One of the best things about traveling is it opens up your mind a little bit. Many presumptions about cultures, people and many other things change when you encounter or experience. This story is one such from the Navaratri time last year, when I was in Coonoor.
We all grow up with a lot mind-feed from our surroundings I always heard the bad stories about lorry drivers, their behaviours and such. Growing up as a kid, the stories that made me scared are about the ones who kidnap kids and other humans who are dangerous.
Navaratri is a celebration that happens over the period of Nine days as per the Hindu practises. As little knowledge I have about the festival, all that I know is it is a festival when you submit your belongings to the Goddesses and seek blessings.
Like most festivals in India, this one is also celebrated differently in different parts of India. Growing up in Kerala, I have not seen much of a celebration for this festival. What I have seen though is my friends keeping their books for Pooja and not reading anything during those days.
Last year I was traveling through Tamil Nadu and I was told the celebrations for what they call “Ayudha Pooja” and Diwali is pretty big here. I was in Coonoor during the Navaratri time. I and the other girl I met in Ooty were the only ones where we were staying.
It is embarrassing to admit one of the stereotypes I have from my childhood. Somehow I am told truck drivers are of bad character or worse, as kidnappers. Or that is how it was shown in the movies.
Coonoor was my dream place to visit and when I did, I stayed with someone I met in Ooty, Chi, you might have seen her in my previous blogs. Coonoor is a beautiful hill station with plenty of twisty-windy roads. Most of these turns are surrounded by large trees and flowers.
The place we were staying is not so crowded either. So, the road from the main center of the town has some empty streets.
On one side of the road is a tea leaf/powder godown. There were at least two Lorries parked at almost all times. And I have to say, I love the colour and artworks on these Lorries. As usual, I walk on the other side of the road every time I see a lorry or any suspicious vehicle (read Omini) parked when I am alone.
It was the Navaratri days, it was the special day when everyone cleaned their shops, houses and made ready for the Pooja. One morning when we went out for a morning walk around the place we noticed the streets were getting empty, shops being closed and everyone was spending time with their families.
The main shopping places were closed and decorated for the pooja. Many shops had their families come over to attend the ceremonies. And Kolams, the patterns made of flour, were everywhere.
I have always heard it gets a little lonely if you’re traveling during the festive seasons. But, it was the first time I felt it.
For some reason I was coming back alone and saw the Lorries decorated with these garlands for Pooja. I decided to take some photos of it. It was then I was called by three men who were standing in between the lorries.
I think they were done with the pooja for their lorries and there were the pooja materials on the floor. Pretty soon they hurried to take a portion from all the pooja ingredients and handed to me in a fresh newspaper piece.
They made sure there was a piece from everything, even the coconut that’s usually broken during these prayers. The truth is was so kind of them to include a stranger without any ill intentions. And it was the same people I was otherwise scared of putting in a category.
It is the time of Navaratri again this year and it is the first thing I remember about the Navaratri. Oh and the next day morning, there was someone who was happily inspecting the pooja set up made by the people at our stay.
Kindness is something anyone will come across no matter what. Sometimes it can be a smile, sometimes a good companion who joins you or even words. Even though it might seem something strange, it is something really ordinary. Sometimes we need to have an open mind to see it.
If one thing I learned from life, kindness is not something extraordinary. It’s a basic nature of humans, and most animals if not threatened. It’s our mind that is pre-fed with notions, brainwashed ideas about another human race, culture, class and creed that makes us believe there is only evil surrounding us.
Once you travel, once you open your mind, it is easier to find you’re surrounded by kind people. And I think it is such interactions needs to be treasured and shared more than the horror stories.