Day 23

I woke up earlier to prepare myself, but I still was somewhat surprised that someone knocked at my door punctually at 8 AM. I said that I need minute and quickly finished and left my room. We went by tuk tuk to the tourism office where they lead me to some room to sit. I wasn't sure what's going on and there were no other people, no other foreigners. Soon they led me to big general office room with TV and they launched series of videos promoting tourism in Tamil Nadu. Then they I returned to the first room where were two Brits this time. Someone asked if we want tea and I agreed. Brits asked me if I know what's really going on, because people were coming in and out if the room, speaking something in Tamil, but nobody was explaining situation to us. Soon they brought also German guy and also gave him tea, but he didn't have time to drink it, because quickly afterwards we were led to the car that suppose to take us to the proper place. The foreigners were laughing out of disbelief with disorganization, but they were willing to put out with it for awhile.

We arrived to a college and there were some preparations going on at the front gate area, but it was clearly still far from being prepared and not that much people were there. They led us to the college building and through corridors open to the inner courtyard full of tropical greenery. The way it looked like - architecture, design of space, shared offices of faculty, greenery - reminded me of college imagery I saw in South Indian movies, Premam being the most immediate association. They put us to some empty classroom, with only cleaning lady who was doing her duties unbothered by us. New foreigners were brought to the room, as much confused as us. At some point tourist officer entered the classroom energetically. No explanation was given, but everyone get packaged sandwich and bottle of water. However disorganized everything felt, I actually felt some sort of respect to the tourist officer, he was definitely trying his best however he could under circumstances.

After a while we were lead in return to the main gate area and this place somehow transformed so quickly. There were so many people gathered suddenly. Especially many female students in beautiful, colorful sarees and churidars making colorful kolam on sand. Every group of girls had little square for themselves and they were drawing their own design using colorful chalk and other natural ingredients. There were other decorations. Various offerings on the banana leaves, characteristic pots for pongal. I was going around doing photos of kolams, but then they wanted to place us in a way that we can be visible on photos, doing kolams supposedly on our own. Then guys with drums came and some kind of folk dance started. I talked with one Brit and he said that we're here for publicity stunt. I enjoyed the program, but suddenly they dragged us to the gate, they put garlands at us, which were surprisingly heavy. Some car came and a lady came out of it, my guess is that she is local politician. They greeted us and made photos with us together, then lady went to inspect kolams and we were also put in positions convenient for photos. Some of foreigners left on their own, some other were asked if they want to leave. They asked me also if I want to stay here. I couldn't understand if they want to take me to another place or back to hotel. I said that I want to stay, I hoped that if their program finished they will leave me alone and I could just walk on my own, talking with students, looking at what they do. But I was wrong.

At first it seemed that official program for us foreigners finished, so it will be like I hoped. It looked like I'm the only foreigner left. I made photo with group of excited student girls who were laughing that they can't capture me with them, because I'm so tall. Even some professor lady wanted photo with me and she was visible excited. But then someone again dragged me to one point. It was small chalk circle on the sand and they put wooden stick into my hand and scarf around my eyes. In front of me, farther away, there was pot tied to the tree high above the ground. I wanted to protest, saying that I don't know what to do, nobody was properly explaining, although the goal was rather straightforward. So I went blinded with the stick forward and when I approached the crowd started to cheer. They gave me some instructions, like few steps to the left, few steps forward. I felt stupid waving stick to the top, trying to feel where the pot is. With the cheering increasing I was able to find it. I investigated its position and then made one strong hit and that was enough. Water spilled on me, maybe it was coconut water.

That wasn't the end of it. They put me in seats close to college entrance with other VIPs, the lady politician and all. I got some small packaged gift which was obviously heavy photographed. Then I was led to college halls and to the office of principal, they put me in front of the principal lady, gave me tea and again photographed. When I was relieved and left again to front gate area, I hoped that really, this time it's the end of it. Some other tourist officer asked me if I want to stay here for longer. Yes, I wanted to stay longer, especially if now it's just students doing their thing. I was looking how they started some sort of competition, my guess it was whose team will boil pongal in these pots first. But then the tourist officer taken me from the crowd and said that they will leave me at the hotel.

I didn't have willpower to refuse, I really hoped to stay for longer, but without all that hassle, so I allowed to be taken away back. See, I'm already used to attention given to me, even sometimes if it's from big groups. I don't have problem when random people at the streets ask for photos. I'm even okay with people inviting me to their homes and giving me food. But when I am put on such a pedestal, when I got VIP status - that is when I feel my comfort zone boundaries were crossed. If staying here would mean more of that, then even reward of looking at how students are celebrating wouldn't be enough.

After returning to the hotel I wanted to deal with practical matters first. I really needed laundry done and I asked hotel people where I could get it. They gave me instructions, but it led me to the street where someone was doing ironing in the open. I thought that maybe that's good spot so I asked if they do laundry too. He said no, only ironing and give me card with address. I went there, it was not far, but not in immediate proximity either. Along the way I saw some shrine with snakes / Nagas.

When I was satisfied that this is settled, I went first to the church that I saw previous day on my way back to hotel, but it was closed then. Churches here seem beautiful, but usually minimalistic. The perception of simplicity could be deceitful. The perfect white of these churches is a big deal to sustain in this environment. At least for Kerala, the guide lady from Fort Kochi explained that the stain visible often at the walls and houses comes from huge humidity and if it's not painted every year it will look like that.

I saw that there's huge queue to the ferry that leads to the monuments on rock islands - Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue. I decided to eat a lot before going and that was good decision. I got to the queue and just minute later there were a lot of people behind me. Just in front of me there was family with little girl. Did she just taken selfie with me without even asking? That seemed to be the case. Only much later she turned away to me and asked me about my name and other usual things. She was quite outspoken and her English was very good. I knew that it couldn't be the case as with Mariah, she was definitely younger, but age was deceptive and I couldn't really assess on my own. She said that soon she will have 13th birthday. They turn out to be malayali family so we vibed quickly over topic of my travels in Kerala. She later on become protective towards me (I think I see some pattern here) and didn't allow anyone to get ahead of me in the queue. I quickly become fond of her and few times in the queue people assumed that I'm with her family. Another friendship I made in the queue was freshly made married couple. Tired looking guy came to me and asked if I would allow his wife, only his wife, not even him, to enter queue here next to me, she apparently had some problem with her leg. I don't remember how exactly I responded, but what I intended to say was that probably it's not my decision to make, because there are a lot of people behind. Somehow, he understand me as if I gave my permission and his wife limped towards me. She thanked me and I felt embarrassed, because I didn't really gave them kindness, but they interpreted it that way. She understandable didn't want to go without her husband so I called him. If she entered queue in middle way, I didn't see the reason why he couldn't join her too. They stroke me as a little clumsy, but definitely sympathetic. They were from Uttarakhand, or at least one of them. The queue felt like forever, even when we entered the building of the ferry service, then went through ticket counter. At the ticket counter I was separated with the malayali family, service people were allowing to enter people only in batches. I joked that I was separated with my little friend and North Indian couple even asked me if I cry (I guess I wasn't facing them so they didn't see my face, but I still had a little bit running nose, so maybe that's why they interpreted that way). I explained that was just a joke and I just met her in the queue. After passing ticket counter it came out that the queue is still long, it was leading through long corridors with interesting architecture. I had impression like the queue never ends, but landscape of it changes all the time. I already started to spurn in the imagination short surrealist story about never ending queue.

Finally we went through the ferry to Vivekananda Rock Memorial. It came out that newly opened glass bridge connecting it with Thiruvalluvar Statue rock island is under maintenance so I couldn't go there, but it was so close that it felt like almost being there either way. I was going around, visiting memorial, mandir and also looking at the landscape. It was already late so I spent there quite long time waiting for the sunset. I have been feeling that it was nice and beautiful here so it was worth the wait either way. I made also photos with my friends from the queue. Little girl and her brothers and also with North Indian couple.

After return to the mainland I made my usual routine of roaming around, I spent some time in the beaches (if they could be called like that, they are quite rocky and small) and on the promenade eating snacks. I asked around about prices of backpacks, I was feeling I'm done with my trolley bag and I need it.

Back in hotel I knew that I have plan to wake up early to see the sunrise, but I couldn't resist to chat with Nicha longer than it seemed reasonable. Kanyakumari is described as a place when you can see both sunrise and sunset from the sea and it's famous for that.

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