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