KOCHI: The case of how Rivkatovich Salavat, a 32-year-old Russian tourist, who got waylaid by difficult circumstances in Fort Kochi, found refuge in the company of strangers brings to the fore two stories. While one is radiant with the warmth of locals here, most of whom are dependent on tourists for their livelihood, the other is tainted with the apathy of officials.
Salavat, who doesn’t know any language other than Russian, has been stranded in Kochi for several days. His ordeal, however, will soon be over, as he is slated to leave for Russia on March 3. “The first time I came across Salavat was when he came to the cafe where I work. He was there to watch the FIFA World Cup matches,” recalls Anish P H. On that first meeting, it struck Anish that Salavat did not have any money on him.
“Despite not knowing Russian, I was able to gather that someone had stolen all his money,” Anish says.
However, the gravity of the situation that had befallen Salavat became clear to Anish when he found the Russian sleeping on a bench outside the cafe the next morning. “It became a routine. He would come to the restaurant three times a day, and then he would go sit on the beach, eyes fixed on the sea. He would be there till very late into the night, and then he would come back to the bench to retire for the night,” Anish says.
Anish approached the authorities seeking help on behalf of the Russian. “But nobody was interested,” Anish recalls. This prompted him to bring the matter before the media. When Salavat’s plight made news, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas intervened. “If the police had taken immediate action, the tourist wouldn’t have suffered for long,” says Anish, criticising the lack of amenities and security for tourists in Fort Kochi. “All the police did was confiscate his visa and passport.”
The indifference of the officials was perhaps made less severe by the hospitality of Fort Kochi residents. Patricia Bosco is one of them. None of the narratives weaved around Salavat — that he was an alcoholic and drug addict, that he was insane, etc. fazed her. When she saw a young man suffering, she opened her doors. “I invited him to my house,” says Patricia.
When The New Indian Express spoke to the officials, we learned that Salavat’s visa had not run out yet. His documents were confiscated by the police so that the Russian would not lose those as well before he exited the country. Rather than ensuring the tourist’s safety, the officers seemed to be content with the fact that Salavat had the assistance of local residents.
“Salavat lives with my parents and two children. I have found no truth in rumours,” Patricia says. She was able to gather info about him through a friend who knew the Russian language. Anish, Salavat’s “favourite person”, also rubbishes how the Russian had been labelled in the news. “He is from a good family in Russia. He is one of five siblings; he had shown me pics. The poor man just lost his way after losing his money and valuables,” Anish says.