This dreamer is on the go
The evening at Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur was crimson red. Much like the bleak crimson on the walls of the temple itself.
Krishnakumar P S, 36, was taking it all in through his eyes: the surreal aesthetic setting, the history that surrounded the grand edifice, and above all, the world-magnificent architecture that explored nature in all its exquisite detail.
“I was mesmerised,” he recalls. “It was as if a different world had opened before me. It was as if I was in the era of Chalukyas and the Cholas.”
All the splendour ebbed into him through his eyes. Krishnakumar’s eyes are more imbibing than most others. With them, he takes in the world, studies whatever is presented before him — and even writes. Literally.
Afflicted by spinal muscular atrophy since birth, he is a wheelchair user and cannot use his hands to write. Instead, Krishnakumar explains that he uses his eyes to write, thanks to the Tobii software gifted to him by a friend named Raji Mathew, who works with Wipro. This enables him to use a computer by tracking eye movement.
Using this software, he wrote about the experiences of his travels in September 2025 through the Tamil Nadu locales of Thenkasi, Thanjavur, Madurai, and Rameswaram. “It was a dream. And the result of years of trial and planning,” says Krishnakumar, who works as an LIC agent in Kollam.
“We had planned for such a trip two times before but it failed because of logistics and health reasons. But the third time, the resolve was, maybe, stronger. We planned diligently down to the minutest detail. My friend Sreejith V, from IIM Kozhikode, helped me with that by creating a map for me. And the volunteer group of the NGO Mobility in Dystrophy (MIND) travelled with me to all these places along with my mother.”
The travelling bug bit him early. His parents used to take him to places in and around Kerala. “It was during one such trip in 2012 that I lost my father and sister in an accident,” he says.
“I, too, was gravely injured. The greater injury, however, was in the form of depression. I was despondent for four years, until a friend, Prajith P from Kozhikode, drew me into MIND that he had founded to aid those affected by spinal muscular atrophy.”
Thereon, he adds, his life changed. “There was purpose, there were dreams, there was life ahead which I felt is as sweet as the essence of grapes that I wanted to taste and experience. I wanted to travel again. That’s how this trip happened,” gushes Krishnakumar, who is now state vice-chairman of MIND.
Books, he adds, played a quiet but decisive role in shaping that desire. Sreedhara Menon’s ‘India Charitram (History of India)’ sparked in Krishnakumar the urge to visit the Tamil Nadu expanse — home to the mighty Chola and Pandya splendour that still stands tall at Brihadeeswara, Madurai Meenakshi Temple, and Chidambaram.
“Before this trip, I had gone to Mysuru to see the Chenna Kesava temple complex, a marvel of the Hoysalas. Whether there or in Tamil Nadu, what fascinated me was the scientific approach to art that is so evident in the way the temples were built,” he says.
“They could envision the ozone concept even in those ages. Such discoveries humble you. It makes one feel proud of Bharathiya culture and heritage. People describe the Egyptian pyramids as wonders; to me, the real wonders are these edifices that have not been truly explored by the modern human world.”
On returning, friends urged him to put his experiences down in the form of a book, especially after some of his writings from the journey appeared in a prominent Malayalam travel magazine. Eventually, the book, titled ‘Noottandukalude Nadakalil’, was published towards the end of 2025. It was well-received and went on to win the ‘Best Travelogue’ award instituted by the social justice department.
Krishnakumar does not view it as an achievement, but as a motivation to explore more. He dreams of continuing his travels with the earnestness of a seeker and the enthusiasm of a child drawn to the amber-hued glitz of antiquity.
“There is so much to discover and experience. My next trip is to Rajasthan,” he smiles.
“I was hospitalised recently because of a respiratory infection. It drained me of the funds I had kept aside for the travel. I have restarted planning now. Detailed planning is necessary in such travels so that we keep the budget to the minimum. It cost me just `28,000 for the 2000km Tamil Nadu expedition. Now I am saving up for Rajasthan.”
Krishnakumar smiles from his wheelchair and looks up at the sky, which opens into a magnificent world of hope and joy that probably he alone
can see.
A cherished camaraderie
Krishnakumar’s co-travellers on the Tamil Nadu trip — Ameen, Rafi and Suhail — were members of MIND collective’s volunteer group, Koottu. Formed in 2018 by students and youngsters keen on supporting people affected by spinal muscular atrophy and muscular dystrophy, Koottu has since grown into a 140-strong network across Kerala. “Nearly 99.9 per cent of Koottu volunteers are students. The oldest member is around 40,” says Krishnakumar.
“Volunteers are drawn from youths attending MIND’s camps and campaigns. Interested candidates go through an interview process, followed by regular orientation sessions on volunteering and caregiving support.” Volunteer assistance is typically available to MIND beneficiaries, who place requests through the secretary or office-bearers of Koottu.
These are then routed to the zonal coordination team, which assigns volunteers as required. “One such member is being assisted today, as his mother is hospitalised and he sought volunteer support,” says Krishnakumar.
For details: www.mindtrust.in / 9539744797.