Digging begins

One day we went mapping the village for the number of trees that can be planted. Along the open beach, a pitch of 1o feet and three rows with 10' apart was decided. Along the village streets, on the side where the power lines don't run, a pitch of 15' was decided.

It always makes sense to walk around the village, consult people and decide on exact locations before assuming the numbers that can be planted. We began enthusiastically with a target of 3,000 and even 5,000. But when we actually stepped through the village and began to did, reality rapidly caught up.

For example, they wanted to leave clear spaces near the temple as, when their festival palanquin does its rounds, may of these trees would obtrude and may have to be cut. The cremation ground is variously ear-marked for caste groups and that for some was rather small; so we omitted that space. Many houses had compound walls fronting on the road leaving living little marginal land for planting. Then there was a goof up on the beach. A bunch of over-eager boys used a 15' pitch instead of the 10'. So in the end about all we could squeeze was space for 1003.

Digging began in early August. Everyone jumped in enthusiastically . A swarm of children followed the diggers. Housewives opened their gates and asked for pits to be dug in their yards. On the first day we dug almost 150 pits. The next day as the fishermen had to attend to their vocation, they hired a team to dig the rest. Digging went on for three days and we were done.