It’s been three months of joining here at WTI. The Headquarter has never been this busy before. All the hustle bustle happening around couldn’t stop my eagerness and I asked- what is going on in the office? “Gajotsav” preparation, says Joshi ji in the reception. Thankfully, the term had a familiar ringing to my ear from a presentation that I once made on elephants for my boss. Gajotsavam is a month long event celebrating the Asian Elephant as National Heritage Animal of India. The aim is to raise awareness about elephants through art, culture, dance, music, film, literature, media, ecology and policy. But to my surprise, it was a few days later when I was asked to join the ongoing event and travel to God’s own country Kerala.

Ah! Don’t be afraid a non-mallu can equally survive the place, says my boss Mr. Vivek Menon.

Although excited, this had made me nervous. It was for the first time I was to play a role in such a big campaign. I sat with Saymanti who was managing the campaign to help me piece all the do’s and don’ts. Eventually, calming me down. My manager Amrit, explaining to me the norms before I leave.

Actor Vijay Fort at Gajotsavam | Photograph by Sreenanth K

Landing into a new place has never excited me as much as this one, as it was my first ever visit to a South Indian state. December for me has been wearing layers of clothing. Now that I’m here, even carrying a light weight fleece feels over packed.

Everyone said it will be a change of language, weather, food and yes I felt it as soon as I landed. The feral cats, crows on coconut trees, local buses with no glass panel on windows and signage in Malayalam- not a common sight back in the north and of course, the sea and the Christmas decoration all over. I was thrilled!

First day at the venue, the moment I entered the hall, I was overwhelmed. Elephant models of varying size and colors on display made it look like a magical place. These artworks were brought from different parts of the country. The remaining space in the venue was taken up by artists who were indulged in creating more. I took the first half of the day getting to know the artwork and the artists. Each and every art piece made from recyclable materials had a deeper story to unfold. Further, the paintings on display captured the intense beauty of our mother nature and its creatures. Clay sculptures and drawings made by all the children, as part of the Bala Gajah session, gave me a sneak peek into a child’s mind. I ended up picking one for my office table as a remembrance. Exhibiting Asian elephant photographs from the wild refreshed my memories when I first sighted a wild herd in Dhikala grazing through the grassland early in the morning with a baby elephant guarded in the center.

Band performance during Gajotsavam closing ceremony | Photograph by Madhumay Mallik

Our evenings were dedicated to music and cultural events. This evening it was Sai Sundaram weaving his magic. On the eventual days, I got to witness some other musicians like Yogini Neetu with her daughter Rain Fernandez and a young band called Chapi. Regardless of everything being played in Malayalam, I saw a uniform footfall of people joining us from different parts of the country and abroad.

With all the passing days, the focal aim of this event- Taking ‘Gajah’ (Elephant) to the ‘Prajah’ (People) seemed to be leaving a mark on people’s minds. I could notice individuals who had previously come to the exhibition alone, were now returning with their family and friends. Parents accompanied by their small kids, teachers with their students, and people with their aging parents in wheelchairs- the exhibition attracted all. Though there were volunteers to engage with locals in the local dialect, I could barely see my colleague Aditi, who didn’t speak the language, also interacting with the mallu’s around. I was even able to make some friends from Cochin.

We had displayed standees and posters explaining about elephant corridors everywhere in the hall. Visitors would actually be curious about the facts and numbers presented on it. Elephant corridors are narrow strips of land used by the gentle giant and other wildlife to access the fragmented forest patches. It is very important to protect the designated corridors, and this is exactly what WTI’s Right of Passage project aims for. People appreciated our efforts towards elephant conservation in the state and wanted to be a part of the team.

The closing day, 30th December, our colleagues from nearby field stations, Jose, Sethu, Charan, Swathi, Shajan also joined us. This was my first time meeting with most of the staff here but everyone seemed so encouraging. In a few days, my bonding with them grew so strong that I actually miss them, now that I am back at the office.

Deep inside, all of us knew that all this was coming to an end and soon we had to head back to our work station. After loading all Gajas (elephant models) back on the pickup truck that had just arrived at 2am we finally took the mandatory group photo! Saying a last goodbye to the Gajas and my friends, I hoped to meet everyone soon somewhere in the next Gajotsavam.

Cochin Carnival is a must visit for anyone who loves traveling! At the stroke of midnight, I witnessed the lighting of the Papani, signifying the end of a passing year and welcoming a new one. We were letting go of all the ills and heading towards a new beginning. Honestly, I had never witnessed a celebration this majestic, ever before.

Papani Burning at Fort Kochi ground | Photograph by Aditi Dhillon

To bind it all, there were many lessons this visit had taught me. From flying for the first time and being able to board my flight effortlessly, handling a camera (Nikon P950) and understanding the principles of clicking pictures, networking with people, working in group, to living in a non-native state and be able to communicate in local language ‘Chetan’ ‘Chechi’. Lastly, this visit, besides being an official one, will always be close to my heart. This was also the first time I was seeing the sea – ‘The Arabian Sea’. The warm sand and the warm water hugging my bare foot – there couldn’t be a better present on the New Year.

Heading back to the work at Headquarter. Stepping onto the stairs… ah! you are back…you survived in Kerala! says my boss Mr. Vivek Menon stepping down for a meeting with his morning coffee mug.

by Priyanka Kathayat