Colachel's little saviours would make Mother Teresa proud

They have handled over 500 or more dead bodies since the tragedy struck.

They have unflinchingly dealt with the rotting bloated bodies.

No, we are not talking only about the doctors in the government hospital in Colachel, Kanyakumari, who have been manning the hospital round the clock with cheerful faces.

We are speaking about the many nurses, attendants and volunteers. They come from every caste and every religion in the region.

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The only thing that they have in common is that they are all young and enthusiastic boys.

They carry the sick and the dead on their shoulders through the stench of rotting bodies strewn everywhere.

The bodies are of people unknown to them. Yet they have been toiling relentlessly for the past three days. Mother Teresa would be proud of them.

The Indian Medical Association has contributed invaluable syringes, medicines, gloves and masks. The Rotarians chipped in with food and clothes.

Late in the afternoon on Tuesday, Red Cross volunteers came with much-needed clothes and clean Bisleri water.

Then there is the church, standing tall among the ruins. When it comes to sheer organisation, the church takes full credit.

Father Stanley captained a team of members of his clergy, sisters of the convent, members of the parish and NSS volunteers from St Mary's school to help the flood victims.

They housed the homeless in their school. They fed them, clothed them.

If the church in Colachel had not taken the lead, if the volunteers of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munetra Kalagam had refused to touch the bodies, Colachel would witnessed a tragedy to beat the tsunamis.

Nobody knows their names, religion or caste.

All we know is that they carried the dead to give them dignified burials.

A hearty salute to them, these Saviors of Colachel!