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 We
passed women who were sat chatting, waiting for the catch
to come in and to bid in the auctions for the sardines, white
bait and small fish which were on offer.
I gestured to ask if I could take their photos and they responded
positively once I demonstrated I could show them what they
looked like. Then many wanted to be in the pictures and they
jostled and laughed at the more confident ones posing for
the camera. One woman with red stained teeth from the beetle
nut juice she chews and spits closed her lips as she smiled,
curiously aware I suspected that her teeth stains were not
her best feature.
We watched the catches come in and men shaking the small fishes
from the nets getting scales, guts and heads in their ears
and eyes and clothing.
When the catches were laid out the auctions began and a 6kg
lot went for 300 rupees. Given the number of men who risked
dangerous waters and extracted fish from small nets this would
not make a great living for any of them.
We went from here to the commercial centre of the region a
town called. Nager Coil. We had brunch and agreed at 11. 30
that we'd have some free time to please ourselves.
Sandra Sinclair, Sandie Saleh (now to be known by her first
pets name Jinksy) and I set off to find tampax, thread and
trouble - alliterative if not exciting. We found the later
two and after enough trouble, forgot about the former.
We pottered about and wondered in the side streets. I got
a plain little metal teapot for my friend Jane who has taken
to collecting teapots and we bought ourselves some hard bartered
for silver anklets.
We wondered further and found a very tacky looking but air
conditioned ice cream parlour which made Disney look plain
and unimaginative. We stopped and Sandra and Jinsky had fluorescing
ice creams - I failed to establish whether they sold sorbet
( I have a dairy allergy) but it was worth it just for the
experience and air con.
We then turned our thoughts to backing up photos and changing
traveller’s cheques. Both took longer than you could
imagine and when Sandra got to the front of the queue (number
65 when she joined the queue at 60 something) in the bank
she was politely informed that they didn't change cheques!
Whilst queuing in the Kodak shop Jinksy and I found ourselves
in conversation with a local man who worked on the windmills.
His English was good and he told us of a good hotel which
sold beer so off we went.
Some 50 mins later we happened upon it after passing a school
full of waving children and many young women attending college
keen to say hello. Education here is so valued by everyone
that we have seen children set of 2 hours early so as not
to miss any of it. I suppose it’s the hope that it might
insulate you from poverty.
At the Hotel Vijayetha we got our first glimpse of how most
visitors see India - an international standard but thoroughly
Indian hotel. Beers and snacks arrived and stories flowed.
A lovely way to pass an hour or so.
Time was now tight however so we negotiated through the hotel
to get a taxi home. I had been looking forward to an experience
on a local bus but in the circumstances it was the only was
back in time and afforded us the chance to stop and get Chitra’s
parents each a flower garland.
We got back washed, changed and went by our bus to Chitra's
village. 4pm and the light was lovely. We arrived at Chitra’s
parents and had brought flower garlands for both of them to
thank them for their hospitality. They laughed and spoke to
one another with a giggle in their tone. We later were told
we had chosen garlands given to wedding couples - so we could
see the funny side of our choice. Later we were discovered
that they celebrate 50 years next year so it seemed not altogether
in appropriate.
We went for a walk-about exploring her family village (which
seems to have about 10k residents)
We went to Chitra’s local church- which was about 150
years old- and would be very full on Sundays with over 300
worshipers.
Local children joined us excited about their guests and we
walked to the fabulous old temple stood on a big rock. From
this vantage point you could see the steeple of the Cathedral
and the smoke rising from the quarry in the distance. Rich
dark green coconut tree tops covered everything from the base
of the mountains as our eye traced the vista.
The children were keen to have photos taken with us and we
extended our capturing of these memories by using our video
settings to capture their songs and giddiness as they jumped
into the temple pool.
From here we continued our walk through the village. We saw
the local houses inside and out; some stone and some thatched.
We met a paddy field (rice) worker and saw his crop ready
for thrashing the grains of rice from their sheaths.
We met shack dwellers -whose houses were dark inside and built
upon land they didn't own. We were told they were lucky though
because they we near the river so water rights and access
was not an issue
The older lady we met - (after we were first greeted by the
guard bull)!; showed us inside her house. She said that night
can be bad as the snakes sometimes come in. She looked pleased
to see us and happy for us to see her home. When we asked
if we could take her picture she seemed confused as to why
but agreed. When I showed her the picture of her we laughed
from our bellies and she touched my arm and shoulder lovingly.
Next to visit Chitra's Great Aunt who was giving milk from
a baby's bottle to a tiny puppy - I was uncertain how she
came by these two weaning pups.
As night fell and the temple music bellowed out through the
village we went back to Chitra's parent’s house for
a fish curry supper. The night was very hot and some of us
offered to do battered fish fillets English style to share.
I could not believe that Chitra and her mom and scaled and
filleted the whitebait.
As I stood in the kitchen frying the battered fillets I grew
hotter and more respectful of the women who laboured daily
for hours over the two naked flame burners which most kitchens
offered for cooking.
We took the food upstairs to the roof and sat on the terracotta
tiled surface and ate our dinner off banana leaves.
Dinner was preceded with some hymns sung in Tamil and a few
replies from the English speakers and the Chitra’s father
said a prayer in English. He thanked god for each of us and
for bringing us to his house. He said it was a blessing on
his family and he prayed that we would travel safely and all
meet again. I felt a tear well as I watched and listened to
this dignified and generous man so lovingly welcome us and
claim our presence as a blessing. The blessing and privilege
was truly ours.
Day Fourteen
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