THE POPCORN SELLER AT THE MUZHAPPILANGAD BEACH

Anecdote-2

THE POPCORN SELLER AT THE MUZHAPPILANGAD BEACH 

WE were returning to Payyannur after a usual visit to our thyroid specialist in Tellicherry early in the morning .My wife and  children accompanied me in the car .It was after 10 AM and we just came upon the Muzhappilangid drive in beach.We were not in for a picninc but we just decided to have a look.At frst we did not want to enter  and so we skipped the entry and just drove leisurely and  slowly along the road which curved along the wall overlooking the beach. As we rolled on ,we  were blessed with a fantastic overview of the tempting  white sand drive in beach and the dancing waves of the blue sea beyond it.Then I  found a rather filthy  narrow opening to the beach with tyre trails in the  middle.It seemed like a pool of sand and I......I paused for a while. Will the car go forward ? The wet trails of tyres made me confident ."Why not just enter and have a look and go back.We are not driving along the beach now.Must reach home before lunch."  .Every one inside agreed with my idea and We puddled in.To my horror the car got stuck in the middle track.The wheels just rolled on, the engine roared as I accelerated but the car did not move an inch back or forth. My sons got out and tried pushing the car but to no avail.The beach was almost empty as the day has just dawned on.No one was seen near or around as this was not the entry side or exit . We sweated it out in the sunshine for more than half an hour but the car did not move.Each of us took our turn in the driver seat and tried our skills at the abc's .All our experience as drivers failed.Panic was settling in as we were then tresspassers would have to pay a fine for that too.  I  have almost decided to step out of the car ,walk  to the entry gate which was at least a kilometer away and seek help.But at the moment a popcorn seller ,a teenager appeared  before us ,pushing his cart away along the coastline.I waved for help.

         To my surprise , he ran in and I told him about our predicament.He also joined in with my sons  to push the car back or forth.I started the car and tried to accelerate.Both attempts failed .Then he came close to the driver seat and asked me  for the keys."Let me try."I doubted for a moment.
       We are left stranded in a rather lonely part of a beach in Kannur. I am getting out of my car and giving the keys to a stranger.I don't even know his name. But his oval  face with a thin nose and green eyes where beard has just gown up was overwhelming with confidence.
         "Do you drive ? You won't even have the license ? " " Sir,I know how to do this. give me the keys." His face was brimming with confidence.

 I handed him over the keys and we all got out of the car  ready to push the car from rear.He got in and started the car .As we pushed, the car got to a quick move and Lo ! it leapt forward,got onto the beach track and raced on.I stood amazed and shocked.

To my relief ,the car stopped a few yards away from us safe on the beach track.The popcorn boy got out of the car, came to us ,handed over the key and started moving away from us.

I thanked him aloud from back,requested him to stop and asked him how much shall I pay for job.He said he did not need anything .

When I persisted ,he said smiling a smile that excelled the sunshine over the beach."No.I won't take anything for it it.We... we can't take any thing for such .....".

As he moved on to his popcorn cart, we were speechless for long inside the car .The blue sea lay there out with thousands of sparkling eyes, most of them winking at us.

( classroom use- pause the story at the stage.... where the boy is smiling a  smile that excelled the sunshine over the beach ....and ask the class-what surprising answer would have the boy told us.Just elicitate the possible answers .some of them will surely be awesome .)


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THE TUSSLE FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT GOES ON IN KERALA-CKR

BRINDA KARAT-The human wall is an expression of women's equality in every sphere of life .

VIEW POINTS ON SABARIMALA ISSUE

from BBC

‘Sabarimala temple: Indian women form ‘620 km human chain’ for equality’

The Sabarimala shrine was historically closed to women of "menstruating age" - defined as between 10 and 50.
India's top court overturned the ban in September, but protesters have since attacked female visitors.
The "women's wall" was organised by the state's left-wing coalition government.
Officials told BBC Hindi's Imran Qureshi that around five million women from various parts of Kerala had gathered across all national highways to form the chain, which stretched from the northern tip of Kasaragod to the southern end in Thiruvanthapuram.
Organisers had predicted a turnout of around three million.
Officials said the short demonstration was to combat inequality and counter the efforts of right-wing groups that support the ban on women.
One young demonstrator, Kavita Das, told BBC Hindi: "This is a great way of saying how powerful women are, and how we can empower ourselves and help each other. Of course, I support the move to allow women of all ages into the temple. I don't think tradition or any kind of backwardness should stop women. Those who want to pray must have the right to pray."

The guardian– ‘Indian women form 620km human chain in support of lifting of temple ban’

Time :A '620km Human Chain' — Indian Women Rally for Equality

In the midst of an ongoing battle over women’s right to visit an important Hindu temple, women in the southern Indian state of Kerala lined up to form a 620km (385-mile) human chain in a mass demonstration for gender equality on Tuesday, reported the BBC.
The protest comes during a fraught period for religious and gender rights in Kerala. In September, India’s highest court overturned a historical ban on women of “menstruating age,” defined to be between ages 10 and 50, from entering the state’s Sabarimala shrine. Protesters have attacked women who attempting to visit the temple.
Tuesday’s rally was organized by Kerala’s left-leaning government, with approximately five million women from across the state taking part in the “women’s wall,” officials told the BBC.

NDTV

Lakhs Of Women Join Hands To  Form 620-Km "Human Wall For Equality" In Kerala

Organisers of the Vanitha Mathil said an estimated 30-50 lakh women came together to form the human wall from Kasargod in northern Kerala to Thiruvananthapuram in the south. The event was held in the backdrop of the Sabarimala controversy. 

FIRST POST

Over 35 lakh women stood shoulder-to-shoulder across the national highways in Kerala, creating a 620 km-long human 'wall' from the northern end of Kasaragod to the southern tip at Thiruvananthapuram on 1 January, 2019 as part of a state-sponsored initiative to uphold gender equality, reported the Press Trust of India

 TIMES OF INDIA

Women's Wall highlights: Massive turnout in Kerala for equal rights

Lakhs of women from various walks of life participated in shoulder-to-shoulder parade called Women's Wall in Kerala on Tuesday. The 620-km-long state-sponsored campaign stretching from the northern tip of Kasaragod to the southern end is aimed at gender equality and renaissance values. Here are the highlights:
* Brinda Karat, Annie Raja addresse volunteers at Thiruvananthapuram