Day 14 – Cauvery Diaries: Of Motorcycles and a Mystic
After riding through Puducherry, Sadhguru and the riders reached the state capital of Chennai, for an event that turned out to be a roaring success. So, what are we doing today? Stay tuned, as we tail the team for more updates.
Sep 1 - 2 Days To Go || Sep 2 - 1 Day To Go || Sep 3 - Day 1 || Sep 4 - Day 2 || Sep 5 - Day 3 || Sep 6 - Day 4 || Sep 7 - Day 5 || Sep 8 -Day 6 || Sep 9 - Day 7 || Sep 10 - Day 8 || Sep 11 - Day 9 || Sep 12 - Day 10 || Sep 13 - Day 11 || Sep 14 - Day 12 || Sep 15 - Day 13 || Sep 16 - Day 14 || Sep 17 - Day 15 ||
8:25pm - In Ulundurpet, Sadhguru is waiting on a highway for the riders to catch up, as some of them took a detour to fill petrol.
Quick Trivia: Which country seconds India in planting trees for Cauvery Calling? We are sure you will never be able to guess! Find the answer here.
Super slicer Swami cuts open the tender coconut in less than 6 seconds for the thirsty riders.
"I, Prisha Gupta, am a grade 10 student, and I felt so unhappy when I didn't know about the river and its problems. I'm doing this to help revive the river and spread awareness about its importance," signed Prisha on her Cauvery Calling crowdfunding page, where she aspires to raise donation for planting 2,000 trees.
Visit Prisha Gupta's fundraising page.
Tractor Fair Next Door
Next to the venue for the last Cauvery Calling event in Coimbatore, a German company Deutz Fahr is exhibiting their newest tractor to an audience of thousands of farmers. Seeing the placards of Cauvery Calling around, the intrigued farmers approached our volunteers inquiring about the event tomorrow. Since many of the farmers had to leave after the tractor exhibition today, they asked volunteers to explain about agroforestry and how the Cauvery Calling initiative will help them to plant saplings. Many asked if Isha had nurseries in their hometowns that they could visit.
Here, Brook, a Nadi Veera of Ethiopian origin, makes a bold attempt to communicate with the farmers in Tamil!
Preparations are in full swing at the Codissia hall, Coimbatore, for tomorrow's #CauveryCalling event.#CauveryDiaries - Day 14https://t.co/6vkIBCAjMR pic.twitter.com/g1fLjrtt1f
— Rally For Rivers - Cauvery Calling (@rallyforrivers) September 16, 2019
7:50pm - Expressions of big support at a short break at Ulundurpet.
5.55 pm - Chennai-Salem Highway Crossed Chennai city limits...the sun is ready to go down, but it will be a while before Sadhguru and team halt for the night.
Coimbatore Salutes Cauvery Calling!
After two weeks with our Mystic and a bevy of riders on a ride of a lifetime for a cause like Cauvery Calling, it comes to an end in Coimbatore.
For the first time, so many organizations and social and business leaders are coming together for a cause.
In a grateful gesture, the renowned industrialists of Coimbatore, prominently Mr. M. Krishnan, the owner of Sri Krishna Sweets and Dr. S. Rajasekaran, Director of Ganga Hospitals, and 40 other eminent leaders are organizing a huge welcome for Sadhguru. “Cauvery Calling is a plan to save Mother Earth for the Future Generations,” they shared as their welcome note on the invite.
You surely don’t want to miss being part of this event as we make history
At twilight, and the riders get a hydrating break at Maduranthakam, in Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu. The town is known for its artificial and second largest lake in Tamil Nadu, the Maduranthakam lake. It is believed to be built by the Chola King Uthama Chozha, also called as Maduranthakar, during his reign.
An icon of Indian cricket, Sunil Gavaskar, expresses his support for Cauvery Calling.
.@SadhguruJV's motorcade snaking through the crowded Chennai city traffic. #CauveryDiaries - Day 14 #CauveryCallinghttps://t.co/6vkIBCAjMR pic.twitter.com/j1oQtRPreH
— Rally For Rivers - Cauvery Calling (@rallyforrivers) September 16, 2019
It's not everyday can you spot in a city traffic jam, a Mystic on a Motorcycle!#CauveryDiaries - Day 14 #CauveryCallinghttps://t.co/6vkIBCAjMR pic.twitter.com/YxfBgUnTX7
— Rally For Rivers - Cauvery Calling (@rallyforrivers) September 16, 2019
Watch: Day 11 Highlights of Cauvery Calling
Snaking through the streets of Tamil Nadu, the Cauvery bikers are greeted by cries of joy at every small town and corner. From housewives to schoolchildren to political leaders from across the political spectrum, everyone enthusiastically turns out to greet the Mystic on the Motorcycle.
Sadhguru Discusses Cauvery Calling with Farmers
Sadhguru talks to farmers in an agroforestry farm, sharing an anecdote of how America is importing turmeric from Vietnam and Cambodia, instead of India. He points out the irony of how they took the seed from India and because of agroforestry, their soil is richer and turmeric grows better in those countries.
.@Actor_Vivek supports #CauveryCalling. #CauveryDiaries - Day 14https://t.co/6vkIBCAjMR pic.twitter.com/jKRoXmZYnt
— Rally For Rivers - Cauvery Calling (@rallyforrivers) September 16, 2019
At Chennai, @SadhguruJV has a media interview with @IndiaToday.#CauveryDiaries - Day 14 #CauveryCallinghttps://t.co/6vkIBCAjMR pic.twitter.com/mSHz7L6kGT
— Rally For Rivers - Cauvery Calling (@rallyforrivers) September 16, 2019
And @SadhguruJV's motorcade moves on from Chennai towards the final stop, Coimbatore.#CauveryDiaries - Day 14 #CauveryCallinghttps://t.co/6vkIBCAjMR pic.twitter.com/l6adp2e1QP
— Rally For Rivers - Cauvery Calling (@rallyforrivers) September 16, 2019
Every drop counts to save Cauvery!
There was a sudden call for help asking for volunteers from the Isha Yoga Center, 40 km away from Coimbatore city, to come to the Cauvery Calling event venue.
Shashank, our eMedia Nadi Veera jumps to the rescue...literally, onto a truck!
He was running late, and the next bus was 45 minutes away, so he hitched a ride on a truck full of engineering students working as day laborers.
What is more natural to a Nadi Veera than to talk about agroforestry? That is exactly what he did. And voila! Twenty minutes into his enthusiastic dialogue, something happened. These young boys were so interested that they said they would tell their parents to get involved in Cauvery Calling. Their parents are farmers.
Braving the heat, Nadi Veeras go door-to-door spreading the word about Sadhguru’s arrival for the last Cauvery Calling event in Coimbatore, leaving no home untouched!
The streets of Coimbatore, get coated in azure. The volunteers, with faces bright, spread the word far and wide. Get ready for Cauvery Calling, are you going to be there, cheering?
Till we get more updates from the team on the ground, hear from the volunteers who were part of yesterday’s event..
Arun, a volunteer from Bengaluru, who had come down to Chennai to join the festivities shared with us his experience about being a part of Cauvery Calling. “For this event in Chennai, the majority of the people who came were not meditators. The way they welcomed Sadhguru and received Cauvery Calling was very endearing,” he confessed. Speaking about the governments, he said, “I was also part of the event that happened in Bengaluru. I listened to CMs of both the states speak about Cauvery Calling, and we can very well see that not only the people, but also the politicians and the government are on board. So the only thing left to do now is for us to provide all the support we can to Cauvery Calling,” he said before dashing off to join the event.
Meet Our Nadi Veera - Ananya
Nadi Veera Ananya goes to the local restaurants and sweet stores in Coimbatore to garner support for Cauvery Calling. Seeing her grin so wide, the people on the other side of the counter oblige and return half a smile and pose.
Meet Our Nadi Veera - Niharika
No, she is not riding in the rally for Cauvery Calling. She is a Nadi Veera riding around Coimbatore, handing out fliers to the people on the streets, putting up posters in stores, bakeries, schools and colleges, inviting everyone to the Cauvery Calling event tomorrow, 17 Sep 2019. “We are going everywhere,” she said, “I think all of Coimbatore will be at the event, hahaha,” she laughed in victory.
Meet Our Nadi Veera - Ayush
Don’t miss this Nadi Veera hanging onto the side of a car as he aims for the best shot. No prizes for guessing if the car was moving or stalled!
From Uttar Pradesh, Ayush worked for three years as a software consultant with MNCs before joining the Rally for Rivers movement. Besides the already creative work of photography and videography he does every day, he likes to dabble with the guitar and to sketch.
An otherwise extremely soft spoken and introverted person, brings out his adventurous side when Cauvery calls.
"I'm geared up to go the extra mile and do what's needed for Cauvery" says rider Homi from Mumbai.
Students of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan (PSBB) School, Chennai share why Cauvery Calling matters to them.
"Small steps make big changes. Even though we are school students, we can contribute by taking part in the #CauveryCalling and spreading awareness," pledge the students of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan (PSBB) School, Chennai.#CauveryDiaries - Day 13 pic.twitter.com/DgsTeHxYr8
— Rally For Rivers - Cauvery Calling (@rallyforrivers) September 15, 2019
Actor, Director, Producer Arjun extends support to Cauvery Calling and joins the movement to FREE INDIA of Water Crisis.
Restaurant owner Vaibhav from Delhi shares his experience as a rider for Cauvery Calling and the hope he has seen in people's eyes throughout the journey so far.