Madhava Vadya Vidyalayam

Bangalore

It was when we heard about the caste barriers that many of the lower caste musicians face in terms of performing with other upper caste musicians (in front of respectable audience and famous temple courtyards) that we decided to incorporate "Music trail" as a one day program during our Nila experience. Since we were working closely with the Pulluvans by then, we were already looking at the social angle of the work we were involved with.

The Pulluvans were facing economic and social problems as they were struggling to make a living with the traditional knowledge they couldn't practice much any more (which was their sole source of income for many generations).

Similiarly, the musicians of Madhava Vidyalayam in Mulayankavu were from a community called "Mannan". (different from the Scheduled tribe of mannan who are found in Idukki and Madurai districts of Kerala and Tamilnadu). The "mannathi" basically does (used to) the laundry for the neighbouring villages and the men of the family were taking on the roles of "Velichappaadu" (Oracle) or priests in community temples (kaavu) or even as traditional healers (medicinal). The men also used to play musical instruments like "Thudi" and "Para", but not Classical instruments like "Chenda" which were mostly related to temple rituals. (and hence no entry for lower castes to perform inside the courtyard)

It was Aravindakhan's father (standing on the left in the group photo) who instilled the interest for music amongst his sons and they went on to practice music for many years and most of them ended up playing almost all the percussion's known in Kerala including classical Chenda. Unfortunately the rigid caste system that is followed in Kerala (Yes, we are also known as the most progressive, educated and literate society in India!!) keeps them away from many places where they would ideally like to perform!

If they can't be taken to places and courtyards of traditional performances, we thought of bringing music loving audience to them and that was the beginning of "Music Trail", which is one of the strongest element of our holidays on the banks of River Nila.

© GP 2006

Music Trail

Mulayamkavu

Every river has a rhythm. River Nila has the uniqueness of having influenced the percussion based music culture of Kerala. The now popular percussions like Chenda, Thimila, Idakka, Madhalam, Kombu, Kuzhal, Illathaalam, have gained its existing playing style from various schools set on the banks of the river.

Today we had taken a group of American friends to get a feel of the music of the place. The idea was to introduce them to the river culture, its influence on our music and how the above instruments form various symphonies like ‘Pancha Vaadyam, Thaayambaka, Panchaari Melam, Paandimelam'.

This was a rare opportunity for them to see all the musical instruments from Kerala in one place. Hari Govindan explained how they practice throughout the day and how they master the skills. By the end of the day they were treated to a symphony of all these musical instruments played together.

From wind, string to percussion the notes varied.

And as one of our previous guests wrote, "the experience indelible..."

Hope it was the same for Allison and her family.

© GP 2006

The real story

Tirur

Quoting the Business Line report on the International Centre.

"India to get responsible tourism centre "

To commence activities with workshop on Dec 16 ICRT-India will be funded through grants, consultancy and teaching, fees.

Thiruvananthapuram , Dec. 14 India is set to become the first Asian nation to have an International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT).

The non-profit ICRT-India will formally commence its activities in the country with a workshop on responsible tourism to be held in Bangalore on December 16. ICRT-India is affiliated to the international centres for responsible tourism in South Africa and The Gambia and also to the ICRT-UK, a post-graduate training and research centre at the University of Greenwich.

Dr Harold Goodwin, Director, ICRT-UK and Chief Advisor, ICRT-India told Business Line that India is ready for responsible tourism. "People increasingly want more meaningful experiences on holiday, more activities and contact, and they want their trip to be guilt-free. These are business opportunities as well as contributing to sustainable development," he said.

ICRT-India is keen to encourage the tourism industry and the Governments — both at the Centre and State-level — to do more to make tourism responsible, he said. Towards this objective, the organisation will develop its own programme of work in areas such as continuing professional development, training, research, consultancy and advocacy, he said.

ICRT-India, which will be based in Bangalore, will also work with its sister organisations in South Africa and The Gambia, Dr Goodwin added.

Academic programmes

For its academic programmes, the organisation is also looking at establishing partnerships or links with Indian educational and research institutions. Such partnerships are being considered for its planned masters and continuing professional development programmes, he said. ICRT-India is not yet talking with anyone in particular about partnerships and is open to discussions with institutions in the country, he added.

According to Dr Goodwin, ICRT-India will be funded through grants, consultancy and teaching fees. The organisation is also looking for a sponsor, he added.

Global interest

Commenting on the increasing global interest in responsible tourism, he pointed out that it is in tourism destinations that most of the work can be done to ensure sustainability and maximise local economic development. More international centres of responsible tourism are planned, he added. "

By Sankar Radhakrishnan

© GP 2006

Passing Shots!

HAL Airport Bangalore

The Hindu Newspaper reports :

"Resource centre for Responsible Tourism planned". "We are trying to rope in one of the main advocates and promoters of Responsible Tourism, Harold Goodwin, for setting up the proposed centre," (read more here).

Now this is what I would call as a 'Passing Shot'!

It's truly amazing how people claim for things they haven't even attempted. Wonder why they waited until the last day in the office to make a statement that had no truth in it? All that happened was a lecture Dr. Goodwin gave for Kerala Tourism at the WTM 2005 in London and it was agreed upon by Kerala Tourism Department and some leading industry leaders that they will invite Dr Goodwin for the Kerala Travel Mart 2006 and even asked him to block his dates for the same!

Since then, there was no response from Government and didn't even care to acknowledge the emails asking if this was actually going to happen or not! I don't know if that was a great way of showing hospitality to a man who has changed the way on how people choose to travel.

It's been at least six months since we have been trying to convince the Kerala Tourism, that they should take Responsible Tourism as a way forward for the destination and not just continue doing the lip service. In the last one year, we have been hearing about Responsible Tourism and it reached a stage were one day we decided to visit senior bureaucrats in Trivandrum. The idea was to learn how serious they were about Responsible Tourism in destination.

We did ask this much. "How serious are you guys on RT?".

Answer was "Hmm, we aren't sure, we don't even know if the industry would accept this. Right now, we are testing it with the media. We are just testing to check how the industry would respond. There is actually fear amongst the politicians that RT would scare away investors!".

Great! So much for the understanding on RT!

In the same meeting I suggested that they should do workshops on RT for Government, Industry, NGOs and Political parties of Kerala as an initial step. There was (still is) a danger of trends of "greening" that happened in the name of Eco Tourism.

For this to be taken care, all stake holders should have clear understanding about what the whole concept is about. There was a tremendous level of learning that needs to go into the system.Being a fertile ground for many initiatives which were entrepreneur driven, there was (is) tremendous scope for Kerala to be the ideal flag bearer of Responsible Tourism in the country if supported by the government machinery.

We had proposed that we would do two symposiums in India. A National level one in New Delhi and a State level one in Kerala with Dr. Harold Goodwin leading the symposia. Kerala tourism offered to support but disagreed about the Delhi part. Finally we agreed to do the National Symposium in Kerala and were offered financial support to organise the same.

Even 14 days into the event, nothing happened and I was just tired running from office to another and explaining why RT is important for a destination like India and especially Kerala.

When we arranged a meeting for Kerala Tourism with Dr. Goodwin of the International Centre, in the back drop of World Travel Mart in November 2006, all that they did was to tell us that they will take a decision once they are in Kerala and asked me to go down for a meeting . (and this was after keeping them on the loop for almost 6 months!) And, the decision was all about if Kerala wanted to host the Symposium on Responsible Tourism or not!

Both the bureaucrats were definitely moving out of the tourism department and hence were quite indecisive. It reached a stage where I decided "enough was enough" and took the event to Bangalore which was organised on the 16th of this month at Our Native Village, in Bangalore.

With the remaining two weeks, I wanted to ensure that whatever little energy I had, that should be channelised to make the event a success and bring together a small group of people from the travel industry, NGOs, Government, media and academicians. I really didn't have any more time to waste.

© GP 2006

Monsoon clouds

Two years and a half back, we were in the backwaters of Alleppey in Kerala. Three of my friends and I were scouting for locations in Central Kerala and experiences that we could share with travellers across the world.

I was so tired running around, meeting far too many people and my energy was just running out. I was so happy to get on board one of our friend's houseboat and just sleep after a sumptuous traditional lunch they served on the houseboat.

The summer day was hot and humid and we were out there waiting for the monsoon to arrive. With all the windows opened and still not a bit of air blowing from any side, I don't know how I slept. What appeared to be ages, I was woken up by heavy movement of the boat and could hear the shouting of our oarsmen. We were in the middle of the vast lake and our boat was just turning round and round in the wind!

I couldn't believe what I saw then. In few seconds, the whole lake was getting enveloped in darkness at around 330pm. The atmosphere was so charged and that was definitely a once in a life time experience. While still lying down in the bed looking out through the window, what I saw was breathtaking.

There was a huge rain cloud moving towards us from the horizon so fast.

The first monsoon cloud in that area!

It was rich, dark, mad and seductive!

© GP 2006

Still alive!

Bangalore

Just been too busy organising a Symposium on Responsible Tourism in Bangalore. Check it out here.

"The monk" had warned me that I will be working more hours now since I started blogging. I ridiculed him (not really :)) and told him that it doesn't really take that much time, but well, it does.

After all "The Monk" = Wisdom, no ;) ?

Since there aren't more than 24 hours in a day/night, I better blog only when I have some time in my hand.

Another night in the office! ( the above mess!)

© GP 2006

München again!

Bangalore

Both of us gave some intense looks at each other.
Finally he budged!

He lazily went through all the pages of my passport, talked something to the woman police officer in the next counter and said,"It's okay, everything fine, you can go"

Gosh! What a character!

I was shivering so much, sweating so much and well, fuming like never before. I really felt humiliated. Anger wasn't just dying out at all. So I called up B who was in Bangalore at that time and told her about what happened.

Well, for someone who have spent so many years fighting for Turkish immigrant community in Germany, this was too much and she was on fire from the other side. She asked me to call up her friends (Human rights group, Press etc etc) in Munich an report it.

I felt good about the fact that I didn't get upset or collapse a bit, which would have been a fodder for this guy to get on me again. Actually, I felt quite proud about the way I handled the situation.

I moved on. Passed my luggage and accessories through the X-ray machine with a really tensed face (as one of my co-passengers suggested later during the flight!) and went on to the first floor for check in.

While standing there, I had the same nasty feeling once again in my mind and my eyes locked with another armed police man who was standing on the ground floor next to the x-ray machine! I wasn't sure whether he was looking at me or was just observing all around. Well, he was looking at me!

He was actually gesturing at me with his left hand while, the right hand was positioned on his AK-47 (or whatever AK it was!). I put my fingers on my chest and asked him if he was actually calling me or someone else?

He nodded and waved at me to come down!

There was hardly any time left for me to check in and I was totally clueless about why he wanted me this time for!? May be the detention that the other guy was talking about?!

Anyways, I went down. He pointed his gun towards something in the plastic tray on the officer's table next to the x-ray machine and asked me, "Is this yours?"

Yes of course.

It was my wallet!

© GP 2006

München

Bangalore

Seems to be in a "flying" mood these days. Or at least memories go back to flights or airports!

Even 10 metres away from the counter, I could feel the negative energy radiated from the moustached Border Police man. I just couldn't make out what was wrong, but there was this strong feeling of something really nasty.

The trip to Munich was quite good. Made some business contacts, even met couple of old friends . So it had to be about something that was to happen.

I reached the counter with my electronic ticket number scribbled on a paper and my blue passport. The policeman didn't even return my "Guten Morgen", instead very grumpily asked me for "all your travel documents now!".

I smiled and showed him the small paper where my electronic ticket number was written and then my passport with visa stamped on it.

Rally of questions starting with:

** "Why are you in Germany?" (yeah, yeah, I have heard this before! even once in France! Next question please)
** "Why do you have a visa from the French Counsulate even when your first leg of the trip is to Germany?" (That was the first time I was hearing something like that!)
**"Why are you not carrying all your travel tickets from India until here?" (I have been travelling from one point to another in the last two weeks)

Initially I thought he was joking.

He wasn't.

Either he had a nasty fight with his wife before he left home or he just didn't like my face!

He was firing on full throttle. I haven't seen any one so rude in any of the airports I flew through.

Still, I remained cool and believed that he was trying to pull my leg.

Though the first question sounded a bit racist, I just explained him that I was on a business trip and showed him my "visa d'affaires" from the French Counsulate in Mumbai.

For the second question I told him, "I hope you know that with the Schengen agreement, I can apply for my visa to any countries that are signatories, including France and Germany. Why do you have to be so arrogant like this?"

Even while he was pushing me further into an argument, I was quite calm. (though it was another moment of those OTS (one-tight-slap!))

Anyways, he wasn't the one ready to listen.

Instead he told me, " NO ARGUMENTS HERE! IF YOU ARGUE MORE, I WILL HAVE TO DETAIN YOU!"

Oh what the F*&^ !!

I wasn't ready for none of that!

It was just few hours before SK was telling me about some of her Indian friends who had tough time with the police as well as from the Neo Nazis soon after they took the green card for Software engineers. I ridiculed her and told her that she was biased.

Several thoughts went through my mind in a splash. I was confident about handling the situation. I knew I would come out of the situation well, but was just thinking about some poor guy who might be travelling out of a developing country and that too with a dark skin and totally lost about the immigration or airport rules!?

I stood my ground.

When he told me that I could miss my plane and that I would have to wait until his boss comes back etc etc, that was the limit for me.

I told him. "Hey Mr. There is no reason for you to behave the way you are behaving. You are most welcome to detain me if you wish and I would like to see on what grounds?!" (Other than booking me for "arguing" for my rights!" I guess!).

I was the last person who was concerned about missing a flight from Munich out to London! I demanded that I see his boss even it means that I miss my flight! I think I was pretty clear when I told him that I knew my rights quite well in this part of the world.

Even while I was fuming and shivering, I asked him to talk to me with respect!

Bastard!

My voice could be heard in the whole hall. I started getting stares from all over and no one intervened except for those passengers complaining about their chances of missing flights because of my arguments!

© GP 2006

Delhi

Barista
GK-II New Delhi

After resigning my job at the Prodex Technologies, I went to Tirur and stayed back home for a week or so doing nothing much. Gitu prompted me to get out of the house and asked me find out what I was looking for.

It was obvious from my parent's face that none of them were really happy about my decision of quitting the job. Tired of doing routine e-marketing stuff and nothing creative enough for some time was killing me. There was decent money, enough fun in the conventional sense, but by end of the day, there was this heavy feeling that I was wasting my life.

The last one month I was working at the Prodex, I kept on going back in my mind about the good time I had working as a volunteer at the pain and palliative care clinic and I had kind of realised that it was while "working with and working for people" that I was happy.

Considering the content feeling I had while volunteering at the Pain Clinic, I was looking for something that was similar to that experience.

That evening Arun was going back to Delhi by train to where he was working for last two years. We both went to Kuttippuram station, purchased a sleeper class ticket (at that time there was no computerised reservations and you could get train tickets just before the journey, if the quota for that station was yet to be filled in) and boarded the train.

50 hours or so later, we landed in Nizzamudhin railway station and I still remember the grey Delhi that awaited me.

Almost 7 years back!

© GP 2006

Low cost flights

New Delhi

Once the meetings were finalised in New Delhi, I had a look at the prices of flights from Bangalore to Delhi. Since the first meeting was at 12 noon, it was okay to leave first thing in the morning.

Options were several :

Air Deccan
Kingfisher Airlines
Spice Jet
Go Air
Indian Airlines
Jet Airways

I checked the first two. Air Deccan Rs 2,550 one way Bangalore-Delhi, Kingfisher Rs 14850. With previous experience of couple of low-cost airlines departing few hours from scheduled time, I was prepared for this delay and booked my flight for the 550am.

The previous night I got an SMS from Air Deccan telling that the flight was delayed and will leave only by 745. I checked it again only to read it as 0745PM!!

That was 14 hour delay.
Too much to expect even from a low cost carrier!

© GP 2006

Elephants

Bangalore

Arun and I were in Wayanad on new location scouting. Once the activities and programs along River Nila was kind of identified, we were looking for a location that could be offered as an extension to our guests who come to River Nila

Because of torrential rain since morning, it was late when I left Kalpetta. While changing my wet clothes behind his tea shop next to the check post, Maathan told me that I wouldn't be able to cross the river on time if I don't rush. He was one of our guides from the indigenous community who lives on the fringe areas of the forests close to the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary.
I should have listened to him!

Instead, I took my own time to change my wet clothes, and even stayed further more after I spotted a Malabar Whistling Thrush.

Before I reached the Karnataka-Kerala border, I could see a long Que of vehicles on the sanctuary road. Water level had risen in the swollen river and had started over flowing on to the road. Though some vehicles were taking risks, most of them were waiting patiently to see if the rain water was going to recede. I waited there for almost an hour and it was past already quarter to six.

Knowing about my urgency to reach Bangalore the same night as J was arriving that night from Paris, Maathan suggested that I push my motorbike through the hip-level water before it rises further. I wasn't keen on pushing my bullet (Royal Enfield 350CC motor bike) as I was worried about water getting into the silencer. So couple of the local boys (who were gauging the water level rise since morning) offered a polythene sheet, with which they covered the mouth of the silencer and made it water proof. Later we pushed it through the water and went on to the other side.

Well, I was once again soaking wet after walking through the water. Didn't really care much to change again, even though it was freezing cold. I had another 6-7 hours to cover by road including one hour and a half stretch through the forest.

Having been crisscrossing this stretch of Wildlife Sanctuary for many years, I was fairly knowledgeable about the terrain.The moment I started climbing up from the water logged road, I knew that I might face trouble coz of the possibility of another river over flowing on the same road, which makes the place I am riding in to an island!

In few minutes I had to stop by a curve as I saw a herd of elephants in a distance. Having faced such situations several times while living in Masinagudi (Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary), I was cautious. Anyways, I had no options left than to wait. I didn't dare to switch off the engine though. Even took off my helmet so that I could hear even small sounds and was on guard.

If not for the uncertainty of -What-will-happen- next-, it was quite an amazing moment. Green green every where, wonderful sighting towards the Bandipur side, and trickling water drops from the trees after rain and hundreds of chirping birds.

But,

-the hanging rain clouds,
-setting sun and
-the elephants almost hundred metres ahead didn't quite make things any easier.

The thought that I was stuck in an island, probably alone (as I didn't see any other vehicles following me!) wasn't comfortable either. What worried me the most about the elephants were the presence of couple of calf's on either side of the road. Some of them were crossing the roads, and the others remained observing all around. Though known for their poor eye sights, I wasn't really sure if I was out of their "radar". (Anyways, I was sure they were aware of my "Bullet's" engine!)

I was sure that I had to get out within ten minutes or else, I am going to get stuck as I wont have any visibility of the surrounding except with the halogen lamp on my moto. Luckily, I found company in a truck and a small 800 cc Maruti car that came through the water. Seeing me stranded there, they asked me if there was any problem. I smiled and asked them to look ahead. The young folks in the car were presumably drunk, but the lorry driver seems to be knowing what he was doing. He told me to follow him closely as he expected the elephants to move seeing the truck coming.

They moved slowly and while I was trying to put my helmet back and position my back-pack properly, the engine switched off !!

Shit!

After having waited all this time with the engine on, and when I got an opportunity to move out of the situation, the bike cheated me! (Or I pressed something that I shouldn't have out of tension!!!)

Whatever, I was left behind by the vehicles by the time I started the engine, they had crossed the danger zone. I was in the company of furious elephants once again! They were trumpeting, and am sure they quite didn't like the idea of those vehicles moving through their territory.

Gosh, they were so annoyed that I thought they were going to come towards me. I took off my helmet again (I needed to hear the surroundings!) and I slowly put the bike in neutral and went back wards little by little, only to see another herd of elephants on the road behind me!

I know what I was going to do was stupid, but I had to take a decision. I pumped in the throttle, made big noise and -don't-ask-me-how- I reached on the other side of the road. I almost felt one of the elephants turning its huge body towards my direction, but I was safe. Phoo!

Two-three minutes after this adrenalin pumping experience, I was on the straight road to Gundalpet.

A white Tata Sumo, coming opposite to me from Gundalpet side, all of a sudden stopped screeching and I was wondering!

Only when I looked into the mirror did I see what it meant.

There was a tusker chasing me!

And on the mirror, it was written in grey scale, "Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear"!

© GP 2006
Photo © GP The elephant picture was shot in the same location a year later when J and I went to Wayanad

Life style

Bangalore

Some people never change, I guess.

It's been hardly a month since I came back from a month-long stay in an Ayurvedic hospital.For Cervical Disc Prolapse to I-don't-know-what-not?

It's quite unbelievable even for me to realise that I haven't taken a day off from work since we started the work three years before.

I was advised a life style change, less usage of laptop, more sleep and of course less stress! and if possible;move out of Bangalore to a much more healthy environment. Doctors were not really happy with me travelling to Europe immediately after the treatment, but there I was two days after the discharge!

Life style hasn't changed much as well.

I continue to work long hours (14-18 hours), Still end up taking more and more projects, and have started receiving warnings from friends again.This time it goes like this:

"Hey G, take care. No point in working yourself into a state that won't allow you to do what you want to...and I do know that you are so full of plans. So don't wear yourself out with sheer stress...Take a deep breath. And I am not joking...Ax"

At the least, I need to ensure that I go back home from work and not continue staying there for many nights together!

© GP 2006

The logo

Bangalore

Spelling was never his cup of tea, but RJ churned out many wonderful sketches. He finally gave me what I had in mind. It was quite close actually!

For me what made the logo attractive was :

- the letter design
- the colours used and
- the sketch which was influenced from a Pulluvans art.

If the name "The Blue Yonder" had come from Chicago, the logo came from Dubai!. And, this was all for a company based in Bangalore and operates in Kerala! Truly, "the world was flat! even before Thomas Friedman's book!".

© GP 2006

Typo!

The work for an attractive logo was equally exciting.

Once again, it was coordinated between various places, amongst various friends. I had given a brief about the company, what we intend to do and how it should be perceived.

Ideas were shared with some of my friends, sent them various sketches, some pictures that I shot while I stayed in my village and then RJ called me from Dubai and said, "I am going to do it!".

RJ was the one who understood my style, my expectations and kept on sending various designs all of which I refused, mostly for the reason that there was too much of "Kerala" in all of them. RJ was a wonderful artist (he still is!), he brought in many fresh ideas, and looked totally out of place in Tirur, where there was nothing much for him to explore.

I enjoyed working with him, until one day he made me run for cover because of a "typo" in one card he designed for our college chapter of SPICMACAY.

As usual we were the typical lastminute.com's and organised some programs including an inauguration of the regional chapter and we needed our badges at any cost within a day.

It was delivered on time almost two hours before the event!!

The proof I gave read like this:

SPICMACAY
Society for Promotion of India Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth

And, what was printed on the card was this:

SPICMACAY
Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Against Youth!

I still don't know where we got the energy to print the expansion of SPICMACAY on a paper and spent rest of the time pasting it on to all the badges before the inauguration!

© GP 2006

What's in a name?

Bangalore

Everything!

I can't remember the time or the day when I decided to set up a company with the concept of promoting Bharatapuzha (river nila) as a destination and maintaining the same as a financial engine to support the nila foundation. It was rather, a process.

When we started, there were 'n' number of travel companies promoting various destinations in Kerala. Most of them were doing regular stuff and it was into this space that we had to position ourselves. Kerala tourism was going through a growth phase, it was a Super brand. "With a dynamic tourism-trade community and sustained Government support", Kerala was one of the most well known destinations in India by then.

We needed a name that would :

-capture the imagination
-that would have a recall value and
-represent what we intend to provide our guests

"Experience!"

AV and I had couple of meetings in Bangalore, exchanged emails while she was away in Chicago, and one day there came the email! She had suggested a list of names including "Blue and Green", "Green and Blue", "Floatels" (relating to the famous houseboats of Kerala) and then; there was the gem!

The Blue Yonder!

J wasn't convinced.
For me, there was nothing much more to think about.
I fell in love with the name. This was it!


©GP 2006

Here or there?

With the mounting expenses and all the committments I had made to support the research ; it was obvious that I needed to find a source of funding for Nila Foundation.

1) One of the options was to set up an NGO and apply for funds from local funding agencies, Government or ask for individual donations.

OR

2) Find a well-paid job and fund the activities of the foundation.

The experiences I had working with both the donor agencies (UNDP, CAF India) had given me clarity in terms of the models that I wouldn't follow when it comes to funding. I didn't want to go around with a begging bowl to local people nor did we want to apply to funding agencies and be at their mercy to pursue our dreams.

Rather we preferred to dream on our terms!

Though the second option was suggested by many people; I was sure about NOT doing this. I wanted to ensure that my feelings and emotions about Nila was not just another infatuation, but a passion that was sustainable in the long run. I had a history of some emotional interventions earlier. (of which I will write at some point of time through these blogs). Though I might have made some impact here and there, I wanted to ensure that my involvement with Nila had to be:

stronger and
deeper!

If at all, the feeling for the river was just a romance or infatuation, I wanted to ensure that I wouldn't leave the movement in the middle. For this I needed to ensure that

-every single bill that I had to pay,
-every single meal I had to eat

had to come from the projects that I am going to be involved in!

It was a very simple theory : No work? No pay!

Now, when I look back after three years, I realise that it was a well calculated risk (and not really a suicidal one as many of my friends and 'family' had thought!)

© GP 2006

Celebrating the river!

Bangalore

Why would someone want to come and see a dying river?

Unless, she is so much concerned about the environment and nature, there is nothing much to prompt a person to come and experience a river, if it was positioned as dying river.

"Hello, our river is dying. Please come and visit and let everyone know that the world should interfere ASAP!"

I doubt if this would have worked.
Instead, we decided to celebrate the river!

There was nothing much we could do based on the water left in the river, except during monsoon. So the celebration of the river had to be based on it's :

-legends and folklore
-culture
-folk art forms
-classical dance forms
-scenic beauty
-people
-history
-life style
-literature
-institutions
-martial arts lineage
-military tradition
-religion
-bio diversity
-architecture
-farming tradition
-music (mainly percussion tradition)
-festivals
-and on and on...

Sometimes we wonder if we are talking about a dying river at all?

© GP 2006

The thread

E-36 Bangalore

I can't remember when I came up with the name "Nila Foundation" to coordinate the work that we wanted to do for the river. The idea was to have the common platform for those people with diverse interests to come together in the name of the river. We started imagining the foundation doing research about rivers, we "saw" us supporting various research projects financially, we wanted the world to know about our "Pulluvan", "Poothan" and "Thira" and understand the uniqueness of this wonderful river valley civilisation.

The foundation was in a nascent stage, it wasn't even registered as a non profit organisation. But there was something else that was taking shape in parallel lines though. Our sole focus was to bring in attention to the river, and for this, the main audience that I had in my mind was the travelling community. Obviously they travel a lot, and if they like an experience, I am sure they will talk about it. This I saw as the most wonderful way of sharing the river with people who haven't experienced the river.

For us, the river was not just water flowing meaninglessly. A river is often the thread that weaves lives and traditions in an ageless manner. A river sustains a civilisation.

But, the question was all about:

"How on the earth are we going to bring the attention of a traveller (anyone for that matter!) to a dying river?"

© GP 2006

Ground reality

Bangalore

Within a month, it was clear that what we had budgeted was going to fly above the roof! Ground realities and what we had in our mind were totally different stories.

I didn't have much money left with me after the prolonged illness of my father; I didn't even have a job ever since I came from the UK. Until my father died, I was still playing with the idea of setting up a consultancy on disaster management in India. Since the discussions about setting up an office with Fritz Institute in India didn't materialise, I was totally at loss.

If not for the prompting from J, I think I would have stayed back in the UK.

When we (J and I) moved to Bangalore, I still was thinking about a career in Disaster Management. After moving to our new rented apartment in CK Gardens, the first thing I did was to get in touch with Dr. Venkataramana, a leading Neurosurgeon in Bangalore Manipal hospital, who was the brain behind Comprehensive Trauma Care (CTC). We decided to work together to develop a software program to ease the rescue and relief operations CTC was involved in and around Bangalore.

But none of this was bringing in any money to survive. With whatever little that was in the bank and overdraft facility that touched every possible limit, we had to figure out something. Luckily, J found a job quite easily and that was a relief.

© GP 2006

Research

Thiruvananthapuram

Search for good research material on Nila led me to Sujith once again. By that time, I had kind of identified my role in the whole scenario. That -

- I should let the world know about my river!

I knew I will be able to talk with passion and conviction. For this, I needed to have thorough knowledge about the river. Other than some stories that I knew since I was a kid and regular newspaper reports, there wasn't much that I could use to 'raise' this to a totally different level that I aspired.

When I came to know that Sujith had some dreams about researching the status of the river, I offered to help him financially. What we both had in our mind was a research project for an year and a half provided, regular flow of money was ensured.

For me, it was the best way to get to know the river.
I saw this as a learning experience and a wonderful opportunity to increase my knowledge base about this wonderful stretch of land in Kerala.

I had no idea how I was going to find the money and resources for this; but just knew that I was going to do it!

© GP 2006

Nila in news

Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)

While running from one meeting to another in the state capital, CK sent me an email with this note that came in The Hindu newspaper :

"Indianur Gopi, who led the save-Bharatappuzha campaign since 1988, said the river was in a worse shape than when he and his colleagues had started the campaign. He said only a strong political will on the part of the Government coupled with determined efforts by society could save the dying river. "

"Stressing the need to preserve the rivers, hills and forests for the future water needs of the State, Mr. Gopi said providing drinking water to the people was a `basic political responsibility.' He said the outcome of his campaign to save the river and the hills and rice fields in the Bharatappuzha basin was a mixture of "little achievements and big setbacks" as the river was deteriorating by the day. "

Read more here

© GP 2006

Flight etiquette

Cochin

In a short flight (in a small ATR operated by King Fisher Airlines) from Bangalore to Cochin; even before the flight landed; there were at the least couple of mobile phones that were switched on! And, that too, it was when the flight attendant was making the announcement to "Please keep your mobile phones and other electronic equipments switched off!".

Why are we like this?

I have noticed this kind of behaviour so many times and frankly; these are those moments I mentioned in the first blog. I was so desperate to give one-tight-slap to that young man who was sitting on the other side of the aisle.

What will happen if he waits another two minutes to switch on his mobile?

Some of the things that irritates me a lot during flights (and endangers many!) are:

-passengers getting up from their seats even before the flight lands
-passengers opening up the over-head lockers before the flight comes to a stand still
-running to the toilets when the "fasten your seat-belt sign" is on!
-spreading around the food all over while eating
-soiling the toilet seats and pissing all over (mostly in international flights!)
-drinking as much as they can as if there is no tomorrow; just for the reason that it's a "free drink!"
-"violating the -personal- space of the fellow traveller by virtually and physically occupying every single millimetre that's is possible
-disrespect the cabin crew members
-sitting next to a strongly perfumed woman (most of the time in Air France!)

(Nothing against Air France or a woman sitting next to me, unfortunately I am allergic to every known perfume in the world!)

When I requested the young man to switch-off his mobile for the safety of fellow passengers and the plane itself, you should have seen the look on his face! As if I just got into the plane from Mars!

© GP 2006
PS: It's always a pleasure to land in Cochin International Airport. One of the few airports in India that is clean, efficient and a place where you feel that there is some sort of system and governance in place!

Committee Disease

Bangalore

Malayali love "committees".
Look at this sample:

-Palli Committee (Mosque / Church Committee)
-Ambala Committee (Temple Committee)
-Utsava Committee (Festival Committee)
-Samrakshana Samiti (Protection Committee)
-Vana Samrakshana Samiti (Forest protection Committee)
-Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti (Temple Protection Committee)
-Ksheera Vikasana Samiti (Dairy Development Committee)
-Vyapari Vyvasayi Ekopana Samiti (Giving up on translation :))!
-Paada Sekhara Committee ...

Want to try adding more to this?
Welcome aboard!

Common Platform

Bangalore

My thoughts went on this line:

"Where do I fit into the whole scenario?
I am not an activist,
I have not been involved in any such movements,
I have no scientific knowledge,
I don't even know why the river is dying or
If it's actually "already dead!" or
better, if it was actually dying at all?"

All I could see was emotional responses.
Earlier, when I decided to stay back and work for the river, I really didn't have much idea on how the whole thing was going to take shape. I just knew this is what I wanted to do. All of a sudden, there was clarity in mind in terms of what I didn't want to do with my life!!

Even at that moment, I never thought that I would set up a foundation and then that I will explore ways to support the same foundation to work for the river!

While doing a SWOT analysis of the situation, I started looking deep into my own "Strengths" and "Weaknesses". Then as if it's a board of chess game, set up those along the "Opportunities and against the "Threats" that the situation offered.

If I need to talk to the world about a dying river, I need to have thorough knowledge about it. Unless, I don't have that, I didn't think that I would ever be able to talk with conviction for sure.
I did consult couple of my friends in my village if they know about any research work that could throw light into this. They told me about "bits and pieces" lying down with various people; but not any single published source. This statement took me back to what I noticed that night once again. There were people on the banks of the river, who have had undertaken studies, there were "n" number of "River Protection Committees" (Puzha Samrakshana Samiti).

But, they hardly come on a common platform. What keeps them apart?

EGO related issues
Superior-Inferior complexes.
Fear of not getting the credit for their hard work
Fear of someone stealing their hard work and
many more...

Well, now this is another topic for discussion :) May be in the next one...

© GP 2006

Own up!

Bangalore

While lying down in the warm water in the river one evening, I went through the previous weeks experience in that night.

There were three strong elements in the whole situation:

- Individuals who can't pursue their dreams just because they are worried about monetary aspects of running a day to day life; which in turn takes them away from their passion.

- Artists and ritualistic healers like "Pulluvars" who can't make a living any more out of what they are passionate about and what they know the best.

- Lack of knowledge sharing by NGOs and individuals about the river. I did meet some people who have painstakingly undertaken research and explored their river in their own ways.

But it was kind of obvious that night that they prefer to remain in their own island of knowledge, and that they look at everyone else with doubt. ( A typical social dynamics of Kerala, I guess!!)

One person after the other, came forward to address the gathering :

-Some one literally cried about how sad it is to see this river like this NOW
-Some one shared how wonderful the river was when they were kids
-Some one nostalgically talked about the days when the river used to touch both the banks
-Some one criticised about wrong actions about the Government and ....

While hearing all this, I was thinking the following:

"Well, its wonderful to see these people being so passionate and even romantic about the river. I don't know if I will ever meet such people any where else."

It was truly touching to see them singing for the river in that moonlit riverbed.

But, what's the point in just being romantic and do nothing about the situation? I agree, its wonderful to be able to sing and remain passionate about the river. Not many people would do that. The way they were communicating their anguish was impressive, but again, for me it was about:

"Hello guys, wake up and do something!"

If you feel so much about the river and it's present plight, own up!
It's high time that you take responsibility for what you can!


© GP 2006

Striking a balance

When I heard Sujith, (say that he was willing to live for the river), I was reminded of what my friend Venu had told me over a drink one night, while we were volunteering at the Pain and Palliative Care Clinic.

"There are many people in this world, who want to do many things in life, but can't afford to do so, because they can't strike a balance between passion and pursuing a life to make a living. "

The two years I spent as a volunteer at the Pain and Palliative Clinic is still one of those phases in my life that I value a lot. That's where I realised that I could be useful to someone. Even though it was just about listening to people, or just jotting down the case histories of patients, it meant the world to many terminally ill patients, with head and neck malignancy or osteo-sarcoma or any other sorts of cancer.

I went to volunteer for two weeks at the clinic as suggested by my girlfriend who was a student at the medical college there. By the time I left that place to do my Masters, almost two years has passed and I hardly even noticed where the time disappeared.

Venu continued,…."Someone like you shouldn’t be just volunteering here, instead you should be the driving force to bring in funds to support initiatives like this."

Somehow, the whole thing resonated in my mind that night. Maybe people like Sujith or Anwar or many others I met that night, may not be able to pursue their passion, for the simple reason that it was not financially viable to do so! They had their families to support, they had their school bills to be paid, and they had various commitments.

On the other hand, perhaps they would continue to work for the river or continue pursuing their passion if they had a regular source of income that was closely related to their passion (river). I was dreaming about such a scenario, about being able to be passionate and not really worrying about the payments to be made in the nearby grocery store or the monthly amount that their parents would have appreciated receiving.

Or even to think about buying something small as a gift for their nearest and dearest. ....

© GP 2006

The connection

Bangalore

That night we met some wonderful people. With curiosity and fulfillment, we went around listening to different people who were there. Many of them were strangers to me, but there was definitely a connection there……a connection that would change my life from thereon in.

It was when I took the dip in the river as a ritual on behalf of my late father, that I knew that I wouldn’t be returning back to Europe. Instead a powerful feeling ran through me – it was as if my roots were holding me back. That moment was probably the trigger for all the changes that have happened since.

This was quite surprising, as I never thought for one moment I would stay back in the country as I always had the urge to travel, move from one place to another and found it suffocating to get used to living in one place. Reading quite a lot of existential writing right from childhood hardly helped I guess!.

Three faces from that night still linger in my memory - Sundarrajan, who spearheaded the people's movement and hunger strike against the Coca-Cola factory in Plachimada in Palghat district of Kerala, Sujith Kumar who ran an NGO called CEDAR based out of Thrissur and Anwar Wakkad who was involved in many conservations efforts in various parts of Kerala. Hari (Govindan) also sang a requiem for the river and I remember him crying by end of it, which also brought tears to many faces in that moonlit gathering.

Alamkode Leela Krishnan who wrote "Nilayude Theerangaliloodey" (By the banks of River Nila), (which I think is still one of the best books written about the cultural history of River Nila), was also present and felt some responsibility for not having done enough for the dear river, which was now struggling for life.

The connection I felt with these people and the magical moments we shared reminiscing about this river that had once been so beautiful and romantic, willed me to share some of the decisions I had made a few days back with Sujith.

About not going back to Europe and
About doing my bit for the river.
About wanting to share my passion with them
About my readiness to spend the next five years working for the river...

He smiled, patted me on my shoulder and said, "I am quite impressed and happy that you are ready to dedicate the next five years to the river." This was a man whom I came to know little by little through various projects we worked on together. It was during one of those intense discussions about reviving Bharatapuzha, that he emotionally declared,

" I am actually willing to dedicate my whole life to this river!"..

That was the level of dedication, passion and commitment these youngsters had and it was then that I realized there is no going back for me either. If I ever chose to work for someone or work with someone - it would definitely be for the river.

That was three years ago.

© GP 2006

Pulluvan

Three years ago, my father died after a prolonged illness. We have a tradition of offering prayers to free the soul of the dead on the banks of the river (Bharatapuzha - River Nila) in Tirunavaya. It was whilst offering prayers and when I was about to take a dip that I noticed that there wasn’t enough water in the river to take bathe properly. It wasn’t even the start of summer yet I literally had to roll over to make sure that my body was wet enough.

As much it pained me to see my father dying in front of my eyes, the sight of the Nila dying choked me to the core. This was the river I went to when I felt sad or happy. This was where I shared my secrets and where I lay down looking up at the stars. It was part of my day to day life; it was part of my growing up. Like many other Malayalees, I grew up reading literature from the banks of this river.

Literature, by writers from the banks of Nila was such an integral part of our lives. MT Vasudevan Nair,( who famously said, ‘'For me, Nila's significance is greater than that of the greatest ocean in the world. Much of my inner and external life is associated with the river Nila and Koodallur village located on its bank''…… read more here ) or

O.V Vijayan (Who nostalgically wrote about Tootha puzha in ‘Guru Sagaram’ that formed one of the richest tributaries of the River Nila) or

C.Radhakrishnan (Who once told us when we met him in Chamravattam, ‘Nila is my University, this is where I learnt my science, my biology and astronomy’) and many others were part of our reading, and our day to discussions in schools and universities.

Probably it was just a coincidence that I talked to Hari Govindan, the musician ( son of legendary Sopana Sangeetham singer - Njaralathu Ramapothuval ) during those days and he mentioned a headline in the ‘Mathrubhumi’ newspaper "Thilothagathinu polum udhagaatha Nila": which roughly translates into ‘ Nila : A river that doesn’t even permit ‘obsequies’'. He mentioned that it was probably a ‘Nimitham’ (Omen) that I called him on the same day.

A few days later, I was walking on the riverbed with some of my European friends who had come to visit my village and this was also where we all come together to share the legends of the river. Walking "through" the river bed in the splendid moonlight, we could hear the haunting music in the distance. It was altogether an enthralling experience - the rawness, the depth, and the rustic appeal of the string instrument that accompanied the male and female voices. (That was Pulluvan playing the ‘Veena kunju’.)

Wondering what they were doing in the late night singing on the banks of the river, we came across a small group of people, singing and talking about the river. They were nostalgic about the river that once flowed where they sat now. They were talking about the emptiness they had in their minds and in their lives.They were passionate, romantic, and very sensitive. They were a group of musicians, activists, teachers, students, mothers and children,(in the middle of the night!)

They had one thing in common.

The river,
The dying river.
The river they couldn’t live without,
The river they wanted to share with their future generations.

They didn’t just want to show photographs or talk to their children about their memories of a river that ‘once’ used to be part of their lives. Instead they wanted to hold their children’s hands and stand on the banks of the river and tell them stories about the river. They didn’t want to live in the past; instead they wanted the river to continue their lives.

That was where I saw many things in common.
And this is what I felt deep within me…..
I wanted to hold my child’s hand and share with her the beauty of the river.

The River…
that was part of my life and
would continue to be part of my life…….

On the way back, while still dragging my feet through the fine sand bed, I heard Sooryan (the Pulluvan) singing aloud, the rustic, nostalgic, haunting verses praising the snake Gods!

© GP 2006

Awards and more

Paris
There were many moments in life where I felt like giving ONE-TIGHT-SLAP to:

*The System
*Society
*People
*Individuals
*Relatives and more importantly..
*Myself!!

Frankly, I haven't given much thought about how I would like to see this blog now and later in the future. I don't write a journal any more, but there were several moments in my life when I thought it would be wonderful to read through all these and share the same with others. I am not sure if I should stick to a topic, or just blog some incidents or events as and when they happen or note down memoirs that still makes me smile, laugh or make me sad.

Let's see how things evolve from here :A year back, i.e November 2005, I was attending the Responsible Tourism Awards Ceremony at the World Travel Mart, London looking at the joy of those people gathered there. There were winners, short listed nominees, members from the travel industry and quite a lot of people who mattered, people who could make changes to the lives of many others through their work.

It was just the second year for us in the business. I was there basically to understand the trends, meet the movers and shakers and learn. I was sitting behind a woman smartly dressed in a beige suit with short hair who was obviously nervous. Her partner (I presumed), was sitting next to her and it was only when she stood up to walk towards the stage that I recognized her as Sofia de Meyer, as winner of the 2005 First Choice Responsible Tourism award for Innovation. Whitepod, her company, provide alternative ways of exploring the Swiss Alps. They have pods (dome shaped tents) pitched on raised wooden platforms and offer low impact accommodation in a pristine environment.

After staying back for the debate on sustainable tourism, I bumped into her and congratulated her for her achievements. I still remember that her hands were still shaking and damp! Looking around, I saw almost all the winners in the same situation, happy, overwhelmed, excited about the work they were involved in and happy about being able to connect with like-minded people and recognized for their achievements.For a small company, still struggling to position ourselves and be known within the travel industry, these were the kinds of people we wanted to be associated with. These were the people who not only talked, but acted in running travel businesses in a responsible way, in a way that doesn't create negative impacts on the environment or on the people / culture they work with. Rather, they all genuinely worked hard to increase the positive impacts of tourism.

Very impressed, I thought for one brief moment…."Maybe in another 5 years time, it would be great to see The Blue Yonder up on the stage." Until that trip, I wasn't really aware of Responsible Tourism as an organised way of travel, the way it is now (Though, this was the foundation on which we built the company). In the first year and a half of the business, I didn't venture out of India. We were busy setting up the business piece by piece, day by day. Until we were sure we had a solid foundation beneath our feet, we were ready to lie low and this decision was shared by all those involved in the company at this time. Once we developed the "products", (I dislike this word very much and prefer to say that we provide an “experience” and not just a saleable commodity that anyone can buy from a supermarket!), and had developed the capacity locally to operate, we decided to slowly move out and find out what was happening elsewhere in the world.

The idea was to raise funds for the Nila Foundation, that we had set up three years ago to share our passion for Bharatapuzha (River Nila). It was pure joy to know that what we were practicing a business model that had a market, something that was practiced elsewhere in the world as well and was being documented well. All of us in the team had an academic interest in what we were doing, we were keen on sharing, as well as learning what we had tried, and here was an opportunity to interact with the leaders within the industry.

Three months earlier, Arun came screaming to my desk in the office yelling, "Gosh, I have JUST forwarded an email to you, read it"……. This was from the 2006 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards committee advising us that we being considered for an award for using tourism as a tool for "Poverty Reduction". There were more than 1200 nominations for thirteen different categories and irrespective of having an outside chance of reaching the final stages, Sajo and I smiled. A smile we have seen on many people's faces in the last couple of years. A smile that has changed our lives, a smile that has touched many hearts. A project/concept that was conceived whilst lying down on the sand banks of the Nila, whilst staring up at the stars…… was finally making sense to the world too.

Arun, Vinod, Sajo, Sanila and I were in office that afternoon. If I remember correctly, we were writing the concept paper for The Blue Yonder Associates and scratching our heads how we were going to make up for the absence of a colleague who was asked to take a break from work. The award committee had sent us an email with a LOT of questions including :

* Our single most significant achievement
* How do we reduce negative social and cultural impacts of tourism
* How do we increase the economic benefit of tourism to the local community
* How do we reduce the environmental impact of tourism
* How we monitor our commitment to responsible tourism etc etc etc....

After setting up the company three years back, those two hours were the most exciting for us as we were being asked by someone else to explain and convince them about what were about and more importantly how we were doing it. The experience was truly amazing as it took less than two hours for us to reply to those questions. That was when I felt so happy about the "healthy growth" of the organisation (irrespective of the financial constraints we faced until recently) and how strong we were on the concepts. Even those who joined recently (Vinod for that matter) had observed and studied so much and that he could just give his input as if he was an expert in the industry!

If we ever get to meet those people who reviewed our nominations, we would like to ask them one day if they had ever before received answers to all those questions in such short time ;) hehe!

Anyway, to cut a long story short, The Blue Yonder was up on the stage at the World Travel Mart in Excel London on the 8th of November to receive the 2006 First Choice Responsible Tourism highly commended award for Poverty Reduction. When our name was called out and displayed on the World Stage, I think my hands were equally shaking and damp as were Sofia’s at the last awards ceremony!!

© 2006 GP