Being Responsible

One of the first TBY-Vayali micro-credit beneficiary

Last year at the World Travel Market in London, one of the leading destination management companies from Cochin asked us this question. “All your talk about responsible tourism is fine. It’s easy for a property to be more responsible than a tour operator like us. They can make simple changes like install energy saving bulbs or setup rainwater harvesting in their property. They might purchase local produces. Even if we had aspirations to be a responsible tourism operator, frankly we don’t know how to do this. Do you have some suggestions?”

This kept me thinking and here are some observations posted on The Blue Yonder blog

Social enterprises redefining sector boundaries?

“I am investigating the possibilities of creating awareness of non -malignant palliative issues among various communities and to encourage community participation, and would like some ideas and advice. Thank you very much”


We are quite certain that not many travel companies will receive enquiries that are unrelated to holiday planning! Especially something like the one above. This was a message The Blue Yonder team received from a pathologist in South Africa recently. For us, this is a proof of what an impact a maturing relationship between two social enterprises can create. One- working to spread the community owned palliative care to rest of the world (Institute of Palliative Medicine) and the other- a sustainable tourism operator using tourism as a tool to bring attention of the world to successful and inspiring initiatives like Kozhikode model of Palliative care (The Blue Yonder).



Read the complete blog here

The entry point

© pj nair

Last weekend, twelve of us gathered together at Kodeeri Mana in Naduvattom to discuss the following:

1. Background of the formation of Nila Foundation.
2. How different entities like The Blue Yonder, Vayali, Madhava Vidyalayam and Kodeeri Nature Camp became partners and came on a common platform.
3. Need for action and focusing more on DO’s and less on DON’Ts .
4. Need to institutionalise Nila Foundation while still maintaining the holistic approach.
5. How to move from the scope of ‘Preaching to the converts’ to "the common people"
6. What should be the entry point to achieve this?
7. Who could be the potential partners?
8. What should be criteria for taking more partners?
9. Revisit the objectives of the foundation.
10. Status of 'Puzha Malayalam'.
11. Tangible action plans for the immediate future

© pj nair

Most of the 'get-togethers' are because people think alike and they want to make a difference. This is of no difference to our get together also. We were there because we were concerned about the devastating changes that are happening, but strongly believe that we can actually make positive changes rather than just sit and watch the world go by. It was in this context that Nambu raised the point of 'preaching to the converts' (point 5) in one of our informal get together.

Whats the point in discussing things between us when we are convinced that there is a need for change? We had a small debate on what should be the entry point to reach common people to explore the options of a sustainable lifestyle. Some of us strongly believed that the river itself is the entry point or the medium to reach people. But some of us were not really convinced if the river was actually so much a part of people's social psyche as we claim!


© pj nair

After a week from that discussion, I just received this note from a person called PJ Nair from Dubai along with the above pictures :

"I just surfed by into your website; I was fascinated and by your singular passion for the Nila, and I’ve, too, felt a similar, unknown fascination with this enigmatic river and the rich culture of the people who abide along its banks. All along, since childhood, I’ve tried to express my love for the river in words dredged from my memories, but alas! I’m not cut out to be a writer. But of late, I take pics of the river whenever possible- though I prefer to go upriver, near Lekkidi and Tiruvilwamala, where it’s more open, less populated and the views are exquisite. Here are a few panoramic pics off the bridge at Lekkidi. My best wishes towards the success of your book."

For some people the river is still a connection!

Bangalore © GP 2008

Remembering Sanjoy

While in Nagaur district, our artist friend was taking me through many photo albums which was basically his bio-data over last thirty years. There was but one image that struck me instantly in one of the group photos. There was Sanjoy Gosh sitting in the middle of a field engaged in discussions with the villages of Rajasthan. Our otherwise eloquent artist friend became quiet and later said, If God comes in front of me an gives an option to have him back, I wouldn’t hesitate to give up my parivar (family) including the three kids I love the most in exchange of him. If Sanjoyji had lived, he would have touched more and more lives, he would have given confidence and courage to people, he would have changed the ‘mindscape’ of people so positively that our land would be synonym to sustainable development.

For those who don't know Sanjoy, he was kidnaped by ULFA while he was working amongst the local communties. Years after, he still lives through many thousands of peoples in many parts of North India.

No wonder ULFA didnt want him alive!
New Delhi GP ©2008