|
|
|
Pictures of Lotus
Sculpture Donations to the Fishermen of Tamil Nadu
Click on the picture to
enlarge
Arriving in India
The donated settlements
on the way to Mahabalipuram. |
 |
People were still afraid
to go back to their old homes by the ocean. |
The new homes set up by
the government. |
People did not use them
because they were to far away from the ocean. |
Mahabalipuram
|
 |
Ananda,
the owner of the bungalow, told me that there was a tourist couple
inside the room during the tsunami, they were woken up by the waves.
The waves reached the top of the second staircase! The couple
went to the top of the bungalow and jumped off the back of the roof
fearing that an even bigger wave would come. They lost all
of their belongings. |
Going Further South;
Chidambaram
The sub collector for
the Chidambaram district in his home. |
Sethumadavan, who helped Arun and I find what villages were most
affected. |
On our rounds to find
where to buy fishing nets for the best price. |
Fishing Nets
|
 |
The wife
of the fishing supply shop owner was there and in Tamil language she
told Arun that they had not received any aid from the government.
Arun thought this quite ridiculous. It was assumed that with all
the fishing nets lost during the tsunami the store would be selling
many new nets to replace the nets that were lost. However, we
were advised that in order to be competitive with other fishing supply
stores they had to give nets on credit. With the large number of
fishermen losing everything, including their fishing nets, how would
they be able to collect on the loans if the fishermen they gave the
nets to on credit were either dead or had no means to pay back the
loan? She said they lost 2,500,000 Rupees or $60,000 in nets. |
Visiting the Village
|
The local mayor showing
Arun what villages were most affected.
|
|
Arun talking with the
local fishermen |
|
All the boats were
damaged. Most are still not seaworthy.
|
The funeral of a man who
died of injuries from the tsunami.
|
An old woman at the
funeral.
|
|
|
Two boats stranded on an
embankment.
|
What was once a house.
|
|
The village cows all
survived the tsunami.
|
The village.
|
|
|
It was such a beautiful
area. There was a canopy of palm trees with a long beach in
front of it. It must have been a beautiful village.
|
The waves destroyed all
their homes.
|
Only debris remains.
|
Click on the picture to
enlarge
This whole area was filled
with huts. Everything was swept away.
The Temple and
Resettlement
Bags of rice at the
local temple. |
Rice and dahl. |
 |
|
|
People cueing for their
share of the donated food.
|
|
A very cute little girl
in her new home!
|
The new homes set up by
the NGO. |
 |
A Hindu festival near
the settlement. |
Finalizing the Nets
Weighing the nets.
|
Loading the nets.
|
|
The uncut nets.
|
Starting to cut up the
nets into equal portions.
|
Half way through!
|
Almost done.
|
|
All finished! |
Loading the nets to be
taken to the village. |
The Best
Part...Giving the Nets Away!!!
The fishermen.
|
In appreciation they
gave me saphron coated mala and lime.
|
Shaking hands with the
village leader.
|
|
Giving away the nets!!!
|
I was so happy for them
and that we were able to make this happen for them!
|
|
All the fishermen with
their new nets donated by the friends of Lotus Sculpture! |
|
Conclusion
A receipt of what was
given to the village signed by the leaders of the village.
|
The list of names, in
Tamil, of who received the nets. This list was also given to the
sub-collector so that he can coordinate the relief effort.
|
The
receipt for the fishing nets.
|
|
|
|
|
