‘Surf to Heal’, a unique initiative by the city’s surfers
‘Surf to Heal', a unique initiative by the city's surfers
On a warm sunny morning, the narrow lanes in Mamallapuram echoed with chatter and laughter, as a group of excited teenagers made their way to the beach to experience a day of sun, sand and surf.
En route, these youngsters from Little Lambs School, where a majority of the children are from unprivileged backgrounds, made a pit stop at Mumu Surf School and Shop, run by the affable surfer (and local celebrity) Mumu (a.k.a Mukesh Panjanathan).
He initiated these youngsters into the world of surfing. This is a part of a unique initiative titled ‘Surf to Heal’, where a new wave of surfers across the world are using surfing to heal scars of troubled childhood, break cultural and social barriers and re-build communities.
Mumu said he loves watching youngsters transform from shy individuals to confident surfers. “When these youngsters come, the first thing they see is the ocean. There is, of course, a little fear. But I give them a brief on surfing and what they will be doing. And, when they see the surfboards, they go crazy! Once they get into the water, they just don’t want to stop,” laughed Mumu.
Through Mumu’s informal talk, these youngsters get a crash course on the oceanic life. Mumu added that many of these youngsters are talented enough to ride the waves easily.
“Some of these youngsters can stand on the board and ride the waves, after spent just 20 minutes with them. Imagine if they come regularly and do this often; they can learn how to surf and also gain more knowledge about the ocean and what lies beneath the blue waters. It will develop their minds,” he mused.
The surfboards came out and were neatly lined up on the shore. The youngsters watched as Mumu demonstrated the techniques of surfing. Then, they were off to catch the waves, aided by Mumu and other volunteers. While the boys jumped into the water, the girls were hesitant. But later, they too tried their luck at riding the waves. A few of them managed to catch the waves and sported happy smiles.
Aravind, one of the students, said, “I was nervous initially but when I saw the others, I decided to do it.” His friend, Yuvaraj, added, “Mumu taught us well and told us to keep our environment clean. I will try to do that.” Reminiscing about her surfing experience, Gayathri said, “Before this, I had only watched people surfing on TV. I thought that only boys could surf. But now, I believe that girls can do it too.” Her classmate, Narmada, added, “When I surfed and managed to catch a wave, everyone started clapping for me. I was so happy.”
Maria Gislen, the Founder-Principal of the Little Lambs School, said that for many of these youngsters, this was their first trip to the sea. “It is good for children to try something different. Surfing gives them confidence to get out of their comfort zone,” she said.
An impromptu beach clean-up drive followed the surfing session. Mumu pointed out that our beaches have the potential to become tourist attractions. “People pay money to go see clean beaches and everybody wants to have a beachside life. We have the most beautiful beaches. If we keep it clean, more people will definitely come here,” he said.
American surfer Christopher Miller was one of the volunteers, who patiently taught the youngsters to catch the waves. Christopher, who is also a yoga teacher, said, “From an early age, the ocean and surfing brought me not only great joy, but an overwhelming sense of connectivity to something much larger than myself. With these experiences also came a sense of personal responsibility to take care of and respect the environment. The chance to volunteer in this project and teach the children surfing was a nice experience. The smiles on their faces as they rode waves and their willingness to clean the plastic from the beach afterwards were enough for me to see that these concerted efforts are making an important and tangible impact in the students’ lives!”
Entrepreneur Aine Edwards, who is a regular surfer, said that surfing breaks down barriers. She said, “I see expats, who work in Chennai, surf alongside local fishermen. Everyone is equal in the water After surfing, the kids were beaming. Surfing brings not only joy, but it empowers too.”
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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