Chinese denied roof spends 10 days in TN cave, tests -ve

Karal.Marx@timesgroup.com

Tiruvannamalai:17.04.2020

A 35-year-old Chinese man who made a cave atop of the Annamalayar Hills in Tiruvannamalai district his home for about 10 days after he was refused lodging in local hotels, tested negative for Covid–19, said district health officials.

Yaorui Yang, a native of Beijing, China’s capital city, has been visiting India for the past decade or so to learn yoga. His first visit to Tamil Nadu this February, however, proved an ordeal owing to the Covid outbreak and nationwide lockdown.

“I am an ardent yoga student. I had visited Rishikesh several times where I pursue yoga training. I have visited several places in north India,” Yang told TOI from a private hospital bed, where he has been quarantined. “On coming to knew about the sacredness of the Annamalayar temple, I travelled to Tiruvannamalai,” said Yang.

From February 26, when he reached Tiruvannamalai, he was staying in a rented house near Ramana Ashram. But after the nationwide lockdown began on March 24, the house owner forced him to vacate the house. “Wherever I went searching for an accommodation, lodge or house owners, after inquiring about my native country, treated me as an asymptomatic carrier of the virus and denied me accommodation,” he said.

Finally, with the help of a local guide, Yang reached a cave atop of Annamalayar hills and lived there from March 25 to April 4. “Every morning, I got down from the cave to buy biscuits and water bottles and trekked back. My intention was not to hide or cheat the government but to stay in a safe place till the lockdown ends. Amid all the ordeal, my only wish is to stay at least a month in Tiruvannamalai and meditate,” Yang added.

Tiruvannamalai district collector K S Kandasamy said, “Based on the tip by some local residents, we found Yang living inside the cave and immediately shifted him to a private hospital. Fortunately, he tested negative.” Until he can travel back home, the district administration will take care of his food and stay at the hospital, said the collector.

Yaorui Yang in front of the cave