SEED - Two Years Later

When i first knocked at the gates of SEED on a hot summer afternoon in 2007, i wasn't quite sure what exactly i would do with a story about an orphanage and an old age home that struggled for survival. Let alone post production issues of multimedia, i wasn't even sure whether they (the orphanage) would let me do a story on them! Well, they did. And i went on to spend 7 days and 6 nights in a garage-turned-orphanage-cum-old-age home in the temple town of Avinashi, Tamil Nadu.

Today, SEED looks nothing like the images i had once captured. It was proudly set on a 3million(in rupees) worth property. "Local support," Kalarani smiled. The brave lady who had founded SEED gave me the same warm welcome she had extended to me 2 years ago. I was on a pilgrimage. I had come to visit SEED, to keep a promise.

Girls are seen playing in the dining hall-cum-study room-cum-dressing room-cum- the only room, of the old SEED.

When it became the dorm overnight The brand new establishment.

Earlier,they could ill afford a steady water supply at SEED, let alone a good bathroom.

The first question i asked Kalarani when i met her was whether they had built bathrooms for the girls. "Of Course! With 24X7 water supply!" She beamed.

Kalarani teaching some girls at the old house.

Images of legendary figures meant to inspire the kids hung on the walls of the new study hall of SEED.

The old inmates of my memory had an air of gloom in them.

Now they seem to have embraced their old age with a zest to live on..

He was a photographer once and was keenly aware of my every movement. I had some trouble getting a candid shot of him.

Image of old inmates taken in 2007

A grandpa dutifully switched off the TV and stood up in honour of my camera :) "Images will be out of focus if the subject moved," said the retired photographer.

The girls used to collect water from the municipality water supply for domestic needs at the old house.

They now use that time to swing high in their new garden. --------------------------------------------------------------------------

PS: I think i cannot do justice in words or imagery the joy one feels when you hear your name called out by kids sprinting all around you or how blessed one feels when a grandma takes out a woollen scarf she had carefully knit for you. Kalarani told me that during the 2 years of struggle to raise funds for the new building, they had used my images and multimedia to show their living conditions. She said people were moved and was willing to help. I believe that is the biggest award i can ever hope for.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race - 2007

The 'Nehru Trophy Boat Race' was first started in 1952 by the then Prime Minister himself, Jawaharlal Nehru as a tribute to the community life in Alappuzha. Known as the 'Venice of the east', Alappuzha is known for its scenic beauty.

For more details please visit: http://nehrutrophy.nic.in/

Documentary- SEED

There is a factory next to the home. The grinding of the machinery inevitably drills into your ears throughout the day and night. The building which is now an orphanage was once a factory too…. with broken cement floors and creaking doors. But the little faces that beckons you inside simply says, ‘welcome’ ! At 23, when Kalarani left her work at a convent , she had a mission in mind. To provide food , shelter and above all, love; to all those who are abandoned or disowned. She called her mission SEED- A society for Education, Empowerment and Development of destitute girl children and the aged. Unlike most charitable institutions, Kalarani had a unique concept for her home. At SEED, the children and the aged inmates would stay under the same roof to benefit the comfort of each other. Her dream had manifested itself into reality 5 years ago. But she had soon realised that the little go-down was running out of space as more and more children came knocking at her door. In 2005, much to the grief of everybody in the family, the aged inmates were shifted to another building a few kilometers away from the orphanage. Even then, it was not the end of their problems. At present, there are about 37 children living at the orphanage; from 3years to 23years of age. All cramped into a little hall where they eat, sleep and study. The orphanage has but one single toilet which is used only by the house hold helpers who lived there. At 5am , the rest of the children troops into an open waste land 2kms away to attend nature's call. With temperatures soaring to 40 degree Celsius and above at their little village called Avinashi, the children walks bare feet to the public taps, to collect water for their daily needs. The only tap in the house provides no more water than is required for cooking. Despite the lack of facilities of their home, the inmates of SEED, are happy, and at peace with themselves and with the rest of the world. Perhaps, for them, this loving world with all of its superficial short comings is nothing less than heaven when compared to the hell holes they were rescued from. Every other inmate is their sister and Kalarani their mother. And the ‘mother’ has been wise in nurturing a sense of responsiblity towards the society in her children. The aged inmates, takes one step further. Guruswamy and his friend spends their entire day at the road side serving butter milk to the thirsty public. After 5 years of constant struggle, Kalarani has managed to buy a piece of land to build a home for the children. An institution which would be home to both the aged inmates as well as the children. But she says that the battle is only half won; the struggle to gather enough money to build the house still continues…..

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January 2009

PS : Im happy to say that SEED has successfully relocated to a new larger building accommodating 45 children and 30 elderly inmates. Given below is their new address.

Society For Education, Empowerment & Development (SEED) (Regd. Under TN Societies Registration Act 27 of 1975, Regd No : 316/2000) Rehabilitation Centre for Destitute Girl Children & Aged Samathanam Children's Home (Recognized by Dept, of Social welfare, Govt. of Tamil Nadu) 1/849, Kasikountan Putur, Mangalam Rd, Rakiyapalayam P.O, Avinashi, Coimbatore - 641654

Ph: +91 4296 270638 Mob: +91 9443727638