Vazhani , the scenic dam and forest area in Thrissur. We- my family- visit the place quite often. This happened when we went there one evening. As we enter the walkway from which the view is beautiful, there is a small wooded area sloping towards the dam, where there are a few badly done animal sculptures are placed. Usually we don't go there, we just take the walkway. But this time the kids wanted to go and see the 'tiger' up close. As Ramesh was walking ahead with Balu, I called out to him to walk back, and I started entering the area with the other two. Suddenly a local person who was sitting on the half wall there told my kids (and indirectly to me), 'no, no, don't go in there, there is nothing to see'..I looked at him and he gave some kind of a patronizing smile and repeated that there was nothing to see, and may be it was dangerous. I said it's OK, even if the tiger is ugly we don't mind, and started to go in, but then I saw what made him stop me. There was a group of men sitting and drinking, making noise and all. I swiftly retreated and pulled my kids back, and walked on towards the walkway.
But then it struck me, and anger swept over. Why did I walk away? The place was mine, as much as anyone else's. I had the right to the scenery. I was doing nothing wrong. Then what was it that made me retreat? Why didn't that local person tell those hooligans to stop, instead of telling me and my innocent kids away? The same restraint that keeps family people of our state away from streets at night, the same inhibition we have when we go all alone to a park, or a beach, or a hotel, or a theater, the same seething silence we endure when we see the public places that belong to us taken away by those who actually abuse them..It is so ingrained in my psyche, and how I hate it!
