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| Lalitha, Vishnu Bhavan, Sambhuthangi, Kottoor, near Kattakkada, Thiruvananthapuram |
On Mondays at 3 in the morning, carrying essential provisions to last for a week, she sets out to walk the 18 km to the tribal school in the middle of the forest where she is the lone teacher. Till Friday she will then stay in the unsecured shed that is the school.
Lalitha, Vishnu Bhavan, Sambhuthangi, Kottoor, near Kattakkada, Thiruvananthapuram has been going through this routine for the past 10 years. Despite many close encounters with wild elephants and buffalos , she continues to light the lamp of knowledge in a few tribal children of the Podium tribal settlement.
Once a lone tusker of fearsome reputation dashed towards the shed to attack the lone teacher. Hearing her shouts, the tribals burst crackers to scare away the elephant.
Courtesy:
G.S.Sreejesh (text), Mathrubhumi, September 5, 2007
Contributed by: Administrator
