This year can be regarded as one of the most interesting years of my lives. To begin with, I was in a state of utter confusion at the beginning of the year. I was not sure where my career was leading. The economic downturn has affected my immediate plans and I was lost which way to go. On a personal level I was blessed to have the support of friends who were pillars of strength during these trying times. With a range of thoughts cluttering my mind, I decided to watch a movie on the very first day of the year and it was none other than Rang De Basanti. I was not sure that this movie will have such an impact on my life. However it did have a significant impact this time, although I had seen this movie a few times earlier.
From thereon things started turning. I decided, I want to be involved socially and decided that I will devote my Sundays and my Mondays to this endeavor. Well, I joined an NGO as a freelancer and started to write a lot. In fact that was my first real attempt at writing my own blogs. I still remember the first article that I wrote was on the terror attacks on Mumbai in mid January and my much to my surprise I thought I did a reasonable job. From thereon I started posting regularly on my blog and my friends did appreciate me on this front.
While all these developments were taking place my interest in my work reduced substantially and I was not enjoying the work I has been doing. I thought it was just a temporary phase and thing will get back to normal after a while. Thereafter, there was a small team outing at Amritsar and it was quite an experience to discover with the friends and colleagues of my office. It was an extremely refreshing experience and I thought, this is what I needed. One significant thing that happened during this trip was a small visit to a rural area near Amritsar. I was really happy to be there and the image of a hut amidst a farm was striking and still acquires a place in my memory.
I came back and it was early February now. The trip refreshed my mind and the very image that I mentioned above haunted me and asked me questions to which I had no answers. I tried my best to get involved in an NGO during this time when I was actually working on the data base of an NGO but it did not give me satisfaction. I wanted to know more, discover more. I asked my best friend (Sachal) on what can be done and I vaguely remember, he replied “Dude …. Follow your Heart
In March I was still very much confused and did not know what was going on. In fact I missed Sachals birthday which was supposedly on 18th of March and I didn’t knew that day that my tenure at my office will only sustain for another month. I remember I spoke to Sachal after that and he said, do the things that you believe in and helped me to draft a resignation letter.
My colleagues were really surprised at my decision and barring the people in my team… (Special thanks to Shachin, Banjeet, Kiran, Amita, Ritika, Syed my ex boss Siddharth Sir … everyone thought that I had basically lost it. I stood firm on my decision and resigned from the office and 18th of April was my last working day.
Once I resigned from my Job, I knew that the challenges ahead aren’t easy and my inexperience in the development sector and lack of any professional qualification will be a great hindrance. At this moment, I thought it was important for me to discover more before I approach any NGO for a volunteering assignment. With this view, I planned a trip to my hometown with the hope of visiting a village and discovering something new. I went back home and visited two villages in U.P by the name of Chanderpur and Bichpuri. I got a taste of Rural India there and managed to converse with the local people. I had tried something like this for the first time and I loved every bit of it. I am extremely grateful to my uncle Mr D.P Sinha, who not only accompanied me on this trip but helped me to identify ways in which I was able to discover more. I am also grateful to my friend Soumita for been the very person to appreciate my efforts and motivate me on my endeavors.
I came back to Delhi and Visited Pravah for the first time and when I remember my first conversation I realize, how nervous I was. I decided to join two of the volunteering programs of Pravah i.e. Smile (Students Mobilization Initiative for Learning through Exposure) and YFD (Youth for Development) and applied for both of the programs. Although, I was supposed to leave for the orientation campaign in May, I was somehow not able to make it and thus I went for the Orientation camp in June. At this moment my only intent was to join smile and discover something new.
The day finally came when I came to Pravah to leave for the Smile Orientation camp and was feeling really apprehensive and didn’t knew what was supposed to happen. For no reasons I was feeling extremely uncomfortable when I was sitting with 17 other volunteers and realized that the same things will happen again. I will not utter a word by confining myself in my own comfort Zone and will never get out of it. But I am not sure what happened to me and I boldly stated ….Lets introduce ourselves much to the annoyance of the other volunteers. But as they life surprises you just when you lose all hope…..
The journey of smile was full of enthusiasm, energy and team work. Right from the Antakshari played in the bus…. Till the…. Will meet you again phrase on the stand of Lajpat Nagar comprise of a journey of inspiration, motivation and intent. I am extremely thankful to the entire team of Smile especially Neha, Sulabda, for bringing so much energy in all the sessions and activities of Smile Orientation Camp and the yeah we also created our own tribe….. Zingalika Chumbha…. I remember every bit of that camp and admit today that those three days are one of the most memorable days of my life.
We came back and met each other again before leaving for our Rural Internship and my intenship was at Narmada Bachao Andolan. The train journey from Delhi to Khandwa was awesome and it was simply great to complete the journey with Ram. We landed at Khandwa and from thereon another journey began which enabled me to question my own beliefs. Now when I look back and see at the things that we did at NBA, I ask myself …. Why didn’t smile and NBA happened to me before ….The month that I spent there was a tremendous phase in my life and I admit that I still fail to feel that passion which was the essence of the Internship @ Narmada Bachao Andolan. I am extremely grateful to all the activist of NBA and my mentors Alok Da and Shilvi didi for enabling me to learn one of the biggest learning’s of my life.
The internship finally ended but the journey hasn’t. We came back and I got the opportunity to attend a Dharna at Jantar Mantar in context of the R and R bill passed. A few of the Smilers also joined me …. And I still remember the discussion that we had on the road of Jantar Mantar. These are some discussions that are still there in my mind and I thank you all for this. At this moment I will also like to Thank Ershaad Bhai for encouraging me to aspire for greater heights and the discussion that we have had has helped me to go a long way and will always continue to do so.
Finally just a day before the feedback camp, I got the opportunity to be involved in the preparations for the feedback camp and did a lot of crazy stuff. A few of them were stock taking through a checklist, drafting an invitation and the craziest thing was to buy bags and medicines with another smiler…. Who did her Rural Internship a month before I did it and it was the first day when I actually met her. It was really crazy…. With the shop keepers getting annoyed by the way we were purchasing stuffs.
The arrangements were finally done and we met for the feedback camp. The essence of the feedback camp was the fact that we found it really difficult to summarize our learning and even three days were less. But we did it amazingly well and got the chance to meet the Smilers from the May batch and within a few minutes there was only one batch, one team and that was smilers. On the last day of the feedback camp we discussed about Action Projects and then followed the Jashn e Agaaz …. The most unforgettable event I have been part of. I loved every second of it and I am happy that I was there… with all of you ... smilers
It was then the turn of the action projects and we met within a week for the action projects which focused on Active Citizenship, Movie Screenings and Campus Interventions. This period was difficult as we were going back to our lives and taking smile with us… it was a bit complicated …..? But we managed to handle it well … didn’t we … The Smilers were involved in action projects through activities such as designing posters, T shirt, Making Newsletter … Movie screening facilitation … Mock sessions. I will like to one again thank all the Smilers for their involvement which in turn motivated me to do my bit in it… yeah just a confession to make… I was really uncomfortable with facilitating Movie screening and I am really sorry if at any point of time I did disappoint you on that front. However it was a great learning experience and today I am really confident of facilitating Sessions now.
It was great to hear the news that I was short listed for the Youth for Development Program as well and I couldn’t believe my luck. Another journey commenced and the best part is that the first journey did not end while the second was on. I got the opportunity to meet another group of 13 exciting minds and the orientation camp was an amazing blend of intensity and fun. However on the very last day when I heard about a thing called fundraising I was really tense and started to crib as I usually do…
But before I proceed one significant thing that happened here too was the creation of another tribe. The name was quite similar to the tribe created at Smile …. And this time the name was Zingas….. At this moment I will like to thank the Zingas for bringing so much energy into my life and I admit the jokes of one of the Zingas are killingly creative.
Then we obviously went back to pack as much stuff as we can and trust me packing for a six month long internship isn’t that easy. This was also a phase of transformation and just the feeling of been away from smile was difficult and yet at the same time I was dying to be at YFD….. It was so difficult to go through with that that changing phase but at the end things shaped up well.
Then the time to say bye to Smilers and fellow YFD Interns was difficult and it was quite an emotional moment to get farewell cards (Especially two of thems which were Green in color) and letter from Smilers….. Trust me you all did manage to bring tears to my eyes but smile was there on my face because I was and I am still sure that we will meet.
And then began the Pre departure training @ YFD and probably it has been one of the most interesting workshops that I have been part of. It included everything…. Creativity, Brainstorming, Discussion, Role plays, entertainment, Theatre and I will repeat killingly creative jokes. It was absurd on a few aspects … first and foremost was that I found a very special friend… hang on hang on … before you start making any assumptions, I will like to clarify … it was none other than my bag.
The training was not short of action either. We also prepared dinner on one of the days and everything prepared that day was delicious to say the least. Tamarind Rice, Palak Paneer, Dal … everything was fabulous.
But yeah I was a victim of pillow fight and it was painful to my spectacles toss up in the air and get devastated in front my eyes. However Dusherra celebrations were fun and I bought a new Kurta as well that matched well with my sweetheart bag. However just a day before we were supposed to leave, I was again lost and was wondering whom to ask what to do. I still remember this one conversation that I had with another Zingas and we shared our thoughts on the various clouds of apprehensiveness surrounding us. But that conversation managed to assured me which was really important for me and I will like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Zinga. Oh … I have just lost on one thing that I will like to mention here … Traveling in the bus and Metro with Zingas has been really a memorable experience.
The day finally came and we left for our placements. As usual, I was lost again for a few days but my mentors enabled me to find my feat and the staff at Manthan has been wonderful. Youth for Development has been a experience of its kind and has managed me to be a more stable person now. The learning has been incredible and it’s been fun to interact and work with the Community Radio reporters. The children out here have often mesmerized me with their honest and simple questions …. Most importantly if bag was my first love … my second love as not far behind and its none other than the Ram Pyari Chai. I just love it At this moment I will like to take this opportunity to thank Lokashish Da and Tanmayee for the unforgettable support. I will also like to thank one of the Smilers who have been in constant touch with me and has motivated at very juncture. She has been one of my strongest support systems during the course of the internship. …. Oh God what a year it has been. I am pretty sure I will not be able to forget this year.
Thank you everyone for making this year special … I hope this is just the beginning.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Smile Orientation
I could see how hesitant and unsure everyone was , waiting for a conversation to start with it. It was a calmness, which was similar to the serenity before a stormy wind sets in. The conversation started with a round of discussion , followed by the creating our visiting cards and and representing each other. From thereon , everyone started interacting and who knew what was about to come. we helped each other in putting our luggage on the cabs and literally fitting each other. we finally reached Sarai Kale Khan and stormed our way to the bus. We were on our way to GVNML Laporia.
Well it did not take much time for us to explode. we started playing Antakshari, shouting , yelling and laughing , fighting etc our way to glory. Gradually , everyone was exhausted and we were confined to our seats.But that was just the break need to re energize our spirits. Once we reached Dudu at 5 am the enthusiasm came back and this time with much more vigor. Once we assembled at the bus stand stretched our self and asked each other " whats Next?".
To get everyone on their feet we played the coin game , a game truly showcasing the exuberance of youth. Thereafter, a few of us had and rest of us were busy accommodating our luggage and made it sure that none of us knew , which of the bags will be in danger. Thereafter , we boarded the cabs and our curiosity and excitement was increasing on every turn that cabs took.
A few of us were unfortunate enough for getting their bags tossed us again and again, but everyone took it in the right spirit and that deserves a lot of accolades.We finally reached GVNML and had a glimpse of a rock strong mountain , standing fearlessly, challenging us to climb it. The tiredness and fatigue was evaporated by the aroma and taste of the wonderful chai and we were up and running.
From thereon , we played a number of games, and each each of the game was unique i some or the other way. However the purpose of the game was the same. The purpose of moving from I to we. one common thing about the activity was the affinity of the instruction. I can still hear someone saying "Ek gol sa circle Banao".
After a while we had our lunch and tried our best to sneak into the room and take a small nap. But there was something better that was awaiting us. After a couple of light stuff, it was time for some intensity.we started sharing our thoughts , stories and experiences relating to our lives. It seemed that each one of us were hypnotized by a force and that made us speak our heart. The stories drilled our brain, pierced our hearts and it seemed a lightning had struck. Tears started dripping from our eyes , people started covering their faces in whatever way possible and keeping an eye contact was next to impossible. we all had similar stories, the story of our life.
After the emotional storm silence took and we moved to a corner, where we can speak to our soul, not in terms of what is happening to us. We were scattered looking for an answer rather than a consolation. But this is just the impetus we needed. We held each other , comforted each other and were back with a bang. We were now a tribe, named Zingo Liga Jumba jumping , singing and dancing our way to glory.
From there we were part of a few innovative and creative sessions , which helped us to justify each other, understand both the sides of coin and assuming the impact of everything that we do. The thought provoking discussion on conflicts , values , prioritizing our values still is echoing in my ears. We had a prolonged discussion and we still trying to interpret and analyze the things that were discussed.
At the end the discussion was kept open and it was truly bizarre to leave the discussion at that very point. A question mark was loomed large on our face and I guess the process of finding the answers has just started. It was decided that we will sleep under the star studded sky much to the delight of all the jumbalites. we carried our mattress and quilt and collapsed in our beds. Just when I was about to sleep someone said "It seems we have been together for a year, a year"?.
Well it did not take much time for us to explode. we started playing Antakshari, shouting , yelling and laughing , fighting etc our way to glory. Gradually , everyone was exhausted and we were confined to our seats.But that was just the break need to re energize our spirits. Once we reached Dudu at 5 am the enthusiasm came back and this time with much more vigor. Once we assembled at the bus stand stretched our self and asked each other " whats Next?".
To get everyone on their feet we played the coin game , a game truly showcasing the exuberance of youth. Thereafter, a few of us had and rest of us were busy accommodating our luggage and made it sure that none of us knew , which of the bags will be in danger. Thereafter , we boarded the cabs and our curiosity and excitement was increasing on every turn that cabs took.
A few of us were unfortunate enough for getting their bags tossed us again and again, but everyone took it in the right spirit and that deserves a lot of accolades.We finally reached GVNML and had a glimpse of a rock strong mountain , standing fearlessly, challenging us to climb it. The tiredness and fatigue was evaporated by the aroma and taste of the wonderful chai and we were up and running.
From thereon , we played a number of games, and each each of the game was unique i some or the other way. However the purpose of the game was the same. The purpose of moving from I to we. one common thing about the activity was the affinity of the instruction. I can still hear someone saying "Ek gol sa circle Banao".
After a while we had our lunch and tried our best to sneak into the room and take a small nap. But there was something better that was awaiting us. After a couple of light stuff, it was time for some intensity.we started sharing our thoughts , stories and experiences relating to our lives. It seemed that each one of us were hypnotized by a force and that made us speak our heart. The stories drilled our brain, pierced our hearts and it seemed a lightning had struck. Tears started dripping from our eyes , people started covering their faces in whatever way possible and keeping an eye contact was next to impossible. we all had similar stories, the story of our life.
After the emotional storm silence took and we moved to a corner, where we can speak to our soul, not in terms of what is happening to us. We were scattered looking for an answer rather than a consolation. But this is just the impetus we needed. We held each other , comforted each other and were back with a bang. We were now a tribe, named Zingo Liga Jumba jumping , singing and dancing our way to glory.
From there we were part of a few innovative and creative sessions , which helped us to justify each other, understand both the sides of coin and assuming the impact of everything that we do. The thought provoking discussion on conflicts , values , prioritizing our values still is echoing in my ears. We had a prolonged discussion and we still trying to interpret and analyze the things that were discussed.
At the end the discussion was kept open and it was truly bizarre to leave the discussion at that very point. A question mark was loomed large on our face and I guess the process of finding the answers has just started. It was decided that we will sleep under the star studded sky much to the delight of all the jumbalites. we carried our mattress and quilt and collapsed in our beds. Just when I was about to sleep someone said "It seems we have been together for a year, a year"?.
Rehabilitation and Resettlement – A mind boggling process
Rehabilitation and Resettlement is a complex process. It not only involves getting the people resettled but in a way requires picking up a village. Copying its ingredients and pasting it at a distant location. We came across a few problems associated with rehabilitation, which has been summarized as follows.
• Right to Misinformation
The dam affected villager were never informed or educated about their right to get land in exchange of their existing land. They were bluntly suggested to accept the compensation otherwise they will end up losing both the land as well as the compensation.
• No man’s land
One of the complexities of rehabilitation has been resettling people who have encroached on a land are not the legitimate owners of the particular land. These people pay a tax for the encroachment which varies from Rs 150 to Rs 200, payable after every six months. The dated receipt of paying such a tax is the only evidence for such people to exercise their right to get land. However, generally facts are manipulated and such people are deprived of their right, although rehabilitation policy has specifically defined the rights of such people.
• Pride and prejudice
There have been instances when the authorities have obstructed and not taken initiatives in the process of rehabilitation and resettlement just for the sake of doing it. The point will be relevant through following case study.
Dharaji has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. It is a case of ignorance as far as the authorities and tolerance as far as villagers are concerned. The dreadful incident of the devotees flown away by the velocity of the water released from the Indira Sagar Dam has made a huge bearing on the lives of the villagers. The process of rehabilitation in this village is a matter of grave concern and has not been addressed for long time now. In circumstances where the compensation of the villagers is pending and the land and the plots remain to be allocated etc, the act of preparing a bridge on a Nala for a massive budget of 11 lakh defies all logic. The authorities could have spent a lower expenditure and rehabilitated and resettled villagers, instead of constructing a useless bridge which will be of no use once the village gets submerged. It seems it’s always been a problem of intent rather than a problem of resource allocation.
• Mission possible
Even after stringent directions of the Supreme Court which is one of the highest judiciaries to indulge in any sort of construction above the crest level in the Maheshwar dam, there seems to be no difference and on the contrary the process had been expedited. As a result of such a massive exploitation, the villagers of Lepa and Jalud, who have close proximity to dam have taken the gauntlet in their own hand and initiated a Dharna. In fact, if we look at the history of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Dharna and protest are the only possible ways which has some resistance to the carnage which seems never ending.
• Enemy at the gates
The people who are associated with Narmada Bachao Andolan are paying heavy price for their involvement. There have been cases wherein people working for other government entities, when voiced their opinion in support of Narmada Bachao Andolan, were the receiving end of exploitation , manipulation and discrimination. A few villagers have been dismissed, terminated and blacklisted in their fight to attain justice. Narmada Bachao Andolan has witnessed the greatest irony of democracy. There have been instances when volunteers trying to explore the truth of the Maheshwar dam have been ill-treated by the security guard on the gate and bluntly told “Move away you are our enemy, why should you see Maheshwar Dam?”
Later on he allowed volunteers to visit Maheshwar and shook hands with them when they were about to leave. Whether it was the assertiveness of the volunteers or the guilt of the security guard still remains to be seen?
• Right to Misinformation
The dam affected villager were never informed or educated about their right to get land in exchange of their existing land. They were bluntly suggested to accept the compensation otherwise they will end up losing both the land as well as the compensation.
• No man’s land
One of the complexities of rehabilitation has been resettling people who have encroached on a land are not the legitimate owners of the particular land. These people pay a tax for the encroachment which varies from Rs 150 to Rs 200, payable after every six months. The dated receipt of paying such a tax is the only evidence for such people to exercise their right to get land. However, generally facts are manipulated and such people are deprived of their right, although rehabilitation policy has specifically defined the rights of such people.
• Pride and prejudice
There have been instances when the authorities have obstructed and not taken initiatives in the process of rehabilitation and resettlement just for the sake of doing it. The point will be relevant through following case study.
Dharaji has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. It is a case of ignorance as far as the authorities and tolerance as far as villagers are concerned. The dreadful incident of the devotees flown away by the velocity of the water released from the Indira Sagar Dam has made a huge bearing on the lives of the villagers. The process of rehabilitation in this village is a matter of grave concern and has not been addressed for long time now. In circumstances where the compensation of the villagers is pending and the land and the plots remain to be allocated etc, the act of preparing a bridge on a Nala for a massive budget of 11 lakh defies all logic. The authorities could have spent a lower expenditure and rehabilitated and resettled villagers, instead of constructing a useless bridge which will be of no use once the village gets submerged. It seems it’s always been a problem of intent rather than a problem of resource allocation.
• Mission possible
Even after stringent directions of the Supreme Court which is one of the highest judiciaries to indulge in any sort of construction above the crest level in the Maheshwar dam, there seems to be no difference and on the contrary the process had been expedited. As a result of such a massive exploitation, the villagers of Lepa and Jalud, who have close proximity to dam have taken the gauntlet in their own hand and initiated a Dharna. In fact, if we look at the history of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Dharna and protest are the only possible ways which has some resistance to the carnage which seems never ending.
• Enemy at the gates
The people who are associated with Narmada Bachao Andolan are paying heavy price for their involvement. There have been cases wherein people working for other government entities, when voiced their opinion in support of Narmada Bachao Andolan, were the receiving end of exploitation , manipulation and discrimination. A few villagers have been dismissed, terminated and blacklisted in their fight to attain justice. Narmada Bachao Andolan has witnessed the greatest irony of democracy. There have been instances when volunteers trying to explore the truth of the Maheshwar dam have been ill-treated by the security guard on the gate and bluntly told “Move away you are our enemy, why should you see Maheshwar Dam?”
Later on he allowed volunteers to visit Maheshwar and shook hands with them when they were about to leave. Whether it was the assertiveness of the volunteers or the guilt of the security guard still remains to be seen?
A difficult word named rehabilitation
A difficult world named rehabilitation,
Is the cause of their disgust and frustration?
Innocent faces looking for support
It is a matter of a house and not a fort (dam)
Things have been blown out of proportion,
Life is at stake of the present and the next generation
The smile on their face is still prevalent,
A few tears here and there are irrelevant
Their life is an everyday fight,
For them every new day brings a ray of light
They have taught me the objective of my survival,
I hope I can contribute to their revival
With this hope I walk towards a village,
Where the authorities are leading carnage
And then a co worker pats on my back and says
Give your best
Leave the rest
All the best
Is the cause of their disgust and frustration?
Innocent faces looking for support
It is a matter of a house and not a fort (dam)
Things have been blown out of proportion,
Life is at stake of the present and the next generation
The smile on their face is still prevalent,
A few tears here and there are irrelevant
Their life is an everyday fight,
For them every new day brings a ray of light
They have taught me the objective of my survival,
I hope I can contribute to their revival
With this hope I walk towards a village,
Where the authorities are leading carnage
And then a co worker pats on my back and says
Give your best
Leave the rest
All the best
The clock is ticking for Dharaji
Time changes quickly and brings a lot of changes with itself. It can bring adversities, prosperity, conflicts, resolve, hopelessness and determination. The Dharaji village has seen it all after the catastrophe of 13th may 2006.
It was a village of festivity, where each Poornima and Amavasya will bring a carnival like atmosphere and thousands of jubilant devotees will joyfully cheer and chant “Guru Dev Maharaj ki Jai”. Besides that it was a popular destination and could have been developed as a tourist spot for the nearby areas. It would have opened a heap of economic opportunities for the villagers in earning a living and generating an alternative source of income. It was on the verge of growth and development, since its popularity as a prospective tourist destination was increasing with every given day.
However the fate of the village changed due to one incident which was avoidable in the ordinary circumstances. The incident was that the water of Indira Sagar Pariyozana was released at night and had a devastating effect on the picturesque view of dharaji. Ironically when the water was coming down and was about to hit dharaji, a few of the villagers did see it coming and shouted “Pani aa raha hai “. Unfortunately the devotees thought it is the rain which was about to come and they started looking towards the clouds.
However the truth was very different, the water flushed into the wonderful Dharaji and destroyed everything that came along its way. According to MR Ramesh, who is one of the teachers of the primary school in Dharaji, it was one of the most demolishing incidents that he had ever experienced. He unraveled a story which was painful and depressing. He told us in an intense tone “13 th May 2006 was the day”. The scenic beauty of Dharaji was destroyed the flooding Indira Sagar. The water hit the mountain and many of the devotees were struck in between the rocks. They thought the only way to get out of the mess was to jump in Narmada and did just that.
The water of the dam unleashed itself with tremendous velocity and wiped out a canvas which can only be remembered now. The villagers strongly believe that the loss could have been mitigated, if the authorities had informed the villagers about the aftermaths of the incident.
Although the villagers were aware of the fact that a dam was under construction, but the magnitude of the structure was not disclosed to them. In one single moment, thousands of villagers were flown away by the fury of Indira Sagar and the casualties were close to 5000, very different from what was estimated by the state (1500 to be precise.). The casualties comprised most of the devotees of Narmada River who has come from nearby areas.
Since that dreadful incident, it has been a struggle for the villagers. The wait has been long and the pain has been everlasting. Today the place is considered a bad omen and the villagers are confined to their homes. The water has hampered the connectivity of dharaji to Punasa, one of the nearby towns. The water which used to separate the village from the town has rose from 100 feet to 1000 feet and has submerged most of the mountains which was the beauty of the place.
To make matters worse, the rehabilitation and the resettlement of the villagers seems far from been probable. The villagers possess a great sense of unity and determination, which will be vital in things to come in the future. The irony is that the state has built up a bridge of a massive budget of 11 crores on a Nala in Dharaji, although the same amount could have been spent in meeting the rehabilitation and resettlement needs of the villagers.
The very fact that the villagers could have been rehabilitated and resettled for a sum lower than the expenditure incurred on constructing a bridge lacks a rational approach. It seems authorities have closed their eyes and decided to do everything except working on the welfare of the villagers. The villagers have also made their stance very clear and have stringently opposed the construction of the bridge. It was clearly evident from the fact that the opening ceremony of the bridge was abandoned, as the villagers strongly condemned and revolted in retaliation.
But the clock is ticking and it is high time now that the authorities realize their mistake and expedite the rehabilitation and resettlement process.
It is disheartening to see the ignorance of officials towards a village which had the potential of a tourist destination. Although the wounds of the village can never be filled or cured but an attempt to secure their future will rejuvenate the faith of the villagers in law and order.
It was a village of festivity, where each Poornima and Amavasya will bring a carnival like atmosphere and thousands of jubilant devotees will joyfully cheer and chant “Guru Dev Maharaj ki Jai”. Besides that it was a popular destination and could have been developed as a tourist spot for the nearby areas. It would have opened a heap of economic opportunities for the villagers in earning a living and generating an alternative source of income. It was on the verge of growth and development, since its popularity as a prospective tourist destination was increasing with every given day.
However the fate of the village changed due to one incident which was avoidable in the ordinary circumstances. The incident was that the water of Indira Sagar Pariyozana was released at night and had a devastating effect on the picturesque view of dharaji. Ironically when the water was coming down and was about to hit dharaji, a few of the villagers did see it coming and shouted “Pani aa raha hai “. Unfortunately the devotees thought it is the rain which was about to come and they started looking towards the clouds.
However the truth was very different, the water flushed into the wonderful Dharaji and destroyed everything that came along its way. According to MR Ramesh, who is one of the teachers of the primary school in Dharaji, it was one of the most demolishing incidents that he had ever experienced. He unraveled a story which was painful and depressing. He told us in an intense tone “13 th May 2006 was the day”. The scenic beauty of Dharaji was destroyed the flooding Indira Sagar. The water hit the mountain and many of the devotees were struck in between the rocks. They thought the only way to get out of the mess was to jump in Narmada and did just that.
The water of the dam unleashed itself with tremendous velocity and wiped out a canvas which can only be remembered now. The villagers strongly believe that the loss could have been mitigated, if the authorities had informed the villagers about the aftermaths of the incident.
Although the villagers were aware of the fact that a dam was under construction, but the magnitude of the structure was not disclosed to them. In one single moment, thousands of villagers were flown away by the fury of Indira Sagar and the casualties were close to 5000, very different from what was estimated by the state (1500 to be precise.). The casualties comprised most of the devotees of Narmada River who has come from nearby areas.
Since that dreadful incident, it has been a struggle for the villagers. The wait has been long and the pain has been everlasting. Today the place is considered a bad omen and the villagers are confined to their homes. The water has hampered the connectivity of dharaji to Punasa, one of the nearby towns. The water which used to separate the village from the town has rose from 100 feet to 1000 feet and has submerged most of the mountains which was the beauty of the place.
To make matters worse, the rehabilitation and the resettlement of the villagers seems far from been probable. The villagers possess a great sense of unity and determination, which will be vital in things to come in the future. The irony is that the state has built up a bridge of a massive budget of 11 crores on a Nala in Dharaji, although the same amount could have been spent in meeting the rehabilitation and resettlement needs of the villagers.
The very fact that the villagers could have been rehabilitated and resettled for a sum lower than the expenditure incurred on constructing a bridge lacks a rational approach. It seems authorities have closed their eyes and decided to do everything except working on the welfare of the villagers. The villagers have also made their stance very clear and have stringently opposed the construction of the bridge. It was clearly evident from the fact that the opening ceremony of the bridge was abandoned, as the villagers strongly condemned and revolted in retaliation.
But the clock is ticking and it is high time now that the authorities realize their mistake and expedite the rehabilitation and resettlement process.
It is disheartening to see the ignorance of officials towards a village which had the potential of a tourist destination. Although the wounds of the village can never be filled or cured but an attempt to secure their future will rejuvenate the faith of the villagers in law and order.
And then we depart to meet again
I am sitting in the bus and through the window I can see these open spaces,
We are amidst a crowd comprising of confused but innocent faces.
There are strangers in the bus striking interesting conversation,
The endeavor of getting a seat is full of confrontations.
The trust we bestow on the driver signifies his dependability
Keeping our bag on a strangers lap restates our reliability
The events that come our way during our journey arises curiosity
The act of buying a ticket for an elderly person shows our generosity
And then we depart to meet again
Been a part of this journey has been such a gain
We are amidst a crowd comprising of confused but innocent faces.
There are strangers in the bus striking interesting conversation,
The endeavor of getting a seat is full of confrontations.
The trust we bestow on the driver signifies his dependability
Keeping our bag on a strangers lap restates our reliability
The events that come our way during our journey arises curiosity
The act of buying a ticket for an elderly person shows our generosity
And then we depart to meet again
Been a part of this journey has been such a gain
Monoton- not us :)
Volunteering can be at times be tricky.In the orientation camp, attempts are made to open ones mind and clear one of all the stereotypes, that generally hampers our thought process. During the course of the internship, one may be asked to do a task which might be repetitive in nature. There are three basic stages in doing a task. The first stage involves learning the basic skills required to perform a the task. This is generally the time when our focus is at its very best since at the back of our mind we know that an early hiccup could be a major hindrance in successful completion of the task
The next stage arrives commences when we get the essence of the task an our efficiency in doing the task increases. After a while there is a feel good factor comes in as our initial apprehensiveness about doing the task disappears and we are oozing with confidence.
However this stage is short lived and very shortly our intensity recahes a saturation point and monotony and fatigue creeps in. This is the stage when we need to use our creativity to sustain our interest in the task which is at our disposal.It can be listeningto music while doing the task , exchanging roles within the purview of the task/activity in case more than one people are involved or we can aslo take a short break and chit chat ith our friend, colleagues, buddies etc.
However at all times it must be ensured that the quality of our work is no affected and trust me its not all that difficult.These innvative methods are extremely helpful and enables us to break the shackles of monotony. Creativity and innovation is the tantra and the Mantra to deal with fatigue, frustation, exhausation arising out of monotony. Can you think of any method which you used to break the monotony. Please do let me know
The next stage arrives commences when we get the essence of the task an our efficiency in doing the task increases. After a while there is a feel good factor comes in as our initial apprehensiveness about doing the task disappears and we are oozing with confidence.
However this stage is short lived and very shortly our intensity recahes a saturation point and monotony and fatigue creeps in. This is the stage when we need to use our creativity to sustain our interest in the task which is at our disposal.It can be listeningto music while doing the task , exchanging roles within the purview of the task/activity in case more than one people are involved or we can aslo take a short break and chit chat ith our friend, colleagues, buddies etc.
However at all times it must be ensured that the quality of our work is no affected and trust me its not all that difficult.These innvative methods are extremely helpful and enables us to break the shackles of monotony. Creativity and innovation is the tantra and the Mantra to deal with fatigue, frustation, exhausation arising out of monotony. Can you think of any method which you used to break the monotony. Please do let me know
Pack a punch? To grind a flour and prepare some dough
Something’s looks easy to be done, however when we actually start doing it, we realize the actual skills and competence required to complete the task. We tried ourhands in Cooking, Washing, cleaning etc. The interesting observation that struck our mind was the synchronization of our body parts to provide force and simultaneously much needed stability to perform that particular task. For instance, when we were involved in preparing dough we were using the strength of our hands, palms and shoulder to grind the flour.
Thereafter, we had to pack a punch and then tried to accumulate the flour into one compete structure. While were doing this process, we realized that the different body posture were suited for performing different tasks. For example when we were the flour(by packing a punch), we were sitting on our knees and it enables the rest of our body to stand as pillar and pass the strength to our shoulders, which in turn passed the strength to our hands and palms.
This was an example of an activity which was strength oriented. On the other hand, when we were preparing rotis we often had to do things other way around. So we used the softness of our palms that give that perfect oval shape. This activity primarily involved co ordination of hands, palms, eyes and more importantly our intuition and judgment whichever is more reliable.
I am sure you must be left wondering that this blog post talks about Shoulders, hands, palms, knees, shoulders etc. But why haven’t I mentioned anything about fingers. We used the flexibility of our fingers in cleaning desk, corner of a house where our hands or palms could not reach.
The use of our stomach could not be ignored either. We had learnt in our orientation workshop prior to volunteering “Pet se Awaaz Nikalo”. We were just doing that, as there was chaos when we were mobilizing people and our vocal skills were put to stern test.
However, to sum it up we learnt that every task /activity has a process and we can master it only by practicing. The bottom line is that we should not lose our creativity in performing any task. There are thousand of ways to done one particular task and the fun is to discover a new method every time we start losing interest.
Thereafter, we had to pack a punch and then tried to accumulate the flour into one compete structure. While were doing this process, we realized that the different body posture were suited for performing different tasks. For example when we were the flour(by packing a punch), we were sitting on our knees and it enables the rest of our body to stand as pillar and pass the strength to our shoulders, which in turn passed the strength to our hands and palms.
This was an example of an activity which was strength oriented. On the other hand, when we were preparing rotis we often had to do things other way around. So we used the softness of our palms that give that perfect oval shape. This activity primarily involved co ordination of hands, palms, eyes and more importantly our intuition and judgment whichever is more reliable.
I am sure you must be left wondering that this blog post talks about Shoulders, hands, palms, knees, shoulders etc. But why haven’t I mentioned anything about fingers. We used the flexibility of our fingers in cleaning desk, corner of a house where our hands or palms could not reach.
The use of our stomach could not be ignored either. We had learnt in our orientation workshop prior to volunteering “Pet se Awaaz Nikalo”. We were just doing that, as there was chaos when we were mobilizing people and our vocal skills were put to stern test.
However, to sum it up we learnt that every task /activity has a process and we can master it only by practicing. The bottom line is that we should not lose our creativity in performing any task. There are thousand of ways to done one particular task and the fun is to discover a new method every time we start losing interest.
Bose da - Bande mein hai Dum
An amazing cook, Host and Manager. He is a one man catering company. They call the name " Bose da " and he is ready with two plates of Rice, Subjee, Dal and Achar. At least 50- 60 people have three meals a day at his place and he manages all by himself. My colleage Mr Rajesh suggested, Bose Da is confined to his kitchen and Room and the only reason he moves out is to buy some vegetables, basic ingredients for the food he is preparing.
Intially I was hesitant to be shy to ask for more rice and Dal and Bose Da took a mere 2 days to observe the fact. Now the moment I want to have more of Dal and Roti Bose Da comes up to me and serves it to me, without even been asking. Its truly amazing and inspiring to watch and observe him every day.
The precison with which he works is truly commendable. The best part about him is that inspite of him been involved in so many things, He doesnt seem to complain. It seems for him each work is a process that needs to be done and it iis of no use to complain and crib about it. He has been doing the same work for years but the energy which he possess defies all logic in favour of Monotony.
and thats not all. One can often discover the kid in him, especialy when he is playing with his daugher and Son.But that is just for a moment and he moves on ......
I guess every bit of his labour and sweat says " This is for them !"
I hope I have been able to document the story with the precison it deserves.
Intially I was hesitant to be shy to ask for more rice and Dal and Bose Da took a mere 2 days to observe the fact. Now the moment I want to have more of Dal and Roti Bose Da comes up to me and serves it to me, without even been asking. Its truly amazing and inspiring to watch and observe him every day.
The precison with which he works is truly commendable. The best part about him is that inspite of him been involved in so many things, He doesnt seem to complain. It seems for him each work is a process that needs to be done and it iis of no use to complain and crib about it. He has been doing the same work for years but the energy which he possess defies all logic in favour of Monotony.
and thats not all. One can often discover the kid in him, especialy when he is playing with his daugher and Son.But that is just for a moment and he moves on ......
I guess every bit of his labour and sweat says " This is for them !"
I hope I have been able to document the story with the precison it deserves.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Action Research Project on Volunteering Experiences
The expression “getting out of the comfort zone" and the term volunteering are synonymous. To begin with explaining the rationale behind volunteering to our loved ones is a great challenge and the volunteers self belief and determination is the only weapon that a volunteer can use. Once the initial stutter had been countered its time to pack your bags and get ready for a journey which cannot be predicted. And then finally you board the plane/Train with your luggage, attitude and aspirations and get ready for the most unforgettable journey of ones life and then you land up in place, willing to unravel an experience of lifetime
The Volunteers are more or less oriented to get them accustomed to a life which is unique but the real challenge begins when you are right there. The initial bit is always the difficult part and Self Motivation is the key to success, but that’s not all. Gradually the volunteers find their mark and unwind themselves, take initiatives, learn more and contribute the Organization/ movement in which they are Interning.
One thing that cannot be counted out is that volunteers have and need to have a strong bond within them because a Volunteer can easily comprehend what a fellow volunteer goes though and during adversities it can be one of their strongest support system.
Relevance
There is a need for information on volunteering to be disseminated so that more and more people are encouraged to do it and this type of engagement gains acceptance. Volunteering is undoubtedly one the strongest means of cross earning and need to popularized keeping in mind that change always come from within and if we want to bring about a change almost every person on this planet should volunteer once in his/her lifetime.
Objective
I am one of those privileged people to have experienced this experience and I am continuing to do so. I strongly think that the experiences of the volunteers need to be disseminated and I and with co operation of all the volunteers across the globe we can prepare an Action Research Project capable of motivating everyone to volunteer and contribute to the society, especially keeping in view the fact that the Endeavor of Millennium Development Goals are just around the corner and it can only be achieved through joint sustained efforts
Methodology
In today’s world the easiest method of disseminating the information is Blogging but we can also make it ambitious based on the concreteness of the Research. Initially we can frame the research through individual interactions, sharing of experiences through email and finally shape up the Research. W can also get the research Copyrighted and Published.
Doest interest you?
In case it does please reply
We can start the Research though creative ways
· Sharing the experiences on a Blog and there can be one common user name and password that can b shared by all the volunteers
· In confidentiality is a concern initially a Google group can be created on Gmail so that emails we can just compose one email and send it to all the volunteers
I will look forward to you response for the Action Research Project Volunteer and Wall intern (Removing the wall of the stereotypes by giving an insight on what and how a volunteer works)
The Volunteers are more or less oriented to get them accustomed to a life which is unique but the real challenge begins when you are right there. The initial bit is always the difficult part and Self Motivation is the key to success, but that’s not all. Gradually the volunteers find their mark and unwind themselves, take initiatives, learn more and contribute the Organization/ movement in which they are Interning.
One thing that cannot be counted out is that volunteers have and need to have a strong bond within them because a Volunteer can easily comprehend what a fellow volunteer goes though and during adversities it can be one of their strongest support system.
Relevance
There is a need for information on volunteering to be disseminated so that more and more people are encouraged to do it and this type of engagement gains acceptance. Volunteering is undoubtedly one the strongest means of cross earning and need to popularized keeping in mind that change always come from within and if we want to bring about a change almost every person on this planet should volunteer once in his/her lifetime.
Objective
I am one of those privileged people to have experienced this experience and I am continuing to do so. I strongly think that the experiences of the volunteers need to be disseminated and I and with co operation of all the volunteers across the globe we can prepare an Action Research Project capable of motivating everyone to volunteer and contribute to the society, especially keeping in view the fact that the Endeavor of Millennium Development Goals are just around the corner and it can only be achieved through joint sustained efforts
Methodology
In today’s world the easiest method of disseminating the information is Blogging but we can also make it ambitious based on the concreteness of the Research. Initially we can frame the research through individual interactions, sharing of experiences through email and finally shape up the Research. W can also get the research Copyrighted and Published.
Doest interest you?
In case it does please reply
We can start the Research though creative ways
· Sharing the experiences on a Blog and there can be one common user name and password that can b shared by all the volunteers
· In confidentiality is a concern initially a Google group can be created on Gmail so that emails we can just compose one email and send it to all the volunteers
I will look forward to you response for the Action Research Project Volunteer and Wall intern (Removing the wall of the stereotypes by giving an insight on what and how a volunteer works)
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