#170:From my unlocked diaries: Tale of two field visits - Part 2
Balasubramanya R (Balu)
A leader, finance professional with over 3 decades of experience spanning both corporate & government sector.
Here’s my promised Part – 2 of The tale of two field visits.?In case you missed Part – 1 of this series, here’s the link below …
Scrub, scrub, scrub your hands & wash them till they shine...!?This is what the Anganwadi Helper (AWH) was telling these kids to do just before eating Hesarkaalu (a green gram snack that rich in proteins). ?These little cuties stood in line - first to wet their hands, scrub them with soap and then stood in line again to wash it off ! ?Something for the adults to learn from these kids about discipline & hygiene management !! ??
Well, the TV reporter is back … reporting from Mangalore !?And this is what our Mangalore team (Minal, Pratik and Omkar) witnessed in an Anganwadi Centre (AWC) in Atlajay, Belthangady Taluk of Mangalore district.?
Now you know why hygiene and cleanliness is a way of life for people in coastal Karnataka?
The next stop for the Mangalore team was at a nearby ‘model’ AWC being piloted under the New Education Policy (NEP).??
This model AWC?has been setup with the best of facilities where kids wear uniform.?All this largely due to the individual efforts of the Anganwadi Worker (AWW), aided by donations from the community. ?Children here were chirpy & active, performing many activities even as the AWW was busy speaking to the visiting CEGIS team.??It seemed like the AWW had trained slightly older children to engage younger ones in the group.?The smart AWW worker had truly implemented ‘Train the Trainer’ model here !
The team next visited a AWC at a nearby village named – Chandkoor.?It was a quaint little AWC housed in a nearby Gramp Panchayat building.?The village looked laid back and quiet, but this AWC had the naughtiest boy around !?This particular ‘smart boy’ had both the AWW & AWH on their toes. The kid also ensured the ‘unannounced visitors’ who descended there also got a taste of his antics !! From mimicking each of the visitors including the driver, this naughty boy made sure he had every ones attention !!!?
Ok, now over to Chamarajanagar district to look at what’s happening with Ritu, Anisha, Prutha and myself.?
After visiting a tribal area AWC on the fringes of BR Hills (Biligiri Rangana Betta) forest range, the supervisor accompanying us suggested we visit the nearby Ranganatha temple on top of BR Hills.?As we approached the hill-top, enroute this is what we witnessed…
It was the annual car festival of Lord Ranganatha (Biligiri Ranganatha).?As part of the car festival celebration that day, the idol of Lord Ranganatha was being taken in a procession around the lake on a flotilla.?The pomp, the colour and the sounds of the accompanying Nadaswaram was irresistible, making us stop by the lake side to get a glimpse of the ongoing festivities. ?
Soon we were at the entrance to the temple on top of the hill.?By now the distant hills seemed draped in rain clouds, making the scene truly magical.?
One of the AWW who lived in the nearby village on the hilltop told us about how they occasionally spot leopards, bear or elephants visiting village surroundings during night looking for food.??
But disappointment was in store when we reached the main temple entrance – it was locked.?The watchman informed us that the temple doors would only open after the idol of Lord Ranganatha returned from the lake procession below.?Since that would take at least another hour or so, we decide to head back, but not without having my favourite - a cup of evening coffee.?To my surprise I found a CCD (Café Coffee Day) outlet nearby serving south Indian filter coffee !?Sipping coffee I made myself comfortable in front of a house nearby.??
My eyes fell on an old lady sitting in the veranda.?She smiled at me, and I did the same.?For some reason she reminded of my mother back home. I soon picked up a conversation with her.?I learnt her name was Sarojamma. She was perhaps about 90 years ‘young’ …and I will soon tell you why??
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Sarojamma was extremely articulate in Kannada, very alert and a great conversationalist.?She very affectionately enquired about me, what I was doing & about my family.?I felt an instant sense of connection to her.?She became even more curious when I told that my mother grew up in a village near Mysore. I could sense her connection to Mysore when she told me she was from a town called Gundlupet (about 60 Kms from Mysore). ?
Curious I asked her in Kannada – ‘Amma, how long have been staying here in this place?’.??
Her eyes lighted up, as she pointed at a black & white photo of a priest hanging on the wall in the living room inside, and said – “Son, that is my husband.?He used to be the head priest at this BR hills temple.?I came here, to this very home about 70 years ago.?My husband passed away about 30 years ago. Now my son is the head priest of the temple”. ?
Very curious to know how BR hills looked about 70 years ago, I asked her –‘Amma, tell me how was it living here back in those days … in this forest area?’?
I could sense from her tone, she was digging into her memory when she replied –“Back then there were only about 2 to 3 priest families who lived on this hill-top.?Since there was no electricity back then, it would get pitch dark by night.?Hordes of elephants frequented the nearby pond where my husband used to fetch water daily morning for temple rituals.?There was not a day that I did not either notice a snake, a leopard or an occasional tiger passing by.?Though it was frightening at night, these animals never harmed anyone.?We all co-existed. But, now everything has changed. Animals sightings are rare, as there is an entire village on the?hill-top now”?
It was now time for me to leave.?As I took her blessings, I noticed she had a walker by her side. Curious I asked – ‘Amma, even at this age you seem active and energetic, but why do you need a walker?’?
A little pained, she replied – “Son, I have had a heart attack about a month ago.?I am much better now and recovering. I came here to stay with my son for a few weeks, as I feel a sense of peace here, away from the hustle bustle of the town below.?I felt very nice talking to you son.?These days no one has the time to sit down & talk, like in the good old days”.?
Holding her hand, I bid goodbye wondering … if I will ever see her again ? Surely … a lot can happen over coffee.
Balu (with contributions from Minal, Pratik, Prutha, Omkar, Anisha and Ritu)
July 5, 2023?
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1 年Good one Balasubramanya R (Balu) sir. Kids having a meal, you having a cuppa, Sarojamma relating her story - all were nice. But the picture of the temple with overcast clouds above is superb.