Greetings from Chennai
It’s my third day in Mother India, and I still can’t seem to get a grip of what has taken place in Tamil Nadu. I am in Chennai, once known as Madras, the capital of Tamil Nadu. Since the day I left Toronto and landed at Chennai airport early morning of Thursday (Jan 19) I‘ve been talking to many strangers in the airports, in the planes about their reaction toward Tsunami and how it has changed or affected their lives.
Many people I came across got to know my reason for coming to India and gave me strength and their insight on how Relief and Rehabilitation should take place in Tamil Nadu, specifically for Nagapattinam, (Nagai). When I say “I am going to Nagapattinam” their jaw drops and they gently whisper if I am prepared to see what I am going to see. I am deeply touched the fact that they are all affected and they care.
This question has been on my thoughts the last few days. What will I see? Am I really prepared to see Nagai? I know that it will change me forever. I was in Nagai less than a year ago when I visited the beach and the fishing depot with my mother. My prized possession of Nagai’s shoreline pictures come to my mind. I have been shifting through them since the Tsunami and sharing it with my friends and neighbours. Now I will see the destruction of nature and what she has done to the hamlet of Nagai.
Chennai was also hit by Tsunami. The last couple of days I have been I working with Aid India-Chennai, the NGO that I have been in contact with doing field and media work. They are hard working and doing amazing rehabilitation work for various affected districts near Chennai. They are very happy that I can go to Nagai to do some work for them. Nagai seems to be “ground 0” for Tsunami and I feel like a whale rider waiting for my ride to take me in to the sea.
I have been moved by the share volume of volunteers pouring into Aid India-Chennai to help out. The same day that I arrived I met a young American named Adam who showed up all the way from Hawaii. He is a waiter at a restaurant and wanted to do relief work so he packed his pack and showed up after a 3 days of milk-run flights. His employer was kind enough to let him go for a month and also plans to donate a good sum to Aid India. He will work with Aid India to rebuild houses for the affected area of Chennai. He isn’t worried about where his next meals will come from or where he will sleep. Talk about dedication, I am really touched.
I’ve met many individuals who are dedicated and want to make changes in Tamil Nadu. But somehow I can’t seem to hide my feeling of anxiety of Nagapattinam. I haven’t slept well. I am fighting my jet lag (10.5 hrs time difference), heat exhaustion, coming from -30C of arctic Toronto to setting foot into humid +32C of Chennai and just the fact that I am in Chennai. It’s a paradox on its own. But it’s been nice to decompress in Chennai and basking on my mother’s home cooked south Indian traditional meals. She is also in India.
Chennai has given me great strength and courage to face Nagai. Tomorrow I will see the fury of Tsunami and what she has left behind.
Many people I came across got to know my reason for coming to India and gave me strength and their insight on how Relief and Rehabilitation should take place in Tamil Nadu, specifically for Nagapattinam, (Nagai). When I say “I am going to Nagapattinam” their jaw drops and they gently whisper if I am prepared to see what I am going to see. I am deeply touched the fact that they are all affected and they care.
This question has been on my thoughts the last few days. What will I see? Am I really prepared to see Nagai? I know that it will change me forever. I was in Nagai less than a year ago when I visited the beach and the fishing depot with my mother. My prized possession of Nagai’s shoreline pictures come to my mind. I have been shifting through them since the Tsunami and sharing it with my friends and neighbours. Now I will see the destruction of nature and what she has done to the hamlet of Nagai.
Chennai was also hit by Tsunami. The last couple of days I have been I working with Aid India-Chennai, the NGO that I have been in contact with doing field and media work. They are hard working and doing amazing rehabilitation work for various affected districts near Chennai. They are very happy that I can go to Nagai to do some work for them. Nagai seems to be “ground 0” for Tsunami and I feel like a whale rider waiting for my ride to take me in to the sea.
I have been moved by the share volume of volunteers pouring into Aid India-Chennai to help out. The same day that I arrived I met a young American named Adam who showed up all the way from Hawaii. He is a waiter at a restaurant and wanted to do relief work so he packed his pack and showed up after a 3 days of milk-run flights. His employer was kind enough to let him go for a month and also plans to donate a good sum to Aid India. He will work with Aid India to rebuild houses for the affected area of Chennai. He isn’t worried about where his next meals will come from or where he will sleep. Talk about dedication, I am really touched.
I’ve met many individuals who are dedicated and want to make changes in Tamil Nadu. But somehow I can’t seem to hide my feeling of anxiety of Nagapattinam. I haven’t slept well. I am fighting my jet lag (10.5 hrs time difference), heat exhaustion, coming from -30C of arctic Toronto to setting foot into humid +32C of Chennai and just the fact that I am in Chennai. It’s a paradox on its own. But it’s been nice to decompress in Chennai and basking on my mother’s home cooked south Indian traditional meals. She is also in India.
Chennai has given me great strength and courage to face Nagai. Tomorrow I will see the fury of Tsunami and what she has left behind.
posted by Siva Swaminathan at
2:05 AM
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