Tomoe Express - 2

The most difficult task of finding the physical space was over which gave us a huge sigh of relief! There was absolutely no major support from the village in identification of space. We relied upon one resident of the village who is known to us for years and he was helpful throughout. 

As soon as this first step was achieved, the rest fell in place. Purchase of books, shelves and mats were the following steps and were quite a smooth sailing. The books were purchased from various children publications, sought help from children authors and they were registered promptly before shelving. There were a couple of friends who contributed to the purchase of books and mats. 

Though we were open to using old books too, we did not get many until the inauguration of the event. Therefore, almost all of the books are new. Those that we received later are now stocked and getting registered for the next Tomoe library (likely to happen before June 2022). Along with the above mentioned items, fans, tube lights and focus lights were bought to make this tiny space as bright and airy as possible.

Well, how do we attract children to a space known to them as dull, unused and had alcohol bottles everywhere? Additionally, books don't attract children easily. We then decided to make the place attractive with colours and wall paintings. We were lucky to find a student-artist who did those outer walls and Tomoe express for half the price he would normally charge!! 

Towards the completion of his work, I regretted for not involving a neighbour kid (10 year old) who has is passionate about painting. I felt that it would have been nice if I had asked her to draw a Buddha for us, as almost all walls are old and look not so great. But did not try. Yet, in a couple of days her mother shared that the kid wanted to paint something as she got inspired by the outer wall painting we shared on WhatsApp. I immediately requested her to draw a Buddha for us and she did. This is her first ever wall painting! 

Why did I say Buddha when she was better at painting natural sceneries!!!??? The Universe gave me an answer later!

To be continued... 💝

Tomoe Express - 1

A library is capable of widening one’s mind and soul and this is irreplaceable. Yet, the relationship between children and library is gloomy for several reasons such as non-availability, non-accessibility and non-realization of its significance. One cannot do anything huge to bring about a vast social change. However, creating a change in the neighbourhood is highly possible. This led to the initiation of opening of children’s library in a nearby village whose chances of exploring one is rare. 

In a distance of 5km from our residence, Tomoe Library (a free library for children) is opened at Vallavankottai, Tirunelveli. This village has two schools, two anganwadis & a village library largely meant for adolescents and adults.

In spite of a village (government) library present, why a new one?

Most of the libraries do not have any exclusive section for children and it is not possible for an outsider to get associated with the library to conduct regular sessions in order to motivate children to read beyond books! So an independent one!! 

To start with, the name is an inspiration derived from the book, Totto-Chan. And therefore the train structure! 🚄

To gain trust in a community is a mammoth task. A proposal of a free library kindles thoughts of people as to what would be the hidden agenda for us. Beating the odds is no easy task and we did not find a common place in the Panchayat that could be utilized for the library. Instead, we had to rent a place, a tiny one which was the only available space shown to us. No matter how small or big the space is when we put in all our love and soul into it. That’s how the physical space came into the picture finally! 💞

Some before-after pictures,      

(1)

(2)

 

 

 (3)

 

To transform a physical space into something of real use is like creating magic – This is what we felt during the process of transformation!

...to be continued! 💝

நிலப்பரப்பு மீதான காதல்

புத்தருக்கும் எனக்கும் தனிப்பட்ட தொடர்பு ஏதும் இல்லாத போதும், ஏதோ ஒன்று உண்டு. அது போல தான் இந்த நிலப்பரப்பு மீதான காதலும் - இராமேஸ்வரம். காரணம் கன்னத்தில் முத்தமிட்டால்.

அப்படம் வெளிவந்த வேளையில் பெரிதும் வெற்றி பெறாமல், பின்னாளில் பெரும் கவனத்தை ஈர்த்தது. பலருக்கு அப்படம் ஏற்படுத்திய ஆழமான பாதிப்பு மறுதலிக்கயியலாது. எனக்கும். அப்படத்தின் கதை, கதாப்பாத்திரங்கள், காட்சியமைப்புகள், பாடல்கள், பின்னணி இசை என அனைத்தும் வெகுவாக கவர்ந்தன. ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் அழகிய ஆழமான உணர்வுகளை கொடுத்த வண்ணமே உள்ளது.

மேற்குறிப்பிட்ட அனைத்தையும் தாண்டி "நிலப்பரப்பு" என் மீது அதீத ஆதிக்கம் செலுத்தியது என்றே கூற வேண்டும். 

கோவிலுக்காக மட்டுமே சிறு வயதில் சென்ற ஊர், இராமேஸ்வரம். கடற்கரை முழுக்க குப்பை. எங்கும் கூட்டம். இரைச்சல். அவசரகோலமாக கடவுளின் தரிசனம். பெரிதாக எதுவும் மனதோடு ஒட்டவில்லை. ஆனால் அப்படத்தின் வழியாகக் கண்ட இராமேஸ்வரம் வேறு.

கவர்ச்சியான கடல் அலைகள்

நீண்ட நிலப்பரப்பு

அகப்பட்டுக்கொண்ட அகதிகள் முகாம்

ரெட் க்ராஸ் அமைப்பின், மரங்களுக்கு இடையே அமைந்த கட்டடம்

செவ்வனே சேவை புரியும் செவிலியர்கள்

 நீலமான சாலைகள்

வெப்பக்காற்றோட்டமான வீடுகள்

தூர தேசமாக வெற்றுக்கண்ணுக்கு புலப்படாத இலங்கை

இவை அனைத்துடன் சேர்ந்து ஒலித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கும் "அமுதாவின் அமுதமான அழுகை"

இவை ஏற்படுத்திய பாதிப்பினால் இராமேஸ்வரம் மனதுக்கு நெருக்கமான இடமானது. மூன்று ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்னர் அங்கு சென்ற போது, சிறு வயதில் ஏற்பட்ட எந்த அனுபவமும் ஏற்படவில்லை. நீண்ட சாலை வழியாக தனுஷ்கோடி செல்லும் போது கடல் அலைகள் போல மாறி மாறி வரும் பல எண்ணங்கள். வேறு ஒரு ஆளாக உணர வைத்தது. அது அழகாகவும் இருந்தது.

இவை இல்லாவற்றையும் விட இது: அரிச்சல்முனை - தென்கோடி - இலங்கைக்கு மிக அருகாமையில் உள்ள இந்திய நிலபரப்பு. மூன்று திசையிலும் அலைகள். காற்று. அங்கு சென்று சேர்ந்தவுடன் கைப்பேசியில் பெறப்பட்ட குறுஞ்செய்தி. "ஏர்டெல் தங்களை இலங்கைக்கு அன்புடன் வரவேற்கிறது." 

ஒரு நிலப்பரப்பால் அசைக்க முடியாத பாதிப்பை தர முடியுமா என்றால், நிச்சயம் முடியும். குறைவாகவே புத்தகம் வாசிப்பவள் என்றாலும் ரஷ்யா என்றவுடன் நினைவுக்கு வருவது இரண்டு வார்த்தைகள் - ஸ்டெப்பி & பாப்ளர் மரங்கள். புத்தகங்களோ, திரைப்படங்களோ, எந்த நல்ல கலைவடிவத்தாலும் நம்மை எங்கும் கொண்டு செல்லவும் இயலும், நமக்கு மட்டுமே புரியக்கூடிய புதிய உறவுகளை உருவாக்கித்தர இயலும்.

OTT and Tamil serials!

COVID-19 has made our lives terrible. Our children’s even worse. But there is always a silver lining! In the case of COVID-19, there are many!

One such is the permeation of OTT platforms. They did exist even before. But COVID brought it to most houses for families stuck together, had not many avenues for entertainment, theatres remained closed and the world shrunk. Not only elite classes, all middle, upper middle and upper classes have got into this culture as it is slowly becoming inevitable.

 

This OTT world has opened doors to watch, re-watch umpteen number of movies, documentaries, series and what not, in all languages. We get awestruck at first, gradually get swamped and finally end up binge watching. It has become another obsession for many just like what social media platforms do to us. Leaving aside drawbacks, OTT platforms are highly entertaining with world-class shows and movies; indeed an enriching experience for movie lovers.

A quick flashback: It was during our school days that satellite channels came into existence and slowly culture of ‘serials’ took our time. To be honest, there were quite a good number of serials in Tamil channels and they were of diverse genres too. The serials of K.Balanchander and ‘crazy’ Mohan stood unique those days amidst usual ones. They were quite progressive then and now too. More came up in different other genres targeting audiences of various age groups – school children, college students, adults, housewives and elders. They came with not-so-bad storylines and screenplay and they did glue us to screens for years. Then started the era of ‘family drama’ and it still goes on. The plot of all stories, characters, poor portrayal of women and revenge drama are all the same across all Tamil channels and serials since last one or two decades.

Back to 'today': The distressing truth is that diffusion of OTT into our homes has not changed this design of Tamil serials and shows. One wonders why and how Tamil serial/series directors and producers do not get to catch the taste change of consumers. They terribly fail at delivering and updating themselves to contemporary changes. What could be the reasons for this reluctance to change – from the perspective of consumers?

• Most of Tamil serial watchers during daytime are non-working women and elders. May be they prefer to relate themselves to stories screened.
• Children, young adults and adults have moved on to watch other language shows and therefore there is no demand.

These justifications do not seem to be satisfying. Tamil audience, irrespective of their age, have always welcomed changes and prefer to have varieties in their living rooms. But Tamil serials are regressive though, if not progressive.

If COVID & OTT platforms could not change this trend, I am not sure what else could!

Are we losing our sanity?

  (1)

Though my school was run by a Christian Missionary in a semi-urban town of Tamil Nadu, not only majority of students were non-Christians but also the teachers. This has changed over a period of time, predominantly in higher educational institutions. Schools remain more or less the same.

My school prohibited wearing of jewels or flowers except for Fridays as majority of us were Hindus for whom Fridays are considered to be auspicious.

Like it or not, we had classes once a week where stories from Bible were told and those classes were intense for Christians. None of our parents protested. And we did like listening to those stories. We sang Christian songs and recited verses from Bible in everday prayer gathering. No one complained.

But my grandfather was worried that nuns of my school would convert me given my closeness with them. This never happened and no such thing I heard of in my whole school life.

We all had own set of friends, having no idea of what their cultural, religious or social identity was. Most of us would not know till date as to what caste our childhood/school/college friends belong to. And as far as religion goes, we never cared about it.

Of course, schools would be happy if its students get inclined towards their practice. There were funny incidents where my friends pretended to have an inclination towards Christianity to not get caught for any trouble they created. During school tours, we were taken to Churches as well as Temples; but celebrated Christmas the best.

Yet, all that we have today is fond memories and no threat to anyone’s identity.

Things change, there could be real concerns. But any Christian going by the values learnt from Bible would never force or influence one, no matter what! Above all, educational institutions are beyond these identities!!!! They have one role and that is to create rational human beings!!

P.S.: Recently, after sorting out a long-pending problem for a retired staff (Christian), her husband had sent me a book as a token of appreciation. It was a detailed explanation of Bible written by him. I called and politely said “When I do not read Hindu religious texts being a Hindu myself, I do not think I would read this one and therefore I would like to give to someone who would like it.” He sounded upset but said okay. I am sure he did not have any intention of influencing me as I am a grown up with a rational mind to choose what I want/need. Yet, I found it unprofessional for a teacher himself to do so.

(2)

All of us during our school life would look forward to our birthdays because that was the only day where we would be allowed to wear dress of our choice. I guess it is the same case even now. One can look special only their birthdays. Otherwise the system says uniforms are required to prevent economic discrimination – not letting children feeling superior or inferior to one another. None of us were taught that uniforms are meant for something else. When it is purely to avoid economic disparity, the question of why or why not Hijab does not arise as this pertains to the concern of social/personal identity. Hijab does not make anyone look rich or poor. It is as simple as that. Though it makes them look apart from the group, it does not cause any harm to the uniformity of children. In fact, raises a lot more discussion and deliberation. 

Hijab, a mark of forehead or a cross on the chest are matters of personal identity and does not count to any discrimination. Schools then never said No to any Hindu children wearing tilak.

How could wearing a Hijab be a matter of concern? Especially in educational institutions. There are articles that say a child is forced by the family to wear one, besides other reasons for wearing one. Even if that is the case, the role of the school to teach the child to exercise its right/freedom of choice and not penetrate into anyone’s personal decision.

When my child sees her classmate wearing one, it leads to questioning of why she and why not me and that will eventually lead to interesting conversation between us (like the one we recently had about why buses run for free for women alone). Isn’t this the whole essence of a secular country? Together with all differences!!!

One who wears Khadi the whole life is said to be carrying Gandhian principles. Isn’t a religious identity the same for them? It is their belief, identity or principle or whatever you call it.

The whole scenario of youngsters getting involved in this issue is so pathetic, unfortunate and strange. But one that does not go unnoticed is that voices of those girl children are stronger and bolder! Let us agree that Hijab or anything cannot fade their voices away!

P.S. : Defending that wearing a Hijab is safer and dignified for girls/women in comparison with those sporting western outfits is highly harmful and proves no point.

Whatever, I am sane enough to say that places that are meant to be sane are not so!

Don't let anyone make you intolerant to your fellow being! 

Santa's visit 💖

Disclaimer: This post is our personal experience in the last few weeks. Purely self-centered. So please don't complain if it bores you 😍 

The month of Christmas, stars everywhere, Santas all across towns, sparkling lights; no matter what one's religious affiliation is, Christmas vibe catches us all in different degrees! It has always caught my daughter tight and she thoroughly enjoys every Christmas for its brightness! 💞

Now to the actual narration

Long story short: My daughter sent a "wish letter" to Santa and she was paid a visit by Santa himself with her gift!

 

 

Now short story long: 

 

Our daughter wanted a suitcase for herself for very long and we refused as she had a couple of travel  bags. When her cousins liked her bags, she, without any hesitation, gave them those favorite bags. Soon after that my kid was gifted another bag by her uncle, so she did not get to buy a suitcase. She waited so long and she thought Santa thaathaa would gift her on Christmas if she writes him a letter. 

She asked us to dictate letters and we did. After asking for GOOD HEALTH, she did not have space to write SUITCASE. I asked her to turn the paper and write on the backside. She was worried that Santa might not know that she had written on the other side of the paper.😄 Then I had to tell her to write PTO (after explaining what it is) which she wrote as a mirror image .😝 After writing, she wanted to give a clear picture of what kind of suitcase she wanted to not confuse Santa thaatha given thousands of letters he would receive and therefore drew a picture and coloured it. 💝

Now comes the posting part. She wanted to post it herself. We found official address of Santa on google and helped her write it herself. She stuck her usual stamp of Rs. 5/- to Greenland address! But to post, it costs more than 25000 which is definitely not affordable for us 😁 We convinced her to place her cover into another and wrote a different address and she stuck stamp again and posted it. We collected it from that address. 

She waited everyday and was wondering what would make Santa come! Meanwhile, she had several questions as to why Santa is in Greenland, how good is his sleigh, what will impress him, how to go to his toy workshop, etc. We had to google now and then to answer some of them.

 

We wanted to surprise her and found someone who agreed to visit as Santa. We handed him over 'her letter', gave him the 'suitcase' we bought and also gave him a letter we wrote to give it as 'Santa's letter to our daughter.'  

 

Then the Day of Celebration arrived, Santa arrived dancing all the way with the suitcase that put her to shock and surprise 😊 She hesitated initially to click pics with him but later agreed to travel with him to Greenland😝. When kids around were excited about this whole thing, some began to ask me for the address and wanted to write letters. This excitement was put away by some of their parents immediately by saying that this whole stuff was arranged😏. When this made my daughter upset, we made up stories to reiterate that she had a real Santa visit. That is how the day ended with all happiness!!!!

(here around our living space) Some tiny tots still believe Santa; most  are super-informative, opinionated and therefore the whole innocence attached to it is missing; whereas some of us (adults) though know that all these are fictional, we love them. Ironical!!!! 💞

Hope you had a nice story to visualize! it was easy to go an extra mile for our own child but Yes, all of us can be a Santa to anyone to grant their wish with love 😍

It is strange!!!

You call me 'anti-Indian' towards the end of this post, I don't give a damn! Because I call myself a human!

I have always wondered the kind of trauma a family would undergo at the time of loss of their loved ones for "sake of country", yet pose a brave look with a pride of sacrifice on faces! This is thoroughly praised by all sections of the society; media carrying special stories, government rewarding, rather compensating families of the deceased, so on and so forth.

As a daughter, wife or mother, I have/would always wanted/want those important men of my life to be around in all stages of my life, to share, to have fun, to love and above all to live our "precious lives." Who on earth would feel otherwise!? Doesn't it take an abnormal courage for someone to send their family members knowing beforehand that their life is at stake and so is their family's!

The fact that everyone's life is uncertain and therefore opting to join Defence is no different - This statement does not go well with me. 

Who are they sacrificing lives for? 

What are the sacrifices? 

How costly are they? 

Do their sacrifices lead to a better, peaceful world?

Who benefits out of these sacrifices?

Are families of the deceased 'forced' to feel proud of the loss?

Is it not against human nature to feel proud of someone's loss?

How long does any country remember them? 

Doesn't the country rate importance based on the rank of deceased?

Will a salute give back all that is lost in the personal space?

When an individual, despite these concerns,leaves the family behind and joins Defence and feels proud of himself/herself, WHAT DRIVES THEM? The society calls its patriotism! I prefer to call it Jingoism!

As long as we (over)celebrate patriotism, I see very meagre chances of borders fading out and there is almost zero chance for our future generations to witness a war-free world!!

What would happen if all humans on the borders across the world decide not to be a part of security forces anymore!!??? Let me raise this question to some grown-ups and see if I could get any interesting response! If you have any, I would like to hear!

P.S.: My intention is not to hurt any sentiments but to kindle the same to find some clarity for myself. And my post is about all those forces all around the world and not confined to any particular nation.