Tokalo: Day Twenty

Day Twenty is about scampering through

Waking up today to cheerful faces I realize again that most of us are excited that the survey is coming to an end. First and last time coming like this is what I have been told more than a few times. The meal today is interesting – wild banana flower with dal. Packing and getting ready to move is a much leisurely act.

Were we happy to see this? 

While people spend abysmal sums on meat and other actions poverty too – in these parts - is stark. One of the colleagues - helping with luggage - has never worn foot-wear in his life. Another shared that tea at his place is tea leaves and water; he simply cannot afford sugar or milk. I recall sugar being priced at 40/- and milk powder at 400/- a kg. My sojourns at Barista and Café Coffee Day come to my mind, as does a friend.

The craving people have for meat has been both surprising and disturbing. How they are able to assimilate this quantity of meat besides the tobacco and areca nut remains a puzzle. Some aspects are best left at that.

Somehow we had managed this 

Lomasu too is a village that has shifted, about 2 decades ago. This I get to know from NT late evening. He introduces someone to me who according to him is the big boss of Lomasu. This big boss has a slew of questions for me. What do I feel about the success of the Wildlife Sanctuary given its size and wildlife now I had now seen it? What opinion do I have on their outdated practice of jhumming? – Yes this is how affluent people in the villages put it to outsiders like yours truly. What will happen - because of the Wildlife Sanctuary - to the proposed road to their village? When will they get the Forest Department Beat Office and Rest House at their village? I like answering all these questions, simplifying the issues, putting them in brief. During all this Jo is the enthusiastic interpreter while Ja is fiddling with the music on his phone. Engagement on these issues is a challenge for him.

Hosts and colleagues cook a dog today. I said while I do not take it I am fine with just dal and rice. This too is a problem! They do not like it. Guests are given lot of prominence and meat. A frantic search for chicken and fresh fish fails and I am asked if dry fish is fine. It is I say and sometime later take some.

Back to the walk; about 3.5 kms – 4.0 kms. Few minutes into the walk and we come across larger pools - within the river - than we have during the previous weeks. I give up jumping and keep my shoes on. My feet hurt as I walk barefoot on the stony riverbed. I put on my shoes and puddle on. Ja refers to them as JCB.  They become heavy and he asks if I feel them to be 4 kg. Some of the pools are deep enough for water to reach my waist; and we are already in March. As I move somewhere the thought that this experience is not going to recur soon strikes me. I wonder how the last day came so soon. We were about to complete the survey and reach post 1. The Kaladan was near.

Football in Lomasu

I was both right and wrong. Between us and Kaladan (that I was eager to plunge into) lay 3 waterfalls. We obviously could not jump them over. The bamboo growth in the vicinity first had us climb initially and then get down. This was tough. I have learnt to pull myself up with the roots and branches but am a certified duffer in selection of these roots and branches. We can see the river from a point but it still eludes use for a while; especially me with pebbles and water augmenting the weight of my shoes.

Finally we are at POST 1 and the last post we have put up today is 79. The adventure ends, we take some pictures, I plunge into the river, swim and rid myself of the smell that has since past couple of days been a constant companion. I lie in the water for a while and then move up to the Lomasu village. 

Day Twenty One here.