“Some may place their faith in idols. Some believe they will be redeemed by the Goddess. Unless we invoke the deity that resides in our hearts, we may never truly understand the purpose of our faith. There’s a God within us all. And, we tend to forget that,” said Kumar as we walked to the […]
Read more "‘There’s a God within us all. And, we tend to forget that…’"She fretted over her frock. Combing the pink frills gathered at its seams, she twirled her tiny fingers drawing patterns on her legs. A string of pearls lay beside her swaying to the winds. Namboo scrunched her nose as Lakshmi powdered her cheeks. Tears streamed down her brother’s face and he rebelled in silence for […]
Read more "Their dreams might be small but have taken flight on numerous occasions"“I think I was five when I first accompanied my father on a sailing boat. I remember being fascinated with the vastness of the ocean. The skies merged with the water, that day. Everyday had something new to offer. I take my kids as much as I can on my fishing trips. Of course, I […]
Read more "‘No one wanted to marry her because she was dark skinned’"Our tent overlooked the ocean. The day was blistering hot and the searing winds scoured our faces and arms. A few kids walked unsteadily towards heaps of sand wondering what the mighty seas had brought in today. Some looked for riddles hidden in its layers and others searched for treasures between clumps of dried shrubs. […]
Read more "‘It all depends on how you observe life around you’"“Freedom is my biggest income. As long as ‘the humanity’ within my heart never subsides, I will continue to remain happy. This is our home. We will try and make our life better here. We all have dreams but not all of us know how to turn them into reality,” said Kumar as we drove […]
Read more "‘Sometimes, you don’t need to speak the same language’"In March 2015, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Shriyan Wickremesinghe, sparked off a controversy by claiming that Indian fishermen being shot dead by the navy — if found intruding into Lankan waters — does not amount to human rights violation. While the notorious agenda of clamping down on illegal fishing activity in the […]
Read more "‘We can’t let money govern our lives’"“A group will always have violent and non violent elements. But no good has ever come from hurting anyone. I am Tamilian and my friend is Sri Lankan. And, we are both human beings. Why fight over borders and identities when we can all live in harmony? Today, I get to meet him once a […]
Read more "‘The cyclone changed the character of the place’"After a quick meal at a Marwadi bhojanalay, we decided to head towards the office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in order to seek his permission to stay in Dhanushkodi for a few days. We drove through a narrow alleyway and soon spotted the bureau hidden amidst cluttered buildings. At the entrance of […]
Read more "‘They went after their families to send them a message’"Kumar walked briskly towards a fallen brick structure that was once the hospital. Beside it, underneath the sand, lay the nursing quarters. No one remembers them for what they used to be. Like the civilisation that once walked the shores of the coastal town, they too have lost their identity and gradually succumbed to a […]
Read more "Echoes of devastation loomed in the still silence of the structures"Far beyond the horizon, across the realms of water and celestial spheres, lies a land where meet two clans different in body but one in spirit. On an isolated island that took its first breath with a volcanic eruption in 14th century, 5,000 fishermen from India and Sri Lanka gather at Kachchathivu situated in the […]
Read more "‘That day, no one reminds them they are different’"