V. Gowri (18), who was abandoned by her parents at the age of three as both her legs were deformed, was flying high on Tuesday, both literally and figuratively.
For, she was among the 100-odd disadvantaged children of Sharanalayam, a charitable organisation here, who were taken on a hot-air balloon ride. “I have seen such things only in movies. The experience was completely surreal,” says Ms. Gowri who is now pursuing a psychology course through correspondence, and hoping to teach at the school run by the organisation.
The children were taken on trips during the crew runs and demonstration sessions in which the balloons were cold inflated for trial runs ahead of the first edition of Tamil Nadu International Balloon Festival. It will be held at Pollachi from January 28 to 31 by Global Media Box and Camping Retreats of India in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Tourism Department.
A registered adoption agency, Sharanalayam is the charity partner for the event and has over 250 inmates including children who are abandoned, differently-abled, living with HIV and AIDS, mental disabilities and autism besides destitute senior citizens.
Another 14-year-old inmate says he had a view of almost the entire city from the hot air balloon. “The air blew against my face with such force that I was initially apprehensive. However, the trip was a lot of fun.”
V. Dhanushya, a ten year old from Nagapattinam who was orphaned by the 2004 tsunami, says he had a bird’s-eye view of the greenery of Pollachi. V. Ravina (17), who was abandoned as a child, says she will remember for posterity her act of waving from the skies to her friends below.
N. Vanitha Rengaraj, founder-chairman, Sharanalayam, says they conduct several such outdoor activities for the children. They also run a special school for autistic children in the age group of 3 to 14 years. She thanked the event organisers for providing this service free of cost.
This event is the realisation of a year-long dream, says Global Media Box Director Benedict Savio, who is also a consultant for Taiwan International Balloon festival.
A native of Nagercoil district, he says he had conducted this event in many places but coming to Tamil Nadu was always on his mind.
The county of Taitun in Taiwan developed rapidly and became an international tourist hot spot only because of the balloon festival, which began in 2011. Similar opportunities are available for Pollachi also as it has favourable conditions to allow this event from December-end to March-end.
While six balloons are taking part in the first edition, he expects the event to become an annual feature and the number to increase in the future.
