Samskriti + Sahajeevanam Eco-musement Park, Pattuvam, Kannur
I felt blessed! It was a chance meeting.
I had heard about 'Sanskriti' almost 2 decades ago, and felt it was a great initiative. The initiator PJ Joseph, a daring Jesuit! I felt good, and drawn to it, though could never make a visit.
Then, almost a decade ago, I heard about it again, but more for the ills it bore - with a very unbecoming conflict between the pioneering spirit of PJ and the formidable institution that Society of Jesus is (in spite all its radicality, sometimes, the institutional teeth show up). Then there was the nasty litigation and very nasty and vitriolic statements from PJ, which, perhaps, he spewed out in self-defence, but which did not go well with an impartial third party.
My intention was to just have a look at the place, say hello to my student and friend, the vibrant, young Jesuit, Rev. Dr. Antony Lenin SJ, who serves as the deputy director of Sanskriti centre. Then we learn about a vast 130 acre estate with provisions for residential retreat for 200 people! Also about the legendary late Fr. Zucol SJ, who went about doing good for thousands, but was also passionate about the idea of swelling the ranks of 'Christians' around. (He is likely to be initiated into the formal process of sainthood in the Catholic church by January 6th next year). We also learn about the newer initiative - Sanskriti-Sahajeevanam - a visionary and farsighted venture, established much before Eco-Theology was given the great fillip by Pope Francis through Laudato Si (which the official ritualistic Church has very conveniently confined to rare pulpits and seminars galore)! It is an eco-theme park for an Eco-aesthetic counter culture through picnic, a novel initiative befitting the times.
I can't just get away thus, now!! This is a centre of learning; and people expect an educator to show interest beyond the hi-bye! My colleague from Rajagiri, Doha, accompanying and guiding me all through this segment of the trip, is equally interested and willing to spare any amount of time. His interest is whetted as he is made to have mouth to mouth encounter with the giant pisang linin (mahilanguili) banana, and the gift of a sapling for his home. He is also given two cuttings of 'chaya mansa' the nutritious Mexican green leaf, which grows wild on Kerala soil.
The visionary dreams of social and alternative education translated into a centre and a unique acquisition of a heritage property (illam) more than four centuries old were all about to be disposed off. Then some young upstarts have the audacity or just the feel-kick, to question the authorities on this, with a kind of providential foresight of its potential - they dare the provincial to leave the multi-crore worth liability-ridden property to be spared for an experiment. Sometimes, the Jesuits (or for that matter the Church leadership), show the uncanny daring to make experiments (except in the 'untouchable matters' like that of Liturgy!). The gathering of the immediate superiors, decided to give the youngsters a chance, and run the risk with the property, already having a liability of over 6 crores. But one condition: only freedom to operate; and no human or financial resources from the society. A comfortable (though challenging) career of a typical Jesuit school set aside, Rajesh, the young Malayalee scholastic takes up the challenge and takes over the 'haunted house', and the rest is history re-written.
The illam is in tact, and the original aristocratic owners of Muthukunda Palamthuruth family (illam) feel good about it. They visit it. (They had thought that the Jesuit priests would dismantle it and dispose it off. Each of those laterite stones could fetch now around Rs. 2000, because of their unique combination! So too the timber of the building.)
The party village appears to have come to terms with the fact that the rendezvous for criminal elements has been converted into a learning centre for all in sustainability and co-existence.
There are visitors and students of architecture from different parts of the world visiting the 'sahajeevanam' campus. A Malaysian group, thorougly impressed, ships a beautiful wooden replica of a famous race horse as a keepsake for the campus.
A giant dionosaur made of wood adorns the backyard - an effort to support an artist who spent his energy and resources to create such a piece of art.
Six years into the project, the debt was cleared with consistent income from the very meaningful services offered by the campus, and it had established a nice for itself as an experiential eco-learning centre.
Haunted House phenomenon unravelled: The myth has some reality - basically from the culture of the suppressed lives and emotions of many an aristocratic women of the pre-reform or feudal past of Keralam, when many women had to live the life of obscurity, silence in the dark rooms of the great mansions of those times - their suppressed emotions escaping them as howling or wailing from the agony of deprivations and anguish, which reinforced the fear of the unknown into the locality, and made them, keep their distance. I think, Rajesh should further explore the social-psychology of the typical haunted houses of Kerala aristocracy.
From the initial indifference to cynicism and wary watchfulness for any threat to the cultures (the hindu tradition and the party hegemony), gradually there emerged a community of interest in local culture, including agriculture (with already some prior initiative regarding local food crop bio-diversity and conventional farming practices), water conservation. The centre provides job for over a dozen locals.
In the past decade plus, over 20000 learners have benefited from the campus training on co-existence.
The wild winding lianas, the thorny bushes, the 'septa-tower' anthill with its own functioning and soil transforming processes (I am struck by the ecological network, and am eager to get a specimen of the protective queen's shell made unbreakable by the unique process - but Rajesh is 'no-no' on that, as he feels that is not a fare deal for sustainability), the earthy trek/crawl tracks, the cave experience, the 'animal farm', the acquired archeological assets from the surroundings, the continuous build-up of art work of various sorts, the unique traditional architecture resembling that of a peruntachan (a Master Carpenter/Architect), and the ancient architectural technique of cooling through the combination of height, darkness, cooling stones, the fixing mortar of 'surki'...
We spent about 2 hours plus on the campus, it was great learning, but the joy of finding another bird of the same feather, was of greater happiness for me! I have already recommended the place for a trip for the parish Sunday school; to a School of Social work; or to anyone else with some (otherwise rare) common sense, which tells them, it's time that we stepped back! The centre charges Rs. 360 per person for one day's guided learning experience, including the provision for a lunch. www.sahajeevanam.in
Recommended for: Teachers, students of VI grade or above, college students, students of religion or culture or development or social work or psychology or environment or botany; priests, sannyasis, elected representatives
Ideal Themes: Coexistence for Sustainability, Soil Health - One health, Water, Biodiversity and its significance.
Namaste Fr. Rajesh! Pashyema Saradashatam!
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