Another picture from the trails.
AGARAM Foundation
This respect for them only grew further when I learnt about the AGARAM foundation started by Suriya and Jyothika. It works for the welfare of first generation students of families. Schooling, tuition and hostel fees are taken care of by the foundation for these children. It was founded in 2006 and I read that the foundation has also recently committed to renovating and maintaining 400 government schools across Tamil Nadu.
It was a wonderful initiative and reminded me of a local saying I have heard once. Pardon the very basic translation but this is how the saying goes: “Teaching a student how to fish is a nobler act than feeding him/her fish”.
The Little Details
I went into the trek expecting to lead a celebrity couple and their friends safely into the mountains and back. I returned however with a family of eight. Looking back now, the details were in the little things.
They never started dinner without me. Every night we would sit together and whenever I finished the subzi or roti, one of the team members would place some more on my plate unasked, just the way a family would take care of you.
Suriya indulged in open and genuine conversations with me asking me about my partner and sharing endearing stories of Jyothika in turn as casually as a friend would.
Jyothika even enquired if I would invite her to my wedding next year to which I jokingly replied that I would have to hire two photographers in that case. I was sure one of them would be more interested in capturing them than me and my partner.
Raja (our top notch film producer) introduced me to his sister back home on phone. This was the first time anyone has done that for me as a trek leader and I was touched by the simple yet profound gesture from his end.
Watching the four couples on the trails, I learnt a lot about friendship, partnership, humility and grace from the way they motivated each other, took care of each other and supported each other through the seven days.