Nomadic Gypsies

The Arcot Lutheran Church (AlC) work with nomadic gypsies legally categorised as a “scheduled tribe” in the designated ‘Vahiri Ministry’. A colony of these nomadic people live at Madampoondi about 40 kilometres from Tiruvannamalai. They live in tents and huts and support themselves by making jewellery and selling cosmetics to homes. In previous times these nomads also hunted however recently the Government cancelled the tribe’s licence to hunt.

Traditionally the tribe placed no value on education and would only marry within their own group. The majority of the nomads are baptised and live as Christians. There is a camp of these people located in the township of Tiruvannamalai at a place called Canon Nagar

The Tamil Nadu Government, in an effort to give importance to these uneducated people, has arranged assistance in the form of free land at Madampoondi. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Dr.M.Karunanidhi, asked that officials give a proper place to these people and that Patta Land (freehold, titled land) be given to the leader of the tribe (Devaraj) to hold on behalf of his people.

Mr.G.Ebenezer Irai Amirtham (a pastor of ALC) is in charge of organising social programmes for these nomads. Of prime importance is imparting to the group of 180 people the value of education. From this group 60 youngsters go to Government School. The pastor visits the nomads 3 days a week and conducts ‘Faith in Christ’ programmes, prayers for healing and a spiritual and secular Sunday School.

The people of this nomadic tribe are non-vegetarians and the ladies work selling from big baskets, door to door and place to place. Another source of income is making beaded necklaces and malas. Previously the tribe were forced to work for exploitive wages of Rs.8 for the production of 12 chains. However recently a better rate of Rs.200 per 12 chains (an average day’s production) has been negotiated. The tribe also make decorative flowers in paper, plastic and cloth.

The social approach of the Vahiri Ministry is; Awareness Programmes, Importance of Education, Family Counselling, Cleanliness and Exposure Programmes. It is hoped that at least 20 children of this group will reach Higher Studies (Engineering and Medicine).

Quo Vadis Compound

Finally building work at Quo Vadis Compound is complete and now all that remains is to populate the library with books and fit out the kitchen ready for the opening of the Center's two restaurants. In the below photograph is Ole Madsen from Denmark, who has been working with Quo Vadis as representative of Dan Mission. On the right of the photograph is the co-ordinator of Quo Vadis and Lutheran pastor of this area, Rev. Joshua Peter.

To find out more about the purpose of Quo Vadis you can check at this link.

In the next photograph is Penita, the wife of Rev. Joshua Peter, and the person who will be in charge of the Center's kitchen and restaurants.

Now that the building work is complete, most have been engaged in a big clean up and also in landscaping the compound.

One of the restaurants will be on the roof of the Center and has a sublime view of Arunachala.

The original site of the Center had trees that had to be felled before construction work could be started. Wherever possible the trees were saved with the idea of later turning them into sculptures. The logs in the below photograph are soon to be turned into two matching sculptures by a local Tamil artist named Ravi who, it is hoped, will be working with apprentices from a local Catholic Center.

Another view of the two giant logs.

Once finished they will be put on either side of the gateway into the Compound and thus provide a striking and memorable entry into Quo Vadis.

The two sculptures will be completed within a month and when ready I will post photographs of them.