On a stroll in a park alongside the Pothundi Dam site in Kerala’s Palakkad, Paru Amma saw a new attraction – a zipline. Consisting of a cable suspended between two points (at different heights), people can slide from one end to another by means of a suspended harness. Paru Amma wished she could go for a ride in it and her wish was fulfilled in December by Youngwind, the company that designed the adventure park. The zipline is the newest addition to the park, which is now in a trial run for six months. Kerala-based Youngwind has designed the park and set up the rides as part of a tourism project.
"This is an adventure park of Kerala Tourism, rented by the District Tourism Promotion Council," says Sayanth of Youngwind.
Paru Amma, a 61-year-old farmer from Kattusheri in Palakkad, was seeing a zipline for the very first time. She went up to men working the ride and asked if she could try the “cycle ride”, as she called it. In a video that has since gone viral, Paru Amma is seen ziplining in a white saree and enjoying herself. Once she finishes the ride, she smiles from ear-to-ear and tells the camera person that it was a lovely experience and that she felt no fear.
Post ziplining, she fist bumps the videographer, all smiles. Shynu, who works at the park and helped strap the safety harness onto her for the ride, said he likes to help people in fulfilling their wishes and posted the video of Paru Amma ziplining on Instagram. In fact, when Paru Amma expressed her wish to try ziplining she was given a free ride.
Youngwind believes that age is just a number and everyone should be able to experience and enjoy the rides. "She is not the first or the only older person to go on the zipline. A 70-year-old woman called Thankamani also took the ride. We want to give the message that age will not be a barrier to enjoying these rides," Sayanth adds.