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The electricity supply in Pathanamthitta is intermittent, a common occurrence in many parts of India, and regrettably, supplemented with dirty diesel generators by small business owners. Viswadarsanam’s modest need for electricity can easily be met with solar power; however, the initial outlay for solar panelling is beyond the centre’s means at present. Another mounting concern we learnt about is the lack of recycling provisions or waste collection in the state of Kerala. Oxymoronic as it sounds, the rationale was the latter was not feasible in such a densely populated region. Hence, the lush green Kerala landscape is increasingly blighted with inorganic litter.
Close to the centre are many small towns, and the main district town of Pathanamthitta, where we surrendered ourselves to ayurvedic kiri massages and steam baths for three consecutive days. Nature and river treks, an elephant reserve, and various temples are easily accessible, and trips to these arranged for Viswadarsanam volunteers to suit their preferences. Boat trips along the Keralan backwaters leave from Kollam, an hour’s drive from Viswadarsanam.
Viswadarsanam was a hive of activity during our stay, bustling especially with the construction of a new eco-hut. The walls of these structures are made of mud bricks, which keep the house cool in the heat of the day and warm in the cold season. The mud bricks are made at local kilns, contributing to local industry. All attempts were made to use local and recycled materials during the construction. One of the regular visitors to the centre was the Friendly Recycling Lady who collected newspapers, glass and plastic materials that she sold on to local businesses that had some method of recycling them. She spoke rapid-fire Malayalam to us and grinned wider at our uncomprehending grins. The local nonagenarian made quite an impression on us when he approached us smiling toothless one day and then proceeded to write his age on the ground with his walking stick to impress upon us his seniority. Then he posed for our cameras like a seasoned model.
The eco-hut was scheduled for completion on Earth Day, 22nd April, which also marked the start of Umesh’s new environmental campaign, Greening the MindTM. On the same day fifteen years ago Viswadarsanam had been the origin of the Silent Valley Cycle Trail to expound Umesh’s Travel Without Fuel programme. His team cycled five hundred kilometres promoting cycling as an environmentally friendly method of travel in six districts in the state. Umesh has been an active advocate for protection of the environment and sustainable living, holding many workshops at Viswadarsanam for school and college students, district officers and the interested public. He duly received accolades at the World Environment Conference in New Delhi in 1997, and his efforts have been repeatedly recognised by the media.
As a small contribution to the Greening The MindTM campaign, I designed a simple calico backpack with the Reduce Reuse Recycle message in mind that the campaign was promoting. A protracted and futile struggle with Janee’s old Singer later, I hand-stitched a prototype for show-and-tell at dinner, and later for the amusement of a neat-looking tailor in the nearby town. We planned to give visiting school children a bag each and hoped to discourage the habit of littering in public areas by encouraging them to keep litter in these bags until they could dispose of them properly, preferably by recycling. Washing and reusing the bag would reduce the use of plastic bags, too. The raw materials, stitching and logo printing of the bag locally was estimated at seventy rupees per bag1. The running of Viswadarsanam depends on donations from volunteers like us; occasional government grants; and rare still, benevolent sponsors. Due to a recent bout of poor health and mild glaucoma Umesh recognises the need for extra help running the centre, and proposes to get the local school children involved through apprenticeships offered during their school holidays providing them vocational guidance, and tutoring them on ecology and biodiversity.
In the span of a week I had made myself quite at home at the centre, owing to the hospitality of Umesh and Janee. On our last night at the centre, Avi and I spent some time with Umesh reminiscing over our brief but memorable stay there. As he told us animatedly of his aspiration to make Viswadarsanam a natural commune that transcended geography and existed rather as attitudes amongst people globally, I couldn’t help thinking how infectious his enthusiasm was. Suddenly a crusade to save the planet did not seem like such a lofty idea.
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Shivanjani Naidu
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