It was a chance meeting. Nandu had come to the Vembanadu lake to take photographs relating to a wedding. Rajappan was on his day’s chore – going around the lake in his small boat, picking up the plastic bottles floating in the water.
The young man later found out that Rajappan was seventy, that he lived alone and that he was crippled. He lived by collecting plastic bottles from the lake and selling it for a meagre amount of twelve rupees a kilo. He never earned much but the job gave him great satisfaction. He loved nature and wanted to take care of her. He had grown up in the vicinity of the great Vembanadu and it broke his heart to see people polluting it. For six years he had been at this mission-cleaning Vembanadu in his own humble way. He put a request to Nandu when he heard that the young man was a photographer who posted his photos in the social media. He wanted good hearted people to provide a little help for him to carry on his efforts. Life was too difficult for him. Nandu obliged and help flew to Rajappan from different corners. Rajappan is now a happy man.
For Nandu, life continues to be a struggle. He had been working in the gulf as an Engineer, earning quite a good amount as salary. But his heart was in photography. The young man had chucked his job and returned to his native place in Kerala, following his dream. But nobody understood him nor did they try to understand. Amidst criticism and disapproval, Nandu started his U tube channel, Pre Media through which he posted his photos, painstakingly taken.
Nandu do not regret his decision. He has the confidence that his day will come. Meanwhile he feels happy that he could help Rajappan. Afterall, life is unpredictable and in one of its twists he, Nandu himself might make it big!
