26th January

26th January, we fail to make the 6.30 raising of the flag for Republic Day, and begin our tearful farewells.

Despite his best intentions to get to the RUHSA flag pole in time for the flag raising ceremony, Andy was still in his bed at the necessary early hour. Jude and I didn't even try. These ceremonies are held in every village and schoool, at different times. I saw the girls of Seetaramanpet school cycling in their uniforms after their ceremony, which they attend and then go home for the national holiday.

We cycled off to the pre school centre where we were going to meet our teachers before going off for a breakfast with Larta, who is the member of the Self Help Group who supports the Patchikili. Before we left to walk to Kamanchamanpet, I borrowed Rani's mobile to call Sekar to whom I had not spoken since there had been problems with Dr Rita and she had told him he would not again be working with the Patchikili. He confirmed all our worst fears and indicated that it is possible that the teachers may not get their bonus gift saris even after we have left, as Rita thinks this would mean that all helpers in the other centres for elderly people would think they should have sari gifts also. Bless him, Sekar says he does not feel upset at all and that he accepts what has happened. 

I came off the phone and tried to tell the teachers what had happened, in simple terms, and became upset myself as I was talking. They were horrified to see this and said immediately that they don't mind about the saris, they love working at the preschool etc etc and I must not worry or get upset. This did make me feel even sadder, as you may imagine, but we were by now late for Larta, so we set off to her home. Breakfast, which was supposed to have been just a  light meal, was not! It featured pouri, a type of flat pancake which we haven't had this visit, plus curried vegetables and samba and rice ie what you might think of as a full Indian meal! Delicious of course. We were able to talk to Larta's grown up son who is an engineer and lives away from home, somewhere in Andra Pradesh. Clearly yet another of the young people of these fairly poor village families who has worked his way to a more prosperous future, by studying hard at school and college. Padmini told me that Larta's younger son, also now a mechanical engineer, was one of the first students in the Barbara Jennings pre school which we set up in 1991, and which was the forerunner of our current preschool. I felt very proud! 

Back at the centre for a too-short pause before we had lunch. Although the children were not in school today, the elderly people were there and Indra had cooked for them and for us First of all Indra shinned up a fairly rickety ladder, in her sari, to access some banana leaves for our plates.

After our meal the teachers and the helpers made us a special presentation of gifts which they had all chipped in to buy us. You may imagine how humble I felt and how even sadder I felt about the lack of saris. Fortunately we had bought them small gifts from a tourist shop next to Vellore swimming pool, so we had a small something to give them. They give so very generously and with such open hearts. Later the teachers gave us another surprise. They had hung up balloons filled with glitter which they popped to sprinkle all over us, and they had sewn together flowers and leaves to make a kind of headdress. I thought on Andy it looked a bit Julius Caesar. They then presented us with another gift and one to take home for 'Fam and Brain'- they will know who they are! 

 

 After this we got into a discussion with the teachers about budgets and what everything costs and they showed us their meticulous accounts. They then showed us the planning book in which they write the activities, games,songs etc which they plan for each day with the children. I was delighted to see this. They are such a committed and dedicated team.

Notice how I have selected the photo of myself in which I have removed the hilarious headgear! 

Just one more eating engagement before we could wobble home on our bikes. We went for a light afternoon snack at Rani's house. She is the person who helps with the elderly people, doing exercises, going for a walk, and playing games. Another lovely day rounded off by a sighting of two beautiful Indian roller birds on the wires as we cycled through Kavanur, just before the junction and crossing. 

Google took this photo, not me.This is how gorgeous they look in flight.