End of the road

Hi all,

Thanks to everyone for following me on this blog for the last 3 years. I have now moved onto my my own domain. And I am continuing to blog and host my portfolio there. Thanks a lot for all the support all along while I maintained this photo blog and chronicled my life in it. The end of the road is only for this blog... but unconventional life continues by Nishant Ratnakar at a new address www.nishantratnakar.com

Thanks to one and all,

Nishant Ratnakar

Photographer

www.nishantratnakar.com

A landmark moment for the happy and gay

The Indian mainstream media was busy preparing lead stories, that were to be made for July 4th, the American Independence day. So was the entertainment industry occupied with planning for parties, events, campaigns, promotions, sales, and all that is 'page3' for the same reason: Celebrating freedom!




But, all that changed with a landmark judgment by the Delhi High Court... July 2nd 2009, will go down in the pages of Indian legal history. 'July 2nd' will mean much more to Indian sexual minorities than what 'July 4th' means to Indian media.


Provisions under the Section 377 of Indian Penal Code criminalized consensual homosexual acts of adults in private. The Delhi High Court struck down this controversial section saying it violated the fundamental rights of life, liberty and equality.



Gay rights activists, lawyers and the sexual minority community across Indian sub-continent held celebrations to mark this occasion. In Bangalore, the celebrations were held at United Theological College. Here, I share with you all, the moments from that event I was witness to. A piece of history I must say.




By the way, to all my American friends... Happy Independence day:-). To all the partying crowd in my city, enjoy the Indian cocktails on Saturday night;-). But, do spare a thought for the sexual minority community who have been fighting a long battle for equality.

Cheers,
Nishant
P:S For rest of the other photographs, please visit the set on flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelling_writer/sets/72157620753060559/

Notes From the Field : Chikungunya

Notes From the Field

- Nishant Ratnakar

Date: Monday, 11th May, 2009.

Place: D J Halli near Bangalore.

At a locality known as Moulana Compound:

"Have any health officials visited your locality since the outbreak?"

"No Sir. You are the first outsider to have stepped in here since we noticed the disease in our Compound"

That was the reply given to me by a resident of Moulana Compound at D J halli, Bangalore. Residents of this locality that houses around 60 to 70 families, say that at least one person in every house here shows symptoms of Chikungunya disease. "My four children also have developed Chikungunya" , says Waheeda who herself is recovering from Chikungunya. The families here live in typical matchbox like houses with most of them dependent on daily wages. Salaam, an auto driver, has not been able to earn his livelihood for over 8 days since he was affected by the disease. Most people including Salaam in entire D J Halli seem to be complaining about severe joint pains and high fever. Their mobility is restricted due to the joint pains.

Across DJ Halli:

"Any idea how Chikungunya spreads?"

"Sir, I think it spreads through air. See, it quickly spreads among relatives in the house and neighbors."

"Sir, there has been mixing of sewage and drinking water since longtime in our area. People are getting infected by drinking this contaminated water. Look, the color of water in this tumbler is almost grey."

"We don't know."

"I don't know."

"I saw on TV about disease spreading through pork in America. But we don't eat that meat."

It was a pity to know that most people on the streets of D J Halli have no clue about Chikungunya. The carrier of the virus that causes this disease is a mosquito. Very few people I met at DJ Halli actually were aware about it. As I walked along the main roads and gullies around DJ Halli looking for people showing symptoms of Chikungunya, I could spot stagnant water pools - the breeding ground for mosquitoes - almost everywhere. Nothing seems to have been done with regards to creating awareness about civic issue in these areas. The authorities have denied (at least when I was covering the story) the outbreak of Chikungunya in DJ Halli and have blame private doctors for creating what they termed as 'exaggerated news' about outbreak. The truth can only be revealed by time. But, if not Chikungunya, there is something spreading here. Everyone is showing same symptoms : High fever and severe joint pains.

At a local hospital near D J Halli:

A woman was being administered IV fluids. Her doctor says, "The blood tests revealed that her platelet count was low. This confirmed an infection and symptoms are of Chikungunya. the actual confirmatory tests of Chikungunya costs around 1500 rupees in any of the city labs. But, most people arriving here including this patient are not in a position to spend so much. Hence, based on the symptoms, the doctors start the treatment. The cost of medicine for the entire duration of treatment is also slightly expensive. Also, Chikungunya patient needs to rest a lot for speedy recovery. But some of the patients here are breadwinners of the family and are daily wage workers. So you can understand the situation I hope?"

I guess 'Right to good health' isn't covered under any of the fundamental rights provided by Indian constitution. But, don't the Directive principles of the State say that state should work towards reducing economic inequality as well as inequalities in status and opportunities. Sixty plus years since India became a free nation. how much have we achieved in reducing inequalities in access to health care? Do our political parties have this as a priority or even have a reference to this in their respective election manifestos?

Caught Between Colored lines

A man sleeps between two colored lines marked by authorities inside a temple complex at Bhavaninagar, for acquisition of property for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Bangalore, the silicon city of India is witnessing many infrastructural works like new airport, metro railway system, flyovers, underpass and road widening, with the idea to sustain the growth and development of the city. But for all these projects it has to acquire private lands of citizens. This has resulted in stand off between the state and citizens and the pattern seems to be replicating across the country with creation of special economic zones (SEZ).

Seen here are photographs showing th result of acquisition of portion of houses and temples at Bhavaninagar, Bangalore to widen roads and build an underpass. The work came to a temporary halt with residents protesting while a temple portion was brought down by the auhtorities. In these scenarios, authorities usually come to homes and shops without issuing any notice and draw colored lines marking the portion of the house that will be acquired. Sometimes multiple lines get drawn due to unprofessional surveys. Residents who are caught unaware have no say in the amount of compensation, if at all any, given by the state and have limited time to relocate and rehabilitate.

Right to property was originally a fundamental right as per Indian constitution. But the 44th amendment to Indian Constitution in the year 1978 relegated it to a mere legal right. This put any dispute arising between state and citizens with respect to the acquisition of private property by state, out of the jurisdiction of any courts. This allowed the state to acquire any land for any purpose without compensation. As a result, in today’s India there is no real right to private property and no protection against government land acquisitions.

Portion of the ring road near a traffic signal at Bhavaninagar that has now been dug up to create an underpass and requires further widening of road.

Portion of a temple that remains at Bhavaninagar after it was demolished by authorities for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

A man walks looking at what is left of a temple that was demolished at Bhavaninagar by authorities for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

A man stops and looks at what is left of a temple that was demolished at Bhavaninagar by authorities for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Colored lines marked by authorities inside a store at Bhavaninagar, for acquisition of property for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Colored lines marked by authorities on the walls of house that was still under construction at Bhavaninagar, for acquisition of property for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Colored lines marked by authorities on the passage walls leading into a house at Bhavaninagar, for acquisition of property for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Paintings of Hindu gods left behind by a business house at Bhavaninagar after the premises vacated in a hurry due to portion of the shop getting acquired by state for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Children look inside an empty store at Bhavaninagar that formerly housed a rice trading business. The premises was vacated in a hurry due to portion of the shop getting acquired by the state for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Colored lines marked by authorities on walls of the houses in a bylane at Bhavaninagar, for acquisition of property for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

An old lady stands next to the wall of a Anganwadi - a government sponsored child care and mother care centre - at Bhavaninagar, that is dotted with colored lines marked by authorities for acquisition of property for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Colored line marked by authorities on the wall of a small store at Bhavaninagar, for acquisition of property for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

Colored line marked by authorities over window of a house at Bhavaninagar, for acquisition of property for building of Kaderenahalli underpass.

A modern Skyscraper apartment in distance contrasting with a garbage filled dugup ring road at Bhavaninagar speaks about the state of infrastructural projects in the city and rest of the country. Bad project planning and management is coupled with the clashes between citizens and the state over acquisition of property for public purpose.

Vatal Does another one

Everybody in Karnataka seems to be cashing in on Valentine's day and moral policing issue. How can you leave Mr Vatal Nagaraj behind? The man who has ridden over a bull, a cycle, and even attempting to dirty governor house walls:D.


Here he was with his latest antic. His act did surprise most of us today. Usually known for publicity stunts supporting hardliner thoughts. Today he was taking a dig at the latest entry into moral policing camp, Mr Pramod Muthalika and his band of Shree Rama Sene.


Background to the below set of photographs... Muthalik camp had threatened young lovers that if they were spotted on the streets on valentines day, then they would forcibly be married off.


Thursday, 12th February 2009: Politician Vatal Nagaraj conducted a mock wedding of two donkeys namely Rati and Manmata at the Legislature House premises. The wedding took a dig on Pramod Muthalik and Rama Sene stand on opposing Valentines day and their threat of forcibly marrying off unmarried couples spotted on Valentines day. Vatal said that young couples should feel safe in Bangalore on Valentines day.

The Doc of small things

The doc of small things

Originally uploaded by travelling writer

My photos for Malvika Tegta's article on Dr G Venkatesh, a man whose passion lies is in robotics....... taking robotics to all age groups...

published in DNA, Bangalore edition. 25th Jnauary 2009, page 14.

People in News - Part 1

For me, 2007 had been a year of learning the nuances of press photography. One of the things with working in a daily newspaper is getting the images of people making the news, especially at the moment they make news!

And if the story revolves around global terrorism, then you can expect a horde of journalists there. This was during July 2007 and I was then working at Bangalore Mirror. A terrorist attack had taken place at Glasgow airport, with the alleged bomber being dead, his brother and cousin who were continents apart were suspects now. Doctor Haneef, the cousin of the 'Glasgow Bomber' was detained in Australia. Firdous, the wife of Dr. Haneef and their newly born child were in Bangalore city. Also in the city were Haneef's mother and brother. And that led to world media's attention to Bangalore city for nearly a month. Haneef's mother and brother were not interacting with the media. It was his wife who became a regular spokesperson during the entire ordeal.

Most of us spent those months camping on the street where Firdous lived. Every time a development took place in Haneef's case in Australia, Firdous was immediately asked to give a response to the media. This led to a series of impromptu press conferences arranged at the gate of her parental bungalow in Bangalore.

All the newspapers, TV channels and news agencies needed the visuals of this family. They were after all 'the people in news' then. One had to literally fight with one another to get a suitable vantage point to capture the visuals. I sometimes took up a sniper like position to experiment and get a different image, rather than a monotonous close-up portrait. But, you can't have this luxury all the time:-)

Fast forward to 29th July 2007

All charges against Dr Haneef were dropped and he was returning home a free man. There were media persons everywhere. At airports, in the same aircraft as his, on the roads, outside his in-laws' home and, also inside their home. I was one among the countless photographers stationed inside their home trying to document in images the frenzied moments. The truth was that media persons outnumbered the relatives inside the house:-). Here are a series of news photographs made by me (we were there till 2 a.m in the morning) as and when he arrived home that late evening.

Seen in this photograph is Firdous Arshiya, wife of Dr Haneef dressed up to welcome her husband. Dr Mohammed Haneef after being freed from all charges related to Glasgow Terror blasts was returning from Australia with his cousin Imran and was to arrive at his Father-in-Law's home at BTM Layout in Bangalore late night on Sunday, 29th July 2007.

Relatives of Doctor Haneef waiting on the terrace with rose petals to welcome him home.


Doctor Haneef stepping out of the car amidst media frenzy at his Father-in-law's home.


Doctor Haneef being welcomed with flowers amidst media frenzy, as he arrives at his Father-in-law's home.


Doctor Haneef managing to step inside his Father-in-law's home amidst scenes of media frenzy.

Doctor Haneef being escorted inside by his cousin Imran.

Relatives of Doctor Haneef are excited to get a first glimpse of him after his return to India.


Doctor Haneef smiles and waves for the media cameras for the first time after his arrival at his in-laws' residence.


Doctor Haneef and his relatives having a discussion while media persons wait for him speak.


Doctor Haneef reads out a written speech that was handed to him by his cousin, after which he was rushed to a room away from the media.


Irony with this assignment was that, my newspaper was a compact/tabloid. And the deadline for the pages to be sent for the printing press was 10:00 p.m. Doctor Haneef arrived well past 10.. So these images remain unpublished.....

To Amma

Taarammaiyya, Thandu Thorammaiyya
Doorada Baanige yerida chandrana,
Taarammaiyya, Thandu Thorammaiyya

Nine of Amma's (my maternal grandmother was fondly called as Amma by everyone who knew her) children and few of her fortunate grandchildren (including me) have spent their cradle years listening to this Kannada lullaby every night before being rocked into a sound sleep.

Amma passed away last Sunday morning, after half a decade of battling the problems of aging. Amma was in her early nineties. Over the years, she had lost her memory, vision and strength, and had been confined to her bed and chair till her last day. Though our family has been bereaved of a loved one, it should be noted that Amma's sufferings have come to an end. She didn't deserve this phase in life where she had lost her independence and right to a life with dignity. My fond recollections of her, dates back to the time when I visited our village every year during the summer holidays. This was the time when there used to be plenty of cattle, hen, dogs and cats in our farm. Images of her walking in the farm with a fistful of grains and calling out to the hens and chickens, "Baa.. baa.." , never seem to fade from my memory.

When it comes to Amma and my photography, I think I was quite late in picking up my camera. By the time I began to indulge in photojournalism and documentary photography, Amma had passed her graceful years and had slipped in to a life in oblivion.

Couple of years back I visited Amma and Ajja's (grandpa) home with a SLR camera loaded with a black and white film. I was seeing Amma after a longtime and she had shrunk in size by then. With her memory caught in a time warp, she had lost touch with day-to-day happenings. Her eyes were giving away too. She could barely make out who or what was in front of her. Sometimes she used to speak about her father and her childhood home. And she had expressed her desire to meet her father, who was no-more. It was heartbreaking to see her in such a situation. But even in this condition, her motherly instincts were still strong. If she was eating something, say a banana, and if she could make out a figure moving around in the room, she would promptly offer a piece of whatever was on the plate to the person in the room.

Most of the times when left alone, she would get into a cycle of singing prayers. A prayer would be followed by her joining hands and bowing to the almighty. And this cycle would continue until somebody interrupted and diverted her attention. It was during one of those prayer sessions by the window, I stepped into the room with my camera. By then I had clicked portraits off Ajja and others in the house. But seeing Amma in the viewfinder, I somehow couldn't shoot her picture. The face of Amma one has in their minds is from her healthier and jovial days. I was stuck in a dilemma. I began to wonder if it would be rude of me to document her in this state. But, I had to have Amma's picture in my album. So, in that moment of dilemma I framed a silhouette of what Amma did the most in her later years...... pray. A prayer in her own world.

HERE IT’S 5 PUSH-UPS FOR EVERY 4

At an ongoing inter-school cricket tournament, the boys of Bishop Cotton School embarked on a novel method to juice themselves up when playing against weak teams: A self-inflicted penalty for every boundary conceded.

Narcissistic and full of piss. That is what you normally associate cricketers with, even amateur or budding ones in this cricket-mad nation. But self-flagellation as a means to a sporting end? Well, the Bishop Cotton School’s boys seem to have just patented a new mantra or motivation. Of course, it was something to be seen to be believed.

An inter-school cricket match is in progress, and the batting team which is under pressure scores a rare boundary. This brings cheer in the dressing room of the batting team, and even as those on the benches indulge in high-fives and fist pumping, the fielding side enacts a different ritual: Excluding the bowler, the remaining ten of them lower themselves onto the turf and do a series of five push-ups. This they repeat each time they concede a boundary. Now, you must be wondering why the main culprit, the bowler, has been reprieved! Not really, for the best has been reserved for the last. For, at the end of the innings the poor fellow has to do it all cumulatively, five push-ups into the number of boundaries he has conceded.

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

Bishop Cotton comfortably won Wednesday’s game in the Boost Cup U-16 inter-school cricket tournament at the YMCA Grounds. Not that the result was ever in doubt. To the contrary, the whole push-up regimen they went through was because of the remorse they were feeling for having to play against teams much below their capability. They had in fact been relegated from the elite group of 16 city schools who would automatically qualify for the tournament’s second phase.

As this year’s Cottonian Shield winners and last year’s BTR Shield champions, the Bishop Cotton Boys High School cricket team has been in the elite stage of the Boost Cup (the tournament is played in two stages) for so many years. Last year, due to one freak defeat owing to a walk over - the match date clashed with their exams - they were relegated to the first round of the tournament. Hence, this year the team had to start their quest for the title from scratch, by playing against a series of teams which they believe are well below them.

MAKING AMENDS

Anil Dutt, the head of the sports department of the school believes that the team does not deserve to be playing in the first round. “Since the inception of the two stages of this tournament conducted by KSCA, our school has always been in the elite stage. But due to last year’s unfortunate forfeiture, we were relegated from the elite stage. I wanted them to play in a disciplined manner and keep up their morale when playing against lower-rung sides. I want them to believe that they are amongst the top four teams of the tournament. So, I told them that they must punish themselves every time the opposition scored a boundary,” he explained. But even he didn’t believe his boys would take his word literally.

MAKING SHORT WORK

On Wednesday morning, Anil ‘sir’ wished his team luck at the YMCA grounds before their match against BBUL Jain Vidyalaya and headed back to school. Samarth, the team captain, decided to enforce a penalty for his entire team including himself whenever their opponents scored a boundary. According to Samarth, “I told the boys that for the entire first round of this tournament, for every boundary scored by the opponents, irrespective of whose mistake it was, the entire team had to instantly perform five push-ups on the field. The bowler had to perform the push-ups after the over was completed or after match ended.”

In the event, they shot out the opposition for just 30 runs, a good ten runs more than they had intended to. But there was more to come. “We believed that we are too good for these teams. So we reversed our batting order. The tailenders went out as openers,” Samarth said. Some hubris that?

No matter, for the result said it all. The Cottonians went on to register a nine-wicket victory. Now, shouldn’t our, at times, over-glorified Men in Blue take a cue from these school boys?

Don't want to fade away like the Red Indians

A Young Tibetan youth sporting a T-Shirt with picture of Ernesto Che Guevara and screaming Anti-China slogans. China, a communist country and Che, a legendary guerrilla hero whose beliefs lied in communism. A contradiction? Maybe not. Maybe it signifies the warning bells. A 49 year old movement is at cross roads when the baton is handed down to the third generation of refugees....

"We Don't want to fade away like the Red Indians", says 26 years old Tenzin Tsethar, an analyst at an Insurance firm in the city. Tsethar is a Tibetan who had joined his fellow countrymen (living as refugees across India), thousands in numbers, at a peace march which was arranged today from Chikkalalbagh to M G Statue to protest against the recent Chinese crackdown on Tibetans in Lhasa. 10th of March this year marked the 49th anniversary of Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation. Pro Tibet demonstrations at Lhasa resulted in large scale violence with Chinese armed forces coming down heavily on the protesters. The continuing tension there has suddenly spurted a growth in Pro-Tibetan demonstrations across the world including Bangalore.

The protesters at Bangalore comprised of a mix of Tibetan refugees from all walks of life ranging from old monks from monasteries to youth growing up in city. Tsethar along with few other Tibetan colleagues joined in the entire day's demonstration in spite of not getting an official paid leave sanctioned. He says, "I am not bothered about my job being in jeopardy. I am more concerned about the lives of Tibetans in Lhasa which is in real jeopardy". His views are shared by Tenzin Pasang, a 21 year old woman living the BPO dream of Bangalore. Pasang says, "Since the moment we heard about the violence that broke out in Lhasa, we haven't had peace of mind. We live as refugees in India but we feel a sense of freedom here. But, our brothers and sisters back in Tibet enjoy no freedom. In every Tibetan house in India, you'll find two things in common. One, the Tibetan national flag and the other, a portrait of his Holiness Dalai Lama. You can't find the same thing back in Lhasa as Chinese army will arrest you if they come to know of it". Pasang has five other Tibetan colleagues at her BPO. They all work in the morning shift between 4:00 am and 1:00 p.m. Since March 10th, they have all actively been taking part during the evenings after work, in political activities leading to the peace march in the city. Being deprived of adequate rest is of no significance to them.

Its been 49 years since Tibetans having been living as refugees in settlements across India. Today, the Tibetan youth seem to be increasingly becoming restless with the status quo and lack of support received from governments across the world. 21 years old students Tenzin Chodar and Tenzin Dablo agree that views of the third generation Tibetans are radically turning to be different from their predecessors. Dablo says, "Goals of all Tibetans maybe the same but the methods are turning to be different. In this age of You Tube, your blood will naturally boil when you watch videos of Buddhist nuns being tortured by the army of communist China".

What about their Indian colleagues and classmates? Do they discuss politics and share views with them? When asked this question, Chodar says, "Yes, some of our Indian friends show interest while others are not interested. They support us, encourage us and do give us ideas to carry on with protest. But they are unable to join us in protests as they have their own preoccupations in life".

The difference in views of the Tibetan leadership and youth is clearly indicated when you see the banners and placards carried by protesters which read out 'Freedom and independence for Tibet', while the leadership has been talking of political autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule. Tsethar says that, "We respect the views of his Holiness. But today patience is running out amongst us. Political autonomy will be great, if not freedom for Tibet as a country, at least the Tibetans should be given cultural freedom which is missing as of now". The decision of IOC (International Olympic Committee) to let China host the 2008 summer Olympics has not gone down well too. Pasang says, "How can China host Olympics when it is committing human rights abuse in Tibet. Something has to be done to oppose it. If we youth do not voice opinion against it. Then who else will do so?"

The Tibetan youth in today's world are at cross roads. They say they are witnessing what they term as 'double standards' when it comes to self determination for a nation. They look at issues related to East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq and feel they have not enjoyed support from the world as China is a super power. There is a sense of disillusionment in their minds. Some of them seem to be giving up hope. 25 year old Tsering Dolkar is a Public Relations Officer with the Tibetan Women's Association. She says, "There is a difference in the way the Tibetan struggle for independence is looked at between the youth from settlement and those from cities. Generally, there is not much active involvement seen in today's youth from cities. There seems to be a denial. This probably is because the way the protests have been carried out over last 49 years (hunger strikes, peace march, candle light vigils) seem to less effective. Maybe, youth are losing hope due to this. There is a urgent need for change in the way we fight. But, the only way to change the system is by being part of it. That's why I am actively involved in politics. I want to try to bring about change. The youth must come forward with their ideas to keep the movement going on. The culture must not be lost. The original refugees in India were not educated. The next generation of Tibetans in exile had little education but did not have much opportunities. But now, the world seems to have opened up. Everyone wants to make use of the opportunities. You can't blame the youth for it. Everyone wants to lead a decent life. We can't apply for government jobs or buy property in India because we are having refugee status. That's why I see an increase in Tibetans who want to apply for Indian citizenship. The current situation at Lhasa has led to awakening amongst many Tibetans. The movement has gained momentum and people are coming forward and taking part now. The focus gained now, must not be lost. The United Nations must come forward to solve the issue".

There were few Indians taking part in the march. One of them on condition of anonymity said, "It is hurting to see that India and rest of the democratic world has not done much for the movement which is based on non-violence. I am afraid that at this rate there could be a day when the Tibetans may lose patience and the world may see armed groups of Tibetans. The world which has to take blame for it, if and when it happens". The anonymous prophecy's accuracy can only be confirmed by what lies ahead in future. But, the young generation of Tibetans are definitely seeking a change.

HER LONG DRIVE TO JUSTICE

You never know what sexual harassment does to a woman, do you? It made Venkata Lakshmi turn to the law books, while driving an auto to feed her family.

“She didn’t charge me a rupee more than the auto meter,” said an incredulous young girl who travelled in an auto in the city recently. She? Yes, the woman in question drives an auto, struggling to make a living in a man’s world. The auto driver-bit is, however, just one part of Venkata Lakshmi’s story.

As the sole breadwinner for the family, she is also studying law. And that’s not because she wants to move onto a white collar job. After a lifetime of surmounting odds that would have felled a lesser woman, Lakshmi’s interest in law stems from the determination that others don’t encounter the travails she has.


NEVER SAY DIE

Lakshmi was an all-rounder at school. The youngest of three siblings, she was encouraged in all she did, especially by her uncle Paniyam Shankar Murthy. She passed SSLC with a first class. Lakshmi’s first choice of career was the Indian Police Service. She enrolled for 1st PUC at MES College and joined NCC too. On a morning jog, she saw a child about to be hit by a speeding bus. She flung herself on the road and in the nick of time, saved the child. A bravery award is proof of her act.

She had barely started her BA when her mother asked her to get married. Lakshmi, determined to continue her studies, moved to a government college with nominal fees. She taught private tuitions and sold vegetables grown in her backyard to support her education.

However, she subsequently had to discontinue. Not willing to go down without a fight, she enrolled herself as an external candidate in open university and worked in a SSI unit.

The turning point came when some anti-social elements tried to kidnap her over a small issue. She took the legal route to justice and became embroiled in a nine-year court battle.

Eventually, she dropped her studies and focused on her job and the case. She says she was repeatedly pressurised by police and politicians to give up the case and compromise with the culprits. She lost respect for the policing profession, which had captured her imagination once.


WEDDING BELLS

She finally agreed to get married to a man her mother had chosen for her. But after the wedding date was fixed, the dowry issue came up. The wedding was called off after all preparations. A family friend later introduced her to Rajendra, a welder who was then working in UAE. They got married.

Their daughter was born within the first year of marriage. With not enough income and job security from welding, Lakshmi’s husband bought an auto and started driving it. Lakshmi got a loan under Pradhanmantri Rozgar Yojana and started a canteen and catering business from home. With another loan, she built a floor above their house and leased it out.


MORE TROUBLE

But the repayment of loans soon became a burden and Lakshmi’s husband returned to Dubai. The auto was hired out to a driver. All was going well until her neighbour started harassing her. Her neighbour, Balaji Singh, wanted to have an affair. She flatly refused.

But he started pressuring her from various quarters. Her tenants moved out. The final blow was BESCOM shutting down her catering business as she had no commercial power supply at home. Exasperated, she got a driver’s license and started driving the auto. It’s been five years and it is now the only source of income for her family.


BACK TO COLLEGE

To escape her neighbour, she sold her house and moved to a rented place with her daughter. “If I had a good financial status and if I was a qualified professional like a doctor, advocate or engineer, then my family and I could lead a better life. With my arts background, I decided to pursue a degree in law. I approached the then principal of Babu Jagjeevan Ram Law College,” she explains.

She says she was initially apprehensive as she was already 31 years old. But looking at her educational background and her motivation, the principal and one of the lecturers, advocate Nagaraj, encouraged her to pursue her education there.

Everyday, she leaves home early in the morning, drops her daughter to school, and then ferries Bangaloreans till late morning and then goes to college. “I miss many classes. But the college administration has pardoned me. Friends help by sharing notes. I have completed four semesters with second class grades and without failing
in any subject so far,” she says.

Her lecturer Nagaraj says, “She has managed to pass in all subjects with good grades. She is motivated. The college is not in a position to give her a fee concession. If she is able to attend classes regularly, I am sure she can score better in exams.”

Meanwhile, her husband has returned to India. Welding has affected his sight and he can’t drive an auto. He says, “I am not educated and we have a daughter who goes to school. It will be better if at least one parent is educated. I am happy that my wife is studying law.”

Lakshmi has five more semesters to go. If the grit she has shown till now is any indication, expect her to don her robes in less than three years!

(Note: If you think you can help lakshmi in anyway, then please feel free to contact me)

IN SEARCH OF AN ALMOST-MYTH

"We were told Ombattu Gudda didn’t exist. 28 kms and two days later, we live to tell the tale that it does."

"A piece of advice to future visitors to Ombattu Gudda: Don’t go to this place without a map and a compass if you want to return to civilization on Monday. Get map# 48 P/9/NW from Survey of India office in Bangalore. For happy hippies, this is paradise. You don’t need to work hard to get lost."

This is what you learn if you search for information on ‘Ombattu Gudda trek’ on independent trekkers’ blogs. Other blogs say ‘Villagers say Ombattu Gudda does not exist’ or many travelogues that end something like, ‘We finally failed to reach Ombattu Gudda’ or ‘We were chased by wild elephants and bears’.

These stories about Ombattu udda excited me and five of my techie friends to plan for a weekend trek to Ombattu Gudda. Armed with a GPS (Global Positioning System) device, a hand drawn map and our rations for the two-day trek we set off in conquest of Ombattu Gudda.

Ombattu Gudda in Kannada means nine hills. It is a hill range and the peak measures 971 metres above sea level. Located amidst the dense forests of the Western Ghats, it borders Hassan and Chikmagalur districts. It is named for the nine prominent humps on top, almost in a straight line.

The hill range is known for it’s wildlife, especially elephants and bears. The traditional entry point to this trek is Gundya town and the exit point is Hoskere village near Mudigere. The trek lived up to its reputation of being a tough and exhausting one.


THE JOURNEY...

An over-night bus journey from Bangalore got us to Sakleshpur in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

We, rather brilliantly, got off the bus at the Sakleshpur bus stand and not at the town where cabs to Gundya are available. This meant a two km trek back with our rucksacks along the highway —on a freezing morning. On reaching town, we stuffed ourselves into a Maruti Omni heading towards Gundya.

The road from Sakleshpur to Gundya — the infamous Shirdi Ghat highway — might as well be on the moon, if only for the craters! And the car we were in, hit a huge stone slab head-on but continued for two hours to Gundya. After a tea break around 6:15 am, we began our trek. The initial phase of the trek was easy with a clearly laid out path through the forest cutting across many small streams. Elephant dung dotted the entire path. We kept a lookout for the herd all set to sprint in the opposite direction. The path runs close to Kabbinale river.

The river bank called us to stop for some breakfast and rest. We did! Crossing the river was an adventure in itself. Pants folded, shoes catapulted to the opposite bank, we stumbled on slippery rocks to the other side. After few hours of trekking, the path got narrower and the forest grew denser. Worse, we were running out of water. So remember this when you head out. Only in the beginning of this route will you have plenty of water supply. The moment you cross the Kabbinale river, all that is left is the water you carry.





TECHNICAL ERROR


To make matters worse, our GPS device failed, thanks to the thick canopy of trees. We finally realised that we were lost! After long discussions, we decided to continue the trek to the summit. So we went ahead making our way through bamboo massacre sites, the work of wild elephants. Every now and then, fresh elephant dung got us on our toes, as did the venomous viper that hissed past us. We pushed ourselves on.

On reaching a small clearing, we stopped for a quick lunch and some rest. We pondered over the map cluelessly and got some help from the GPS occassionally. Soon, we reached a point with a 70 degree climb ahead of us. We made our way through slippery rocks and stones. Overhanging vines tripped us and thorny bushes scratched us, It was exhausting, but we continued to cramble up.

We had to make it to the grasslands on Ombattu Gudda before sunset as spending a night in the thicket would have been very dangerous. We took regular breaks to rest our bodies, which were on verge of dehydration due to limited water supply. After hours of climbing uphill, we finally saw the grasslands of Ombattu Gudda. We had trekked nearly 15 kms in a single day.


We had a pleasant surprise awaiting us. No, there was no resort with soft beds, water and hot food. But our cell phones worked! So we called up home to let our families know we were alive. We spent the night on the grasslands just below the peak.

After an early dinner, we lined up our sleeping bags and slept under a clear, starry night sky. We identified a couple of constellations and said a prayer to keep us safe from wild animals and then, we were fast asleep.







FINALLY...

The next morning, we trekked over the nine humps for three kilometres, and made it to the peak of Ombattu Gudda. It was a moment of accomplishment for the six of us. We had joined the exclusive club of successful Ombattu Gudda trekkers.

Then we headed down. Making our way through 400 metres of thicket till we saw the jeep tracks. Ah! Signs of civilisation! Five kilometres along the jeep track took us to the heart of Lakshmi Saraswati Estate.

If you get lucky, you might get to meet the owner who might help you get a jeep ride to Hoskere. With our luck, he wasn’t there. That meant another five kilometres to Hoskere village. At Hoskere, we hired a jeep to the town of Mudigere, where we got a bus to Bangalore. Two days and 28 km later, we were back home — bruised, tired and tanned! Happy to have conquered the mythical hill.