“….When I saw a workshop poster called Niyathi, I only remembered that I had heard such a word somewhere in my life…..In the opening session of the first day, I heard a slim, humble man who continued to tell eye-watering stories in a rhythmic tone. He laughed and cried while telling them….He welcomed us to Niyathi with all his heart….Cuckoo was full of stories. I can not finish them all in one small passage….My opinion is that some experiences should be known as experiences….”
The above are words from the blog of one of the participants from Niyathi, after being in the five-day commune of September ’21, which serves as a testimony of experiences. After an invocation in the voice of Mirra, the program started with induction into the generic flow of activities and daily practices of the land. The dialogue after the documentary screening in the night, below the blanket of stars, opened up varied perspectives and concluded with a holistic understanding of ‘value systems’.
As the reverberance of the gong echoed in the mountains, the morning started with ‘a smile’ followed by daily practices and tools which bring about understanding of one’s body, mind and spirit through varied experiences. One such was the physical cleansing of the eye, through a systematic exercise as mentored by Gowthami Stalin, which relieved the prolonged stresses and contamination in the eye. These varied daily practices introduced in Niyathi, when followed on a daily basis, have proven to improve well-being. ‘ One who climbs a palm tree (panai eri) has to do it consistently every day without a break for 365 days…Even if they don’t climb for a day, the tree becomes unyielding…Now imagine the kind of dedication that has gone behind this piece of karupatti (palm jaggery) that you are holding in your hands, explained Stalin Baluchamy of Motherway, who has travelled across the country in search of ‘the taste’ of kadalaimaittai ( peanut candy) that he had when he was a child. All the combined efforts and hardships of the participants in understanding and making ‘karupatti kadalaimaittai’ on their own melted away in their mouths at the end. The happiness in experiencing the results of teamwork, especially when it is steaming hot, delicious peanut balls, is beyond bounds.
‘Walking is the best form of travel when you want to connect with nature and people..’ as prescribed by Vinoba Bhave. The hike up the Javadhu hill range started after lunch with remembrance of ‘Aadhya’, a musical ensemble by Soundarya. The stories and questions meandered through the ghats as the reflections echoed out loud in the mountains of the mind. As our physical strength slowly started to fade along with the sun, we were lightened up by the flock of fireflies in the darkness of the forest, as we were engulfed by them, adding light to the full moon playing hide and seek amongst the trees. As we reached the base camp in the thick of night, the clouds greeted us heavily with their downpour, accompanied by the salutations of the cold breeze.
‘Having a toilet is a luxury…That too a one which has a temporary wall above six feet …To most people who found it difficult to walk for a kilometre in the morning to a completely built toilet, imagine the plight of having to do this everyday but in an open land..’ words of Architect and documentary maker Vishnu Priya rooted the participants to the ground reality of India’s villages, especially of women. The discussion spread out its canopy, like the banyan tree on top of the cliff we sat under, into waste management, toilet, sanitation, etc. The participants had an overall understanding of the possible solutions from a lived experience, rather than just being aware of the problems. We wound down the hill with thoughts pondering upon the impact that an individual’s action can make. ‘I am a practising clinical psychologist, but please do not get scared that I am going to read your minds…’ started Swathy, whose interest in psychology started when she was 15 years old.
This closed session saw participants understand and overcome their own limitations through certain practices and exercises. As we sat in a circle under the guava tree, holding each other’s hands, affirming and visualising gratitude for being able to be at the foothills of Javadhu, and for the land having accepted our presence. ‘ I am not saying do not cook in a pressure cooker…All I am saying is do not pressure cook in a cooker. There is a lot of difference in the nutrition of food that is cooked under pressure’ explained Seethalakshmy Akka, who shared her practical knowledge and experience on what we eat, why we eat what we eat. Chezhiyan, a practitioner of Siddha, added value by reaffirming the scientific connotations of the experiences shared. As the participants indulged in the reflection by preparing dinner together, the session broke many misconceptions about varied food practices and gave a practical insight into what is possible with the everyday flow of life.
The next morning saw the whole village gathering slowly, listening to the beats of ‘Parai’ as Madhannan from ‘Kalaithai Arakattalai’ shared his experiences along with a practical demonstration by the artist. He explained various nuances of the art form, which he has been practising from childhood and the transformation over the decades and why the sustenance and conservation of any traditional knowledge system is of prime importance in today’s context. ‘This is a very back-breaking exercise. But it is essential that we all go through this process to understand the value of a craft and its making, explained Ponmani from Thuvam, as she thought participants sewing a mobile pouch and doll out of garment waste, using different stitches. She later went on to explain her journey of graduating in fashion technology to having set up ‘Thayal palli’ in Puliyanoor and the dire need for such initiatives across all villages, which will serve as an economic support system to many women who leave their children behind in villages in search of jobs in cities and the various reciprocations of this vicious cycle.
‘What you strongly believe in, will definitely manifest…I am a living example of that’ said Doctor Muthu. who is a holistic healer through foot reflexology. Apart from explaining why there should be equal acceptance of the advantages of the varied medical schools of thought, he also shared his life experiences from a chief medical representative whose life revolved around sales and commission to someone who treats patients from their feet who come to him as the last choice after trying everywhere.’I am there for you…You will be alright..Don’t worry.’ These are the only words that most patients want to hear, reaffirmed Muthu as the participants learnt how to make ‘thailam’.
As we sat along the stream for the closing circle, bursts of laughter and tears accompanied each participant’s experience sharing, for it came from a place of blooming from within. Vani Akka’s palm toys, Ramesh’s stone art, Satish’s postcards, Anupam Mishra’s words, Ponmani’s bag, Thangavel’s Sathumavu, Nurpu’s towel, Motherway’s kadalaimaittai and lots of love and hope were carried back from the forest.
The session ended with a heavy, meaningful silence, as it was the voice of a slim, humble man yet again.
