Tenali, India

Sanctuary Home For Children is located in the town of Tenali, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, in India. It lies in the southeast, twenty or so miles from the Bay of Bengal, between the cities of Hyderabad and Chennai. Although Tenali boasts a population of 150,000, the atmosphere until recently was more like that of a village; telephone and internet service have only arrived within the past ten years. In the state of Andhra Pradesh (AP), Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Zoroastrians, and Christians coexist peacefully, for the most part. Tenali is fortunate to be known for a lack of religious tension, unlike many other parts of the country. Hyderabad, only a seven hour train ride away, is one of the most developed cities (population 6 million) in India and is internationally known as an IT center. The most common language in AP is Telugu, but Hindi, English, and other languages are also spoken. The children featured on this website come from Tenali and the surrounding villages.

Tenali's climate is generally hot and humid. Summer, when temperatures can soar to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, lasts from March until June. The rainy season is from July to September; winter which still feels rather warm for a North American - lasts from October until February. The heat and humidity also make southeast India a place of beauty where lush greenery flourishes year round, from bright flowers and coconut trees to the vast vividly green rice fields. Though they rarely venture into cities in the south, rhesus monkeys populate the jungle, along with mongooses and cobras, which the locals would prefer never to see at all. The people, especially the women, add to the beauty of south India with their bright saris and the soft tinkling of bangles and bells on anklets that is always part of the background noise. Despite the widespread poverty, Tenali is overwhelmingly a place of exotic allure and welcoming people.

To see photos of Tenali, click here.