31 July 2001

Today has been a revelation for two reasons: firstly because I have become firmly enlightened by Gandhi's teachings, and second I have discovered that selecting a hotel built on wetlands makes for mosquito heaven. I am covered with bites, as is Emma, Her face is puffy and swollen, and her left eyelid has also been bitten. But let me start at the beginning.

We woke at 7:30 a.m., and after a simple butter paratha breakfast we waited downstairs in the foyer for Venugopal's helper to collect us. He was about an hour late but turned up  in a battered-looking jeep. He was accompanied by a driver who managed to navigate through not only the horrendous traffic but also the dirt tracks that we took today.

Our first visit was to Radhakrishna Menon who was the headmaster of the Sevamandir school for many years. He had been at the school when it was visited by one of Gandhi's disciples, Vinoba Bhave, who, after Gandhi's death walked across India for 13 years promoting the Bhoodan (land gift) Movement. Essentially the Movement tried to appeal to landowners’ consciences and persuade them to hand over some of their land to those without, usually the lowest caste. Many gave away their poorest land, but others were influenced by Vinoba's idea that land is shared out with the community taking precedent over the individual.

The Bhoodan Movement collected 4 million acres of land for the landless.  Communities were set up like the one at Aevodirdangram (new dawn village) which we visited today. The village is run by committee with the school head as its elected president. All decisions relating to local matters are taken by committee. Self-help groups have been formed with 20 members in each, largely women's groups.  Members contribute equal funds to a communal pot each week and then take loans at favourable interest rates. There are men's committees, children's committees and even recently a committee was set up for those who wanted to purchase and organise a communal TV. The Self Help Group’s (SHG) are used to teach the local people animal husbandry and sustainable agricultural techniques with the village's major source of income as coconut oil/flesh. There is now a farming co-operative and a stone cutting co-operative. Recently a teacher training centre was set up.

The whole community development ethos is astounding and incredibly inspiring. Here in India's remote rural villages the community is amazing; co-operation has been taken to its logical extreme. Talking to one 84 year-old man here made me feel suddenly linked through him to the Gandhian movement and ultimately to Gandhi himself. It was an enlightening experience.

We met a couple of people from the village including a student of our age attending Calicut University. We were treated to lovely Indian sweets and the very sweet Indian tea. Radakrishna asked us to send him copies of our photographs and always keep in touch.  I feel I have learnt a lot from this wise man. He is a Hindu but in one corner of his house there is a shrine to all the world’s religions, he speaks of peace and truth and pursuing your own religious belief as key to your personal development. The central tenet of this philosophy is equality amongst peoples.

As we prepared to leave the village Radakrishna insisted that we visit the nursery, it was fantastic. The children were so full of life and incredibly cute! They sang a song for us and then trooped outside into the bright sunshine all holding the shoulder of the one in front. We then took their picture and with sadness waved them goodbye. There is so much more to say about today.

We returned to the hotel for lunch and were again collected in the jeep at 3.30p.m. We travelled down the most tiny dirt tracks over unimaginable potholes that were utterly spine-jarring and eventually after a little walk we arrived at a clearing filled with women. We had arrived at the SHG. I felt quite intimidated as there were around 40 women, some children and only a couple of men dotted throughout the audience. We sat at the front with the organiser of the region's SHGs, and after a brief prayer and an introduction by the secretary the group talked about its achievements. When we were asked to tell them about us, it was difficult addressing an audience which didn't understand a word of English (it was translated after we had finished), but there followed millions of questions about Britain. After being  served tea and biscuits and coconut milk straight from a fresh coconut, we were then asked to give an example of our music. Emma stepped forward and gave a pretty impressive rendition of 'Amazing Grace', and they then sang for us. We left the village with warm hearts, we had seen the real India, the India of villages and of true people. I left looking forward to many more experiences like this one.

1 August 2001

We have been travelling in the jeep now for the past 3 hours up into the mountains that border Kerala and Tamil Nadu and just entered Wyanad District which is to be our home for the next 4 days. Venugopal, his helper, 2 drivers and Radakrishna picked us up from outside our hotel in the jeep at 9 am prompt. Conveniently they had a meeting in the Wyanad Bathery which tied in with our own journey there. The drive took the best part of 4 hours with a brief stop for food on the way. We both ate a banana which was quite a different experience from bananas in England. The texture was much firmer, the skin more orange in colour and the taste was quite different. 

During our journey we passed the first accident I have seen on the Indian roads so far. (amazing considering the way that people drive out here) It looked as if a motorbike had been attempting to overtake a bus which in turn was overtaking a rickshaw - all on a single track road! By the time we got there all seemed to be forgiven with a smile. During our spectacular journey up into the mountains of Kerala we had the good fortune to see a large number of beautiful monkeys sitting on the roadside or in trees nearby. There were other interesting sights, some spectacular waterfalls and the most incredible tea plantation  with small tea bushes that stretched for miles in every direction - quite a sight!

After lunch we were collected by Hyma (our translator and guide) and a couple of the other workers from the NGO and also a president from an SHG foundation, Radhea Vijayan. It was suggested by Hyma that we interview Radhea in the hotel. We hurriedly tidied up our room  and began our questions. Hyma struggled to understand us but she was lovely company and her smiles and laughs throughout made our interviewee far more comfortable and made it easier for us to ask some of our trickier questions.

After this successful interview we left the hotel and travelled to an interview with a female president of a panchayat. The interview was conducted in the woman's house.  She was from a poor Muslim family but the house was cool and quite nice. The family were very friendly and hospitable and made us Indian tea. Both her husband and her had been members of the Muslim League for years which is why she was involved in politics. Her mother hid behind the door frame and peered out at us suspiciously, but by the end of the interview, when we asked for a group photo, and she came out from the shadows and joined her family for the picture. As we left her husband said that one day we must return to his home. It was such a warm welcome.