A designer constantly looks to extract merit from a problem. So I cast about for a solution that seemed right by me and nature. I picked the two-pit, pour flush privy. It used little water, converted human waste into compost and required no maintenance. Then after a whole year, during which I observed the flow and stand of rain water in the land near the toilet pits, I began to worry a bit: how safe is my two-pit system from mixing with ground water? Flush water is too little to create a leachate, but what of reverse flow of ground water into the toilet pit. Increasing rain water harvesting activity must surely raise the ground water level? Success in water harvesting might be jeopardizing water safety; such are the contradictions one must constantly address. It was re-design time again and in my book that always translates into converting a problem into an advantage.

It was then that I received an email from Sriram suggesting the ecosan system.Ecosan is short for ecologically sound sanitation. Its principles are several: human feces and urine are valuable resources; they ought to be separated and put to use in agriculture; water use should be eliminated except for washing up oneself. This sort of thinking to me is true ‘modernity’. A modern mind investigates a practice, picks the best from it and designs out the worst. The ecosan movement seems to be doing this with sanitation.I remember reading some decades ago, Han Suyin writing how public toilets in old China were auctioned annually; the winner would be carting away the material to his fields. Alas, China, that once innovative nation, now thinks ‘modernity’ requires flood flush toilets and miles of sewage lines.

The event was also to give thanks for the recent acquired assets: the 2,500 sft pavilion, the Yanmar mini excavator and the electric scooter that runs off solar electricity. These were spruced up and laid out for display. ‘No plastics’, I had said so mango leaves and coconut shoots were used to festoon everything. Saminathan’s young daughter made a rice flour fluid and drew exquisit kolams. Music was continually played at low key. Everyone bustled about with enthusiasm.

I was content with the expense and ostentation because I could sense I had put an end to whispered references to spirits hovering about, that may stake claim to the space if we did not formally consecrate it and declare it was ours.

We had invited every household in the hamlet Anna Nagar for a breakfast following the Ayutha Puja. Several showed up. Also present were about 6 well wishers of pointReturn from Chennai. They had come the previous night to cook and share a meal. They were the first ‘guests’ to spend a night at the pavilion, which is drawing raves.

pR’s ATeam was delighted with the events. We are now 5 that regularly spends between 2 and 3 nights every week at pointReturn. So we had to have ourselves exclusively photographed. In it are, from left,Annamalai, Chellamma, Me, Raju and Shankar [the carpenter and lastest addition to the ATeam]

When it was all over, I sat down and shared with them a wow! fact: take the year to be 09 and not 2009, and add up the date. Gears whirred for a while in their heads as it went from 2+7+9+9 to 9+9+9 to 2+7 to 9. Broad smiles broke out and I was cheered and congratulated for a master stroke in picking that date. I didn’t decline the praise!