The Summer Camp - 2005

Day 0: 18.5.05, Wednesday
It was found that buying lunch rather than getting it cooked by the womenfolk would work out to be less expensive and much more convenient. Renting the vessels, getting the fuel ("veragu"), buying the material, managing inventory and the actual cooking and serving would consume too much of our time and we might be unable to do what we want. There was this hotel which was known for quality vegetarian food at the right cost. So we arranged for food to be delivered in the sangam at 12:00 noon everyday of the camp. Tea would be delivered at 4:00 p.m.

With the sangam structure not enough for even 20 children, the need for a covered area which could accommodate atleast 35 was urgent. We were promised a structure with light roofing by the 22nd, so we needed to put up a temporary structure. A "pandhal" was quickly decided upon after considering putting up a shamiana which did not seem cost-effective since we had to pay on a per-day basis. There was also the possibility of the light roof structure not coming up at the right time. The "pandhal" in front of the camp was completed at 2:00 a.m, 19.5.05 !

Day 1: 19.5.05, Thursday
Camp inaugurated at 9:30 by lighting the lamp. Our Chief guests were Dr. K.Subramaniam- former manager of Asian Development Bank, Mr. P.N.Devarajan- Director of Krishnamachari Yoga Mandiram, Mr. Chellappan- Director Asian Bearings, Mr. Mohan Ram- English Professor Nanadanam Arts College, Mr. Narayanan- Founder "Pudhiyadhor...", Mr. Inquilab- Poet & Playwrite and Mr. Immanuel- Head of the sangam.

The audience were mainly children who would be attending the camp and very few elders. Narayanan uncle had brought bags made at Pudhiyadhor Ramapuram to be distributed to the kids. Each contained a pencil, an eraser, a sharpener, a pen and a box of crayons. Dr. K.Subramaniam had given us biscuits to be distributed and when this was done, we had the first taste (not of the biscuits!) of what we had to deal with. The kids were highly restless and were fighting for getting a packet of biscuits. There was complete chaos. This done, they were taught a song, "Aasai patta ellaathayum...". They were then split into two groups. One consisted of the 6th and 7th standard kids and the other of 8th, 9th and 10th standard kids. This was how we would manage the kids for the rest of the camp.

Ms. Latha from Ethiraj College was the resource person and she taught the senior kids to play a game called "Challenge".

Lunch was next and it was difficult. Shabana from Pudhiyadhor organized the whole thing and the kids were starting to learn that enough was available for everyone and nobody would be left out.

Post lunch, a Bharathiar song, and a talk with the children on why we are doing this and what they should do to get all the good things that we want them to get. And what they should not do. The kids were given tea at 4:00 p.m.

The kids were extremely protective about their bags and would never let it out of their sight even for a very short while. This was proving to be a hindrance while we had to teach them something which required their bags to kept away. Even little things like this had to be changed.

Mr. Lara, the resource person from Yoga mandiram came at 5:00 p.m. The kids learnt yoga till 6:00 after which they left, excited and bewildered.

[Yoga pic comin up]

Day 2: 20.5.05, Friday
Ms. Latha taught the senior kids to make paper bags and to decorate them with thumb prints using red and green ink. The juniors were learning a Bharathiar song.

Lunch was a bit easier. Volunteers from AID-India came and screened a short film on Bacteria and Virus.

Yoga for an hour from 5:00 to 6:00 and then tea.

Day 3: 21.5.05, Saturday
Made the kids talk about what they felt about the past two days to find out what they had understood and what they had not. "Vaazhga Pudhiyadhor!" was what a lot of kids repeated at the end of their little speech! Some kids said that they liked the bags that they were given, some talked about the food, the biscuits and some talked about the CD show. They did not seem too mindful of all the advice that was given! Resource persons from AID-India came. The kids were taught many games that would improve concentration and alertness.

Lunch was a more peaceful affair, with not too much chaos.

A metric-mela was organized by the volunteers from AID during the afternoon session where metrics for length, weight and volume were learnt joyfully. The focus was on visual inspection. Yoga 5 - 6.

Inquilab uncle came at 5:30. Interacted with the children and promised to come everyday at around 5:00

Day 4: 22.5.05, Sunday
Mr. Immanuel was scheduled to come at 9:30 but was caught up with other things unexpectedly. Instead the kids were made to practise the songs that they had learnt. Pronunciation was corrected and the meanings of the songs explained in more detail.

Lunch was becoming more and more orderly everyday with no major hiccups.

Jayabharathi from HCL arrived and the kids sang all the songs that they had learned. She taught them "Jaya Berigai...", a bharathiar song.

Yoga. Tea.

Inquilab uncle came and the kids shared some stories with him.

Day 5: 23.5.05, Monday
Volunteers from AID came. The senior kids were exposed to a lot of science funda which they had already learnt in the school, but now in a very different way through some practical experiments. Meanwhile the juniors were making fishes, boats and frogs with paper. The kids were so excited that they actually said, "Anna, we'll have lunch a bit later." After lunch they were taught some math. Then song practice. Inquilab uncle told us a story about Buddha and a few other interesting stories and the kids would have to enact one of these. He then went through some poetry writing basics for the senior kids who were interested in poetry.

Day 6 : 24.5.05, Tuesday
TNSF Volunteers engaged the kids with origami. The kids learnt to make 9 different types of hats from a single sheet of paper.

[Hats... pic comin up]

Dramatics was scheduled next and the stories which they had to enact were chosen. After lunch the kids were split into three teams. Each would enact one play. The plays were, "Kannirundhum Kurudanaai...", "Vaendaam Sandai!" and "Thaai". After the first group had finished practising their roles, they came up with their own play on Pudhiyadhor! They were finding their own reasons of why they need to come to Pudhiyadhor and what other children were missing out on. It was surprising. All the plays were enacted for Inquilab uncle.

Yoga & tea.

Day 7 : 25.5.05, Wednesday
Started preparation for the valediction. Voice hunt for the choir! Selected 11 out of the 32. TNSF volunteers kept the kids busy with various games. Post-lunch the kids went to map their area, counted the trees, shops, pucca houses and thatched houses. Came back to draw the area using match sticks. Turned out looking great.

Day 8 : 26.5.05, Thursday
Had another review. Each kid came up to say what s/he felt. One said, "We will all study as much as you, and then come to Adyar and Ambattur (where a few of us volunteers were from) to set up a pudhiyadhor there" !!! Another said the "If we go to the beach or a theatre, we will spend a lot of money and get entertained for a maximum of 4 hours. But at pudhiyadhor we are learning so much and this will be useful for the rest of our lives" !!!!

Mr & Mrs. Immanuel taught the kids to make roses out of paper.

[Our Flowers! pic comin up]

While the juniors were doing this, the seniors were taught math funda by volunteers from AID. After lunch, the seniors were taught some geographical facts with a globe and a lot of questions were asked. The juniors continued with making the flowers. Mohan Ram uncle came and interacted with the children. Found them to be bright and was teaching them the basics of conversing in English.

Yoga, Tea

Day 9 : 27.5.05, Friday
A personality development workshop was to be conducted for the children of both Pudhiyadhor Ramapuram and Urappakkam together at Urappakkam on 29th, Sunday, the last day of the camp. As our place was not enough, we tried a few places and finally got help from Mrs. Immanuel for an appointment with the headmistress of the Government High school which was a 5 minute walk away from the sangam. The headmistress was very impressed with the Pudhiyadhor concept and as all the children were from the same school, she let us access to a big hall which could accomodate 300 people. Seniors made Flower vases with ice cream sticks. Ravi Shankar, an IIT prof associated with TNSF and AID, performed magic with playing cards and taught them how it works. Also threw some light on basics of Light. He then went on to some math games. Very well recieved by the kids. After lunch, a volunteer from AID conducted the Science mela.

Yoga, Tea

Day 10 : 28.5.05, Saturday
Made earrings. And more flower vases. Preparation for the valediction. Practice. Practice... More Practice.

Day 11 : 29.5.05, Sunday
Personality Development from 10:00 to 3:45 for all the kids from Pudhiyadhor Urappakkam and Ramapuram. Arrangement for the Display. Function started at 4:50 Most kids came with their parents.

[Proud Display pic comin up]

Address by Inquilab uncle, J.K uncle, Narayanan uncle, Immanuel uncle, MohanRam uncle, Oor Thalaivar, Udayan, Samu and JayaBharathi. And one thing that gave us immense happiness was that our Principal turned up for the valediction. The performance by the kids from Urappakkam and Ramapuram was great. Function over by 7:00

All the parents and kids were happy. And so were we! :)