A little bit South of Madras at the gulf of Bengal, is situated one of the most remarkable cities from the whole of India: Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram (the old denomination).

About 1500 years ago this was the capital of Kanchipuram from where Indian goods, culture and religion were exported.

Mamallapuram was (is) a sleepy fishermen’s village where the earlier glory can still be seen. At the beach are the world-famous beach temples, world heritage.

It was at this beach that Mon van der Biest – in 1995 – met a small, thin Indian boy, listening to the name of Sadish. Mon was there with his whole family: his wife, his 4 children (amongst whom his 3 Indian adoptive children), his mother and his son in law. His Indian son, Santosh, had the same age as Sadish and soon a deep friendship grew between the two boys. Unnecessary to say that they had the time of their life: they went together with a fishing boat on the sea, they got karate lessons on the beach ... The last evening the whole family was invited in the fishermen’s village.

Since that time Mon went to visit Sadish with his groups, each time when he was in Mamallapuram. Together with these groups he bought during the years a.o. new fishing nets and solar panels.

All these things have been brutally taken by the see on Sunday December 26: the tsunami destroyed everything at the eastern coast of India. The fishermen’s village has been ruined ...

The story of Santosh, born in Ranchi (India) but adopted in Belgium (Aalst) and Sadish, born and grown-up in Mamallapuram. The story of a remarkable friendship between two Indian boys ....