Grass-roots Level Planning

DAY 7 JAN 13

It’s such a good feeling when you get to sleep until late in the morning. Today was one of those days. Went downstairs to get breakfast with my homies Peterson and Aymane. No rush. Just the way I liked it. I am told that today we will visit the Thalikulam panchayat. Panchayat is an elective council of about five members organized in the republic of India as an organ of village self-government. The 73rd and 74th amendment of the Indian constitution call for the operation of Panchayats at the grass-root level. They are a very clever way of getting villages to organize themselves and take their matters in their hand. 

Although seeing a Panchayat from up close is a great idea, but now that I got here I think otherwise. There is a special ceremony going on and an overwhelming crowd of people have come. Today around 541 homeless people will receive the keys to their own home! It feels like I am one of them. It feels like I share their joy, and in a way I am! I am very happy today. I hope to do something similar in my own country one day and feel satisfied with my life. 

Filled with a feeling of sweet joy. We first visited a hospital put together by the village panchayat and then went on to visit the Thalikulam Vikas Trust, a public charitable trust founded in 2008 for the development of the village of 30 thousand population. After the introductory speech by the director, we were directed towards a Day Care Centre for senior citizens inside the trust where we were welcomed by two songs performed beautifully by the two senior citizens. To balance the situation we offered to sing one song too. Isabella took the lead and we followed her tune.

Thalikulam Vikas trust got even more excited as we sat down for lunch. They had prepared food in a very unique way. Instead of plates, they brought us large banana tree leaves. After that one by one, they started putting small chunks of fifteen different types of gravy. The presentation and the taste of the meal had now words! Absolutely stunning. This type of meal very local and traditional to the south of India is called the Mother’s veg style meal.

Towards the end of the day, we visited some of the manufacturing sites of the Thalikulam Vikas Trust where some of us bought stuff and then our day came to an end as we were on our way to the hotel.