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 The
children seemed amused and we laughed - a good way to leave.
The little girl (I think I'll call her Poppy) with the poorly
toe came to show me how brave she was and was no longer limping.
We didn't really speak but our eyes met and I blew her a kiss.
She smiled and blew one back as though it wasn't a custom
she was used to but one she understood enough to return. I
put my sunglasses down over my eyes.....
We journeyed in the bus a short while and arrived after three
quarters of an hour or so at John Samuel's uncle - Mr David's
village.- Sankavakovil
We sat for a while, chatted and had the best cup of tea I'd
ever had. The man who made it told us through one of our hosts,
who could interpret, that he had been a Master Tea Maker for
over 40 years.
Opposite Mr David's house was a school - 130 children all
in uniform and the staff all in matching saris. They were
not expecting us and our arrival created somewhat of a stir.
The children and staff were so excited and the day’s
lessons on rhyming lent itself to sharing their learning with
us. In turn we offered “I'm a little teapot” and
”Round and round the garden”. In the next room
we heard “Head shoulders knees and toes”.
We left and returned for lunch to Mr Davids. Wonderful food
again and as has been our experience everywhere; failure to
eat large quantities displeased one’s hosts.
From here we walked into the village. The heat was overwhelming;
41 degrees and dusty. We sat in the church which had fans
and shade. We rested a little and then some went off to another
school - where the children were much poorer- whilst others
sat a little longer.
Whilst sitting in the church a very poor widow dressed in
plain calico came in. We gave her a banana which we had and
a little money and asked John Samuel what her story might
be. He said she is likely to live with her family but not
be terribly well treated or fed.
The resting group then went to the school to further disruptive
effect but staff and children alike seemed thrilled with our
visit
They performed a little rhyme for us. We replied with our
now growing repertoire and we all left the school with a songs
of 'So Long Farewell' 'Head and Shoulders,', and 'All things
shall perish'. Our album for India may not sell but its growing
in popularity.
We returned to Mr Davids to get back on the bus to visit John
Samuel's family village. A shortish drive, but the last 3kms
seemed very impressive and we were informed that this road
had been a recent addition to connecting this community to
the main road. Previously a long and arduous walk was the
only option.
We wondered around John Samuel’s village and were welcomed
into many homes. Simple and sparsely furnished but very warm
and open.
Small doorways of houses we didn't visit were made deliberately
low and small - we were told so that all who entered would
have to bow low to come in. Personally I would have felt too
claustrophobic to have ventured through.
We passed women carrying loads on their heads, Cattle living
within the grounds of small houses. Thatched shacks and 3
story stone built houses. John Samuel took us to his family
home which had been converted into two dwellings - but only
one had a kitchen and I saw no bathroom in either. John s
explained they had intended to put a kitchen in both but they
only stay infrequently there. I thought partition seldom works!
We went from the built part of the village passed many sites
- men dangerously balancing on ladders fixing electrical wires,
women grinding lentils for dosa in grinding stones, empty
pounding stones that had been busy earlier that day softening
leather.
We walked into the fields next to sugar cane, corn, resting
paddy fields. When we arrived at John Samuel’s coconut
trees we were greeted by the tree runner and his mate - getting
the tender nuts from the trees and cutting into the green
woody part until the top could be removed and a good sized
glass of coconut water came out. At this stage the nut is
very under formed and is the texture and thickness of squid
(if it’s that firm and egg white which is yet to solidify
if its not). I realise I like the water from the tender young
nut but not the coconut of the thick dry exported types.
Sunset was arriving and we had lingered long enough. Many
nuts had been cut and drunk, fewer eaten now but we were told
that every thing would be used - the leaves for thatch or
weaving, the shells for burning and oil, the tender nut for
chutney.
Paul had tried his hand at getting a nut and did a great job
of climbing the tree, barefooted and hugged but returned without
nut - uhm nearly in more ways than one - his tummy a little
scratched from the climb
We began to rise to walk back just in time. The red ants had
come and bitten our feet - more immediate discomfort than
the mosquito bites but less itchy
We returned to the bus and to Mr David’s house for supper
which was interspersed with 3-4 power cuts - a regular feature
out in the southern villages.
After supper we said our good byes and went to our accommodation
- the married quarters in a local church. There were enough
double beds with en-suites for all to share - Sandie, Sandra
and I decided to erect the mosquito net and share between
the three of us. Two rooms had air conditioning and given
the 3 bodies in one bed, we were fortunate for the time when
the electrics worked to get a little extra cooling
The bugs on the bed had originally been off putting but we
think we killed them all and then sprayed the mattress with
deet. The large cockroach in the bathroom that lived under
the rim of the toilet was less attractive but we managed to
get off to sleep
X
Day Eleven
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