyle in this village.

Tapas and Jeevaprayanam Tapas, not to be confused for the Spanish word meaning various appetizers and snacks, is the Sanskrit word for deep meditation. “It is necessary for followers to attain the status of the saint who has organized this religion,” says Gopala Krishna Anandar, explaining that the founder of Meivazhi religion, Brammodhaya Salai Andavargal had not only imbibed the powers of the tapas of various saints but also is able to transmit the power of this tapas to his followers.

An indication that someone is performing tapas properly is that they are breathing only through the mouth and not the nose. Although this may seem simple, if you actually try it, you’ll understand the difficulty involved. Inhabitants of Meivazhi Salai believe that this type of meditation (tapas) leads to “oneness of mind with the divine” and is thus “necessary in order to find the entity of god in themselves”. Most importantly, the attainment of tapas is manifested by purity or lack of physical decomposition of the body in death due to the ‘journey of the soul’ or jeevaprayanam, a primary belief of the Meivazhi practitioners. This is very similar to the Catholic Church’s belief about incorruptibility, that Godly intervention allows some human bodies (specifically those of saints and those beatified) to avoid the normal process of decomposition after death as a sign of their holiness. According to “The Eye Opener: Meivazhi - The True Path,” an English language pamphlet about the spiritual beliefs of the village, people who have not attained this jeevaprayanam will exhibit the following signs in death: • Pollution- the discharge of bitter and nasty fluid emitting a stench • The severe and violent throws of the shoulder blades • The phlegm accumulating in the chest and causing dragging and jarring sounds as that of sand with a sharp-toothed sickle • The twisted and fiery breath that chokes and suffocates the throat causing keen and poignant agonies that shoot through every nerve like streams of pulsating fire • The closure of the gullet not allowing even a drop of water to get in • The blurring of the eye • The changes in the natural conditions of the lobe and the ala • The setting in of rigor mortis and a gloomy and horrified appearance on the face • The increase of sinful weight (dead weight) and • The decay of the body Meivazhi Gopala Krishna Anandar, one those who has reached the highest level of spiritual teaching, stands before the temple in the centre of the village

Thus those whose bodies show none of the above indications are believed to attain salvation, which is the true purpose and the goal of life. Accordingly, Meivazhi practitioners only follow

Madurai Messenger Spirituality April 2014

Inhabitants of Meivazhi Salai believe that this type of meditation (tapas) leads to “oneness of mind with the divine” and is thus “necessary in order to ﬁnd the entity of god in themselves” burials of their dead, never cremation.

Enlightenment Beckons

This was one of the beliefs that attracted Gopala Krishna Anandar, a former government servant, who retired as a District Revenue Officer (DRO), to the spirituality’s philosophy about God and who felt compelled to move to this village after he had personally witnessed the Meivazhi practitioners’ purity in death. He is 77-years-old and worked at a stressful administrative job for the government for most of his life. He has degrees in both political science and mathematics but told us his college education wasn’t sufficient. As soon as he heard about Meivazhi, he felt he would be more fulfilled if he gained knowledge by “attaining saint status”. He knew he couldn’t possibly devote enough time to meditation while still working, so as soon as he retired, he moved out of the city of Erode to this sanctuary. He recognizes that the attainment of the powers of tapas “in this machine life” takes a lot of time and dedication, which is why you’ll primarily see elderly people donning the saffron robes. Another facet of Meivazhi that makes it difficult for the average person to practice is the round-the-clock worship. Inhabitants of the village do tapas at 4 a.m., 5.30 a.m., 7 a.m., 11.45 a.m., 6 p.m., 9 p.m., 10 p.m., 12 a.m., 1.30 a.m. and finally at 3 a.m. Tapas can be performed in the home but it is better to meditate at the spot where where Andavargal did, which has been converted into a temple. As previously mentioned, maintaining an active lifestyle is extremely important in

Tapping their divine power - round-the-clock worship services to do tapas are held at the temple every day, which all inhabitants must attend

The attainment of tapas is manifested by purity or lack of physical decomposition of the body in death due to the ‘journey of the soul’ or jeevaprayanam, a primary belief of the Meivazhi practitioners Meivazhi Salai. They truly believe that sleep is the cousin of death because in order to attain saint status one must “conquer sleep and slumber.” If you feel up to the challenge of moving to Meivazhi Salai, Pudukkottai is the closest municipality in Tamil Nadu. Just look out for a village down a dirt road littered with pot holes that mirrors

western suburbia. All the houses are similar in size and a lovely shade of robin egg blue with thatched roofs. One of the few things that differentiate the homes from one another are the beautiful chalk drawings called ‘kolams’ in front of the thresholds. Just be careful about falling asleep or breathing through your nose if you want to be accepted there.

Palamedu: FIGHTING OFF A NEW CHALLENGE Palamedu like neighbouring Alanganallur, both venues for the famous ‘jallikattu’, the traditional bull-ﬁghting sport of Tamil Nadu, needs no introduction. Agnese Cupido stakes out the place as it contemplates the recent ban on the sport, while simultaneously dealing with the dwindling returns on rain-fed agriculture, the lifeline of most of its inhabitants Text and Photos: Agnese Cupido Italy

Centre of attraction - the jallikattu enclosure with its decorated gateway through which the bulls participating in the jallikattu are allowed

alamedu a village in Tamil Nadu, near Alanganallur in Madurai district is around 20.5 km from Madurai. Reaching Palamedu is very easy, as it is well connected especially with Madurai, and the best way to reach it is by bus or by cab. The journey is not long (about thirty minutes by bus) and during the journey you can contemplate a beautiful landscape: coconut trees,

ﬁelds of grass, cows grazing, thatched huts. It seems the perfect setting for our Madurai Messenger story.

Place and Population Today Palamedu can be considered a big and developed village. It has a population of around 10,493 people with a high literacy rate with

about 3,000 students studying in the two schools in the village, one a government-run school and another run by the Nadar Uravinmurai. It can boast of having produced about 300 IT graduates. Unlike many of the surrounding villages, Palamedu is lucky enough to have basic civic amenities such as road connectivity, a hospital, water facilities, buildings, etc. all due

Madurai Messenger Village Voices April 2014

S. Kajendran the ex-chairman of Palamedu panchayat, who was instrumental in establishing many amenities in Palamedu including a hospital, along with journalism volunteers Agnese and Francesca

Palamedu can be considered a big and developed village. It has a population of around 10,493 people with a high literacy rate with about 3,000 students studying in the two schools in the village to the efforts of its erstwhile chairman Kajendran, about whom we will talk later. However, conditions in Palamedu were not always this way and even thirty years ago, it was pretty backward. For example, the nearest hospital was located in Alanganallur 6 kms away. There were no proper schools and only about four people were educated. Roads were also in a bad condition. While on the surface it seems just like any other village, Palamedu has earned fame among the villages in southern Tamil Nadu, thanks to its festivals: the Mariamman Festival and the jallikattu. The former is celebrated in the month

of Panguni (the last month of the Tamil calendar which falls in March-April) for two days and attracts around 50,000 people. But far more famous here is the sport of jallikattu. Held in January every year during the Pongal Festival, jallikattu has brought Palamedu into national and perhaps international prominence. To visitors, especially those from Europe, the sport is reminiscent of the annual bull running at Pamplona in Spain. Traditionally, the sport evolved to test the bravery and mettle of prospective grooms but it now attracts scores of young men who are proud to ﬂaunt their physical skills and bravery, with around 500 bulls, trained speciﬁcally for this purpose taking part. There is one winner for every bull – if someone is able to catch the bull!

Production and Labour The main occupation of people in Palamedu is agriculture. In the past, agriculture was mostly rain-fed and the crops grown included paddy, groundnuts and sugarcane. But now the cultivation pattern has changed due to the diminishing rainfall and guava, mango and coconut orchards ﬂourish in the lands in and around the village. However, like all over Tamil Nadu, the failure of the monsoons in the past few years has had its consequences on agriculture, but the people still manage to make a decent living owing due to the rise in the valuation of their land. Another common activity in Palamedu is the breeding of bulls for the traditional sport of jallikattu. Many people work hard to rear big and strong bulls for the jallikattu. However, this thousandyear tradition of Tamil Nadu faces a bleak future due to the recent ban on jallikattu by the apex court of India, the Supreme Court, following an appeal ﬁled by the animal rights organization,

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). PETA has taken the stand that this sport is a form of cruelty and is very dangerous for the animals as well as for the bull ﬁghters. While the government has been strictly regulating the conduct of jallikattu in the state after the passage of the Tamil Nadu Jallikattu Regulation Act in 2009, it is alleged that PETA collected old videos of people catching the bulls by their tails or throwing stones at the bulls to strengthen their claims of animal cruelty in the Supreme Court and were thus able to get the ban order passed.

People During our exploration of Palamedu, we were able to meet one of the important denizens of the village, the ex-chairman of the panchayat (local government) S. Kajendran. He received us warmly and with a smile, ready to tell us something about himself and his role in Palamedu. Kajendran (66) was born and brought up in Palamedu where he still lives with his wife and his son, with one of his daughters living in California while another daughter is settled in London. Kajendran did his schooling till the tenth standard at St. Mary’s High School in Madurai, but discontinued his studies after that due to father’s premature death at the age of 41. He then took up the responsibility of taking care of his family’s agricultural lands, which at that time spread over 300 acres. He was chairman of Palamedu panchayat from 1970 till 1980 and again from 2000 to 2005 and also was the president of the Nadar Uravinmurai for ﬁfteen years. During his tenure as Chairman he played an important role in developing the village and helping the people of Palamedu to get basic amenities such as hospitals, buildings, roads and water facilities, as at that time, Palamedu was still quite backward and underdeveloped. He also helped maintain the Badrakali Amman milk factory, the Badrakali Amman School and the Badrakali Amman theatre.

Development in Palamedu has seen huge strides in recent years, as seen in the big and well-built houses that have come up there

To visitors, especially those from Europe, the sport is reminiscent of the annual bull running at Pamplona in Spain. Traditionally, the sport evolved to test the bravery and mettle of prospective grooms but it now attracts scores of young men who are proud to ﬂaunt their physical skills and bravery Nothing to feel bullish about - an uncertain future awaits bulls which have been solely reared to take part in the ‘jallikatti’ such as this one

Madurai Messenger Village Voices April 2014

Agriculture was mostly rain-fed and the crops grown included paddy, groundnuts and sugarcane. But now the cultivation pattern has changed due to the diminishing rainfall and guava, mango and coconut orchards ﬂourish in the lands in and around the village

He helped many families living in the village who were all from agricultural backgrounds to educate their children. It is thanks to him that Palamedu has got its own hospital today - after Kajendran personally met the late MGR, the then Chief Minister and obtained special permission to establish a new hospital in Palamedu. But at present, Kajendran has retired from public life, choosing instead to concentrate on his business interests which include a Hero motorcycle showroom and an IOC agency.

Problems Today the most challenging problems facing Palamedu are the lack of the rain and the ban on the conduct of the jallikattu. About the first problem, the government has tried to solve it by providing drinking water to the people on alternative days, but there is no water for agriculture, so many trees like guava trees, mango trees and coconut trees have perished due to the severe drought. Kajendran has likewise been affected since the income from his agricultural land has dwindled and is sufficient only to cover the costs, which is one of the reasons he has diversified into other business ventures. The ban on jallikattu has had the people

A closed chapter - the decision of the Supreme Court of India to ban the ‘jallikattu’ has been greeted with much opposition all up in arms against it but so far, they have displayed their protest peacefully by organising a dawn-to-dusk hartal involving closure of all the educational institutions and business units in the whole region. Kajendran also spoke out against the ban as the sport is closely intertwined with the culture of Palamedu and has played an important role in attracting tourists and as such,

represents an important economic factor of the village. In Palamedu itself, there are around ﬁfty bulls being reared for jallikattu, which are a source of livelihood for their owners. After the ban, bull owners and tamers are faced with the dilemma of what to do with the bulls, whose upkeep runs into thousands of rupees per day - many now have to reconcile themselves to

selling their beloved bulls for slaughter, something that seems an anathema considering that cows and bulls are seen as sacred in India.

Prospects The ban on jallikattu has come as a rude shock to the people of Palamedu, who plan to ﬁle a counter petition against PETA. The people of Palamedu fear that if the jallikattu is stopped, the curse of the gods will fall on the village and people could die of cholera, jaundice, fever or other diseases. This discontent is expected to have its repercussions in the village and hence a solution in the near future is the need of the hour. Kajendran is of the view that due to its proximity to Madurai, Palamedu would grow and develop exponentially in the next 10 to 15 years. Pointing out that the government should offer more incentives for farmers like what is being done in the U.S.A. for example, Kajendran said that the government has failed to act on its promise to compensate farmers for the losses incurred on their crops due to the prolonged drought. In spite of the big strides in development, the village still faces a lot of problems but Kajendran spoke optimistically about the future.

Optimistic - Kajendran is of the opinion that despite its problems, Palmedu’s future prospects are bright due to the rising land prices

This thousand-year tradition of Tamil Nadu faces a bleak future due to the recent ban on jallikattu by the apex court of India, the Supreme Court, following an appeal ﬁled by the animal rights organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

The trip in Palamedu was very enjoyable. It gave me the chance to see places and landscapes that I had never seen before. It also gave me the chance to meet and talk with the people and helped me to understand the extent to which the people are attached to their ‘home soil’ and their culture. At ﬁrst you might feel like a foreigner, but after a few minutes, you will feel at home surely. People are happy to talk to you, show you their lives and their activities; people are disposed to open their houses to you and make you feel at home. Despite the daunting circumstances in which they live, the strength of the place lies in the soul of people who add beauty to their environment.

Madurai Messenger First Impressions April 2014

A Tale of Two Cities Anthony Hewitt was volunteering for two months in Cape Town where he had barely adjusted to the cultural shock before being thrust into the vibrant chaos which is Madurai, putting him in an enviable position where he is able to compare both these cities Text and Photos: Anthony Hewitt

A view of the magniﬁcent Thiruparankundram temple

United Kingdom

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tepping off the ﬂight from Chennai to Madurai, the last leg of almost 24 hours of non-stop ﬂying, I honestly had no idea what to expect from this historic city. I had been volunteering for the two previous months in South Africa and had barely adapted to that culture shock before I was thrust into the challenge of Tamil Nadu. However it is safe to say that India has made me welcome in its own unique way.

‘Flexible’ Traffic Rules I was immediately struck by the manic yet vibrant nature of the city. Coming from Cape Town I had heard from fellow travellers that the roads were indescribable, and they were right. Although I thought I was used to ‘flexible’ traffic rules after seeing over 15 people squeezed into one minibus in Cape Town, it was nothing compared to Madurai. On my journey from the airport we spent the majority of the time on the wrong side of the road weaving between bicycles and goats, which certainly made me admire the reflexes of the driver. Compounding the stifling traffic was the summer weather which turned out to be just as unpredictable as the former. During my tour around the city I was caught in the middle of a ‘summer shower’ (some of the heaviest rain I’ve ever seen), which created crazy scenes of rickshaw drivers wading through the street to push their vehicles home.

New Discoveries Nonetheless I quickly realised that it was away from the oft talked about roads and weather that much of Madurai’s unique personality lay. Few travellers I had spoken to before India had mentioned the tapestry of different coloured houses, the street vendors juxtaposed against pet shops and hairdressers or the sport-obsessed children using pans as cricket bats. Visiting the small town of Thiruparankundram, the location of a rock temple dedicated to Lord Subramanaya, showed me more of these local nuances. Numerous children greeted me in both English and Tamil, whilst groups of young men took the time out of their routine to help me ﬁnd my lift home! After meeting my host family I could see this energy and generosity on a

more intimate scale. Despite my host parents not speaking a great deal of English, they were keen to offer me tea and dosas on my ﬁrst day and have continued to help me as best as they can with directions and advice for living in Madurai. My host father is always active in the house, whether it be ﬁxing furniture, preparing dinner or socialising with the neighbours.

Vibrancy Holds the Key My African experience has left me in the envious position of being able to compare two vastly different regions in a rather small space of time. Although they both have their charms, it is the vibrancy and energy of Madurai that sets it apart. Even though I have only been here a few days I have learnt to expect the unexpected and I am sure this city has many more surprises in store for me!

HEAT AND DUST:

Sojourn

My Madurai

“Like being intoxicated” is what Ione Wells describes her ﬁrst feelings after arriving in Madurai. She says that her stay has taught her to appreciate the denizens of the city who manage to maintain their courtesy and kindness despite the ‘daunting’ circumstances Text and Photos: Ione Wells United Kingdom

omething that everyone warns you about, but nothing can prepare you for, is the thick, hazy blanket of heat that encapsulates you the moment that you step foot on Indian soil. Leaving the anonymous stratosphere that was 24 hours of ﬂying across the world, passports going missing and aeroplane air conditioning, to step into a canvas of overwhelming colour, heat, noise and smells exceeds all expectations and feels so unreal at ﬁrst, that it is almost as if one has been intoxicated.

Like a Frenzied Dream With the heat comes a certain stillness. Everything lingers - the constant sound of motorbike horns, the dust in the air, and the sweat on your body. Perhaps due to fatigue from the flight, but more likely from the business of every scene I came across, my first experience of an Indian city felt not dissimilar from a frenzied dream. This sensation did not wear off. My first meal was a rice pancake with coconut milk and a cup of warm, sweet pineapple juice all eaten with my right hand. A haze of mirage hung in the air making everything a little blurred - much like my perceptions and understanding of the place! Crowing cockerels frequently interrupted the air and a crow perched next to me, cocking its head as if knowing I was unfamiliar.

Warm Welcome My host family and all the people I encountered, however, were immensely

Dazy days - to a new visitor from the west, the stiﬂing heat, chaotic trafﬁc and unfamiliar environment may seem quite daunting in the beginning welcoming and friendly - providing a comfort amongst the discomfort of the heat outside. Every child I passed stopped me to ask for my name, following me like a pied piper. Seeking refuge from the heat I was shown up to the roof of the house at dusk where a cooler breeze and views of the city could be witnessed. We poured buckets of water over the burning hot tiles of the house - a liberating feeling in an environment where my body is the coolest thing in the room, what with everything - the drinking water, creams and even soap feeling hot to touch given the room temperature - heating to

over the body’s core temperature. Whilst walking the streets, Madurai still feels at times like a mass of confusion and it is daunting juggling the heat, the traffic, the noise and the local customs at all times. However, it is on reflection at the end of the day when I realize the richness of what I have witnessed. Every individual and the novelty in each aspect of everyday life leaves me in awe of everyone here who sustains a constant kindness and look of ease in a world where I am still struggling to cope and find my feet.

Madurai Messenger First Impressions April 2014

Thirsting for More than Just Knowledge Always eager to know everything about everything, Kayleigh Robinson decided that a ﬁrsthand look at India would quench her thirst to know more about the exotic land she learned about in school. This journey has proven eﬀective but the climate has left her thirsty for more than just knowledge Text and Photos: Kayleigh Robinson Canada

Beating the heat - juice shops such these, which sell fresh fruit juice and soft drinks are a welcome break from the summer sun

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ne of my biggest pet peeves is not knowing things. Throughout my life my curiosity has gotten the best of me in one way or another. Like Dr. Frankenstein or Dr.Jekyll, my thirst for knowledge has had negative effects on my life. However, for the most part, my passion for learning has beneﬁted me in many ways.

Hooked by History In ninth grade world history class, I was taught all about ancient Indian culture. The exotic nature and richness of this fascinating land piqued my interest to an immeasurable degree. I yearned to learn more, so outside of school I watched Bollywood films with English subtitles and read many books about Indians and by Indians. That same year, “Slumdog Millionaire,” a film directed by one of my favourite directors, Danny Boyle, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. But with my curiosity, what I had learned in class and what I had seen on screen was not enough for me so I decided to make it a goal to reach this country before I turned 20. I am now 19 years old and finally here. I wanted to combine travel and my field of study, journalism, so Projects Abroad seemed like the perfect fit.

The Language Barrier As I write this, I have only been here two full days and I’ve already asked about a hundred questions. The language barrier has been frustrating for me because often the answers I

receive are not as thorough as I’d hope. Additionally, it can be disheartening to have locals gesturing towards me while giggling and speaking amongst themselves in Tamil. I only wish I knew the language so I could better understand what’s going on around me. However, learning an entirely new alphabet would be impossible in the short three and a half weeks I am here. As I am already a vegetarian and a huge fan of Indian cuisine, the food has not been a disappointment. It is welcome and a far cry from the junk food I have been making and consuming in my tiny kitchen shared by three people in Toronto, Canada where I attend university.

Acclimatizing Made Easier My eagerness to know everything led me to research the climate in India before coming here and I was shocked

to see temperatures nearing 40 degrees celsius on a nearly daily basis. My skin tone closely resembles the snow I’ve grown accustomed to seeing during the long winter months in Canada so I’m not used to applying greasy sunscreen to perspiring skin, all while having to follow a dress code of no shorts or sleeveless tops. When I got off the plane in Chennai my thirst for knowledge become genuine thirst and I quickly purchased a liter of cold water. The climate has been difﬁcult but thanks to an abundance of fans and a fairly modern shower in my host family’s house, I have not any over-heating issues yet. All in all, I am very much looking forward to learning more about the culture in Tamil Nadu by researching and interviewing at the Madurai Messenger and traveling on the weekends. Hopefully curiosity doesn’t kill this cat, ﬁguratively speaking of course!