During a visit to an eco-tourism project and a bird sanctuary a few days ago with our friends, Anna and I met two people who live pursuing their passion! They walked the less travelled path to bring something useful for others to experience.
The first person was Mr Rajappn, who developed a farm near the Kodanad elephant training centre, to give an experience to the visitors about the way of living close to nature from the produce of the land. It is a farm where agriculture, fishery, poultry, and floriculture co-exist. It has a museum of farm implements that takes us back to the farming practices which existed about seventy five years ago. The children's park created in the natural setting of trees and plants is a pleasant place to be in. A steam meandering in the five acre property feeds the plants and trees. A home stay facility with a swimming pool is an attraction to tourists. Mr. Rajappan developed this facility in memory of his parents who owned the land at the edge of a reserved forest. For him, trained in agricultural science, it is an opportunity to show forth the heritage we have in nature. He views his garden as a place to experience living peacefully and mindfully. He had a beaming look, when he showed us the corner where there is a butterfly farm and a stretch of flowers that feed nectar to honey bees.
The second person whom we met, was Mr Joemon in the bird sanctuary at Thattecad. Having been trained in hospitality industry, he had an interest in being a friendly host to the visitors. Since he lived close to the bird sanctuary, he accompanied tourists for bird watching. That initiated an interest in birds and their habitat that he became an avid student of different species of migratory and endemic birds in south India. He came to accompany us with three binoculars and a lacer beam, which was more than an illustration of his interest to get the tourists to experience sighting birds. He is well informed about bird sanctuaries in the southern states. He took us deep into the forest where some birds spend the day time. That is how Anna and I had an experience of seeing some birds which we had not so far seen! During the four hours of morning walk of about six kilometres through the forest, we noticed how Mr Joemon had an eye to sight and track birds and an interest to make visitors bird friendly! He is widely travelled in south India with insightful information about bird habitats in the bird sanctuaries. He conducts guided tours to these places.
A the end of these two visits, Anna and I returned with warm thoughts about the two men, who found a way of living by bringing cheer and insights to others ! They did not appear to be doing a job, but enthusiasts and messengers of their areas of interests! They had an inspirational dimension and relational attitude!
Both of them were pursuing a less travelled path, in response to a deeper call of living !
Such experiences bring refreshment and renewal of hope about the goodness of people around us!
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment