ThaiManneVanakkam yatra reflection - Day #1: the smile of a policeman!

The long weekend traffic meant that we all had to abandon our vehicles and trek the last 500 mts by foot to the Doddabetta peak. The steep climb around the last bend gave the breathing of fresh air some much needed relief from the over-crowded approach roads where we smelt more diesel smoke from the vehicles ahead than the mountain air.

Around us were tourists, ready with their selfie-sticks, big lense cameras and open roof cars out of which young children were standing up for no specific reason - "what if some of the insects hits their eyes or faces? such a thoughtless idea", remarked a local driver. I couldn't wonder how much of the insects were left in the mountains, thinking about the words of a Philosopher friend who said that in 30 years the number of insects that hit the windshield has dramatically reduced in most forest roads as chemical usage on high value local crop farms have destroyed large amounts of insect population.

As we walked up the final bend, there was Kumar anna, our forever mother figure in the Organic farming movement in Tamil Nadu, warmly welcoming everyone with his bear hug. He worked up the same enthusiasm welcoming everyone with his characteristic unending energy on meeting people. As a teacher of natural farming techniques combining with earth science and decolonizing humanities, a walking encyclopedia of plants and biota of this state, as someone who has worked closely with Nammalvar and has a story of Nammalvar for every situation, his energy is contagious.

There were the local organizers too - Beliappa and Shanmuganathan with his cheerful smile and many others from the TOHFA holding banners and directing people arriving at the yatra to a small ascend to an old police radio station for the hills.

with Subha Bharadwaj, Arivarasu and Baskar Manimegalai at the Inauguration

Warm hugs in the mountain air, greeting hand shakes, typical activist gathering when people meet after a long time and exchange greetings often starting from a sentence they hadn't completed earlier...the gathering of all ages seemed to share the same amount of bonhomie across generations. The view from behind the radio station was spectacular on the mountains.

I was quickly getting 1-minute reflective interviews with several of the yatra delegates as well as visiting leaders. "It is personal for me, I want to revive my link with the soil and the people who work with the soil", said senior organic farmer Saroja akka. She is one of those walking the entire yatra. "I am looking at sharing stories and listening to stories", said the popular Organic Farmer Arichalur Selvam, leading the yatra. "I am looking at learning a lot during this yatra", said Rishikesh Tirumalai, one of the younger generation people walking the full route. He also sang the popular earth - in - crisis song from Malayalam translated to Tamil.

There were farmers from Tiruvannamalai, Pudukkottai, Chengelpet, Erode, adjoining districts of Coimbatore and Tiruppur, writers, thinkers, activists, academicians, entrepreneurs, youth...Organic Farming related gatherings are the only ones in the country that can attract such a diverse profile of participants apart from farmers.

As Selvam administered an oath to the gathering, I was deeply moved by the spontenity of the entire yatra - it all started in a typical post-lunch discussion in my current office - den earlier this year. Kumar anna and Selvam had visited the city for some gathering and I was having them over for a luncheon at our place. As it always happens, they both reminesced on Nammalvar experiences and learnings. And I had provocatively asked them, "when do you do your yatra? young people need their own yatra experience just like you have yours, why can't there be one today?"

These two gentle giants took it seriously and worked on it - involving me on and off as well - and get this yatra going with very limited time, resources and plans. As someone thinking and teaching project management, I had been apprehensive of venturing with nothing but faith into as large an endeavor as the yatra, particularly the lack of route plan and resources. But their insistence that all support will come at the right time was something I have recognized to be true since nearly three decades of working with social ventures - if the venture is for a cause, if there is no personal agenda, all support always comes and here was another manifestation.

I had earlier written about the inauguration programme itself here. The programme was coordinated with ease by the local governance leader from Tirupur, Sundaramurthy, who with the characteristic charm and determination of the Kongu region, respectfully and tactfully maintained the energy without losing focus.

Everyone assembled muttered their own prayers knowing that they are witnessing and being part of something that could become historic in the coming days - there was gentle feeling of awe and inspiration, not overwhelming, but definitely sensitive and emotional. VBG and Sadasivam ayya, senior activist and writer spoke with deep connection to the soil, Manas from the Farmversity alliance spoke of the relevance of this yatra at the national level.

The timing of the yatra acquires an added importance as one of the oldest organic farms in the state is under threat of take over by a vaguely 'sustainable' project by the IITMadras, a central government institution at a long lease of Rs.1/-. Annapuna Farm in Auroville is going through an existential crisis (read all about it here). We had gotten some hand spun organic cotton from Magan Khadi and the same had been dyed using the soil of Annapurna and neighbourhood farms by a small team at Auroville. This became the mann kappu (the protection of the soil) that adorned the wrist of the yatra participants.

I briefly shared the story of Annapurna as many in the audience nodded understandingly - organic farmers are a small community and that one of them is under threat gets communicated rather fast through the community.

Once the yatra started to move, some of us stayed back at the venue to clean-up. I saw Kumar anna picking up even the smallest of toffee wrappers that perhaps other tourists had dropped there - a care to leave the venue as clean as possible lest the next time farmers asked they do not refuse - and shove it onto his bag, the care with which the organizers ensures that the place only was left with a few fresh flowers and memories and aspirations for the soil filling the air.

As I walked down, I noticed the young policeman who was standing at the barricade, "we have cleaned the place", I mentioned to him. "I know, these are organic farmers, I know it will be left clean", he smiled in response, curious, I asked him where he was from, "I am from Kanyakumari, I know such people, they are always respectful to nature", he assured me.

That to me was the mood and the spirit of the yatra - to communicate and interact, not just through words or campaign, but through the very being and carrying the spirit of the respect for soil. Thaai Manne Vanakkam (Salute to Mother Earth), had made a great beginning.