Cuddalore and Kancheepuram

First impressions after the visits: There are two patterns of impact in the two districts. Since it has been raining for a more than a month in Cuddalore district, the problems are clearly associated with flooding related to incessant rains. Whereas, in Kancheepuram district the flooding is largely due to the breach lakes, flooding of water bodies and canals.

The residents of the affected villages expressed that their main concerns were housing and livelihood. Residents of Kuchipalayam said that out of the 180 households 170 lived in thatched houses. It was observed that these houses were clearly damaged and did not even have tarpaulins to keep them safe at night. On the other hand the neighbouring villages such as MGR thittu, Kalangaiyar nagar, Mulukku thittu, MGR nagar, Ponnan Thittu and Eddapalayam had serious livelihood issues. The Irulars who lived in these areas were found to be particularly vulnerable as they had concrete houses that were constructed as part of the the post Tsunami relief. Since the houses look un affected those who come to provide relief feel that they are unaffected. An interaction and close observation proved that these families did not have much to eat. They survived on the rice that they had received through the public distribution system. Hence there is an urgent need to take stock of the situation and provide them with the basic supplies for their survival.

The villages in Kancheepuram portrayed a completely different scenario. The villages adjoining Palar river were affected due to the damaged bridges. They had to use boats to reach the villages and it was impossible to deal with medical emergencies at night as the boats operated only during till 5.00 pm. However, irulas and dalits who lived in these villages were living on the edge as they were severely affected due to the rise in water in the lakes. Having been excluded in the entire development process, it appeared as though the Irulas of Chinna Edyapalayam were living in the 19^th Century. The same was the case in Manappakkam and Olaloor villages near Chingleput. On the outskirts of Olaloor, 50 families live on the banks on the lake. When the water levels on the lake rose it took almost half the houses. The huts were completely destroyed and need complete reconstruction. It was tragic to see a family belonging to the Landhar community, a community that raises pigs and in this season they flog themselves and beg for alms for livelihood had almost nothing to eat. The head of the family was found to be cooking a crane he managed to catch in the lake and said that it was the food for the family. They neither had rice nor bread to go with it. These areas also would need immediate attention.

Encounter with the Maestro!

The rains in Chennai have been successful in closing schools and colleges for over 25 days. The met department says that this is the highest recorded rain fall in the last 100 years. All the canals, rivers and water ways have been flooded. Drains have mixed with the sewerage and has converted the entire city in to an open drain. It has displaced people in many places and washed out people along with their property making thousands homeless and jobless. It is trying to bring the city to its knees and say "enough" we need no more for now.

Wanting to be useful during the rains I went to college to ask if they needed assistance. Fr Henry told us to go to Little Flower School where the places was flooded. LFS is a school for the visually challenged and the hard of hearing. So we decided to get there to see what was happening. While trying to approach the gate, the roads were closed and the police asked us to step back as there was too much water. We braved it with life jackets and decided to wade through the waters. As we started the water got deeper. It was now rising above my hip. With the help of a stick we spotted pot holes and walked for about 800 meters to reach the reception.

The ICM sisters who run the school were in tears. They head mistress was inconsolable. She said that they had lost everything. The previous night the water level was very low up to the ankle. In the morning when they woke up the water was neck deep. It had entered the class rooms, residential rooms, kitchens toilets and all other places. Before our arrival the children were taken to the first or second floors.

The sisters said that we have nothing, the children have not eaten since last night as the kitchen was flooded. There are 256 children and 30 staff who were hungry since the previous night. After hearing what they said I tweeted immediately. My wife called a couple if friends, one of them posted her name and number on face book. This went viral. Thanks to the social media the calls to help came in immediately. We were able to feed the children. Loyola college delivered food and was willing to help as well.

Whatever help, it had to come through the water. People had to carry it on their heads. So we wanted to get a boat. I started with twitter again. We seemed to be getting everything but could not manage to get a boat or a catamaran. Once of my friends organized a catamaran but could not get a truck to transport it.

By then the news had gone viral and there were phones that came all the time. In the middle of all this we had to salvage the remaining items that were under water. The gas had to be disconnected, provisions such as rice, sugar, pulses and so on were all submerged, we had to save what we could.  The scholastics from Berchman's Hall came to secure the other essential items that were under water.

I made about 60calls trying to get a boat but no one was available. We decided to walk through water and also carry on saving stuff. Now to carry materials we made a make shift raft from a plastic table and were trial running it.

I was annoyed and upset for not getting a boat and but continued trying. This was the time when a catamaran came in. There were many boys in the catamaran. I shouted that we were waiting for them. They said that it was a local catamaran and were willing to help. In the middle of the catamaran I saw a priest dressed in spotlessly dressed white clothes, sitting with his legs crossed on the rim of the catamaran. I said to myself, "now a priest is the last thing that we need here! we need people to help not priests." As the catamaran approached, I realized. It was him. He stood up. Looked a bit confused, got out of the safely parked catamaran and walked up the stairs.

We welcomed him. He wanted to see the children. so we took him to a class room and he met with the children and even sang a song for the children and had them repeat it for him. The children both Visually challenged and the hard of hearing were there to listen to him. When we introduced him to the children, I asked, "in Tamil Nadu when I say music who comes to your mind?" without a hesitation they shouted in one voice, "Illayaraja". it was something special for him to hear it from these kids. She shared his experiences in making the film Raajapaarvai.

He they wanted to give something to the students. We never expected anything from him. But he insisted. Then we thought that he had brought some stuff to be given. But that was also not right. So he said, "You must have something that I can give right?" Sure we said, we asked a student to get a food packet that was received earlier. He gave it to the children and they took it as well.

The children or staff did not expect anything from him. But he made it special by singing to them. An experience they will remember for a long time.

Since there were too much to do, I left the place for maestro to interact with the students.

Later after work when I was trying to leave the place wading through the water the media was trying to get an angle on me for an interview. As this was going on Mr Illayaraja's catamaran passed behind me.

The social media later reported that he participated in giving food which was not entirely wrong but he had given much more.