sri sarada ashram
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SRI SARADA ASHRAM
Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology(Under the Aegis of Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India)
Zone-V-A (Core C), 2nd Floor, India Habitat CentreLodhi Road, New Delhi-110003
Tel.: 2464 2395, Fax: 2464 8607Website: www.capart.nic.in B
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Sri Sarada Ashram
By T. C. A. Srinivasaramanujan
– A Success Story
For long, there has been a feeling that there should be an unbiased evaluation
of various successful projects undertaken by CAPART. The purpose of this
evaluation is to inspire other voluntary organizations as well as set an
example for carrying out developmental activities. With this intention, we chose
Sri Sarada Ashram, Trichy, Trunk Road, New Edaikkal, Ulundurpet, Villupuram
Distt., Chennai, Tamilnadu to study its activities and progress. Sri Sarada
Ashram has been working on a broader platform of Rural Development,
Watershed Development, Women Development, Improving methods of
agriculture, Education & Health etc.
In this they have received extensive support from CAPART. This book is an
analysis of Sri Sarada Ashram’s work. It provides details of the collaborative
approach and activities of CAPART and the NGO have undertaken to broaden
the horizon of development and undertake various activities which have resulted
in community development at grassroots level.
A VIEW OF PANDUR TANK
C O N T E N T S
S.No. Particulars Page Nos.
1. Dedication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Women Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4. Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
5. Social Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
6. Agriculture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
7. Water Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
8. Propagation of Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
9. Friend in Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
10. Encounter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
11. Finally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
12. CAPART Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
ri Sarada Ashram is functioning since S1979 from Vriddhachalam. It was
shifted in 1985 to New Edaikkal near
Ulundurpet 200 kms. from Chennai and 150
kms. from Tiruchi on the National Highway
connecting the two cities. The 160-acre land
site was selected because of availability and
comparatively lower cost. It was a parched
and dreary land with no grass or tree.
Swami Anantananda Maharaj and Mata
Yatheeswari Ramakrishnapriya Amba, the
moving spirits of the Ashram, have
developed it into a verdant area. 45 Sisters
assist them.
DedicationI n 1 9 9 2 , t h e A s h r a m f o r m e d
Sri Ramakrishna Sarada Trust to carry out
social and rural service activities. They are
managed through two institutions, Seva
Pratishthan and Sri Sarada Seva Samithi.
Broadly, the activities include free hostel for
150 girls, part time hostel for 100 boys,
schools, balwadis, day care centres, old
age home, free and mobile dispensaries,
family counseling and implementation
of programmes in agriculture, water
development and propagation of technology.
Women Development
Uddharet atman atmanam One must raise oneself by one’s own
exertions – this holds good in all spheres. We help them to help
themselves.
– Swami Vivekananda
–
Sri Sarada Ashram has taken initiative in
forming 300 SHGs in 100 villages with 6,000
women members. The SHG have total
savings of Rs. 1.27 crores and have lent
Rs. 9.89 crores internally.
The members of SHGs have narrated their
experiences. Smt Chitra, member of
Nadaiamman SHG in village Senkurichi,
said that her husband initially objected to
her becoming a member, but had become
supportive after seeing the benefits. She
took a loan of Rs. 25,000 and started
stitching bags and selling them to schools
and shops. She has repaid her loan, sends
her children to school and is not dependent
on moneylenders.
Smt. Vimala Devi of Vinayakar Group in
village Kannaiyar gave details of pottery,
2 3
Smt. Vimala Devi
4 5
Angaramman SHG in village Sirlapattu is
active for the last 4 years. Members
increased their monthly saving from Rs. 50
to Rs. 100. They run a grocery shop with
phone booth and a machine unit to
recondition and sell power generators. One
member sells sugarcane juice in Villupuram.
The members have purchased land
dairy, grocery and mini tempo businesses of
the members financed out of loan of Rs. 2.5
lakhs granted to the SHG. Members have
revived worship in the village temple and are
marinating it. They co-coordinated with the
Ashram in organising an eye camp in the
village, when people from their village and
nearby villages were examined. 50 people
were operated. SHG members acted as
volunteers and issued tokens to waiting
patients and served them food. They also
coordinate when the mobile dispensary of
the Ashram visits the village. They
participate in school functions and prepare
food when any school function is held. They
have enrolled all girls of the village in
school.
SHG members of Sivasakti Group in village
Erainji are working for 2½ years. They felt
happy to have started a group and say that
4 more groups were formed in their village
after seeing their example. They meet their
urgent needs from savings and have
redeemed all their pledged jewels from
moneylenders. One member, Smt. Santi,
said that her husband fell down and had a
fracture. She treated him with a loan of
Rs. 8,000 taken from the SHG. Smt. Santi
measuring 3½ acres for horticulture. They
sell flowers in Panrutti for the last one year.
In S. Pudur village, there are 5 women
S H G s n a m e d P u t h u m a r i a m m a n ,
Vinayakar, Ayyanar, Angalamman and
Muthumariamman. They took a loan of
Rs. 4 lakhs and purchased 40 cows. K.K.
Dairy of Thyagadurgam collects milk and
makes weekly payment at the rate of Rs. 11
per litre. They have repaid the loan and are
earning a good income.
Smt. Savitri Amma belongs to village
Kattunemmeli of Ulundurpet block. She
became a widow 16 years ago. The burden
of taking care of her two daughters and a
son fell upon her. She started making toys to
eke out a living. She learnt the craft from her
parents in her childhood. She started as a
worker to begin with at a wage of Rs. 5 a
day as a worker, which gradually improved it
to Rs. 20-50 a day over time. To establish
her own independent unit, she joined the
Mariamman SHG of her village and took a
loan of Rs. 75,000 in two stages. She
purchased moulds, dyes, racks, wooden
logs and other basic requirements and also
used the funds for getting raw materials
Sri S. Velappan, retired Headmaster, assisting in dairy collection
Chennai. She was able to sell Rs. 40,000
worth toys. She proceeded to Chingleput to
sell off the unsold toys. She has taken a
shed at a monthly rent of Rs. 600 at
Vriddhachalam to have better access to
market. She has become self-sufficient,
married off one of her daughters, educating
her children and engages some hands to
assist her in her avocation.
6 7
china clay, whole clay, soda silicate, plaster
of paris etc. She built up a capacity to make
20 toys in two days. Initially, she was selling
the toys to traders, but the return was not
remunerative. Now, she goes to Villupuram,
Cuddalore, Puttur, Tiruttani and other big
centres to vend her wares. Sri Sarada
Ashram arranged with Women Development
Corporation to send her to Navaratri Mela at
Smt. Savitri Amma making toys
She takes Rs. 50 a day as wages and nets a
profit of Rs. 500 to 1000 every month. There
is a telephone booth also in the shop.
Though she can sell vegetables and fruits,
she shows great social awareness when she
says that she has not stocked any item in
her shop, which will cut into the business of
others who trade in them.
In Pullur village of Pali Panchayat,
Smt. Vanasundari was covered under the
Sarada Dhanavarshini Scheme of the
Ashram. She was trained for 15 days in the
Entrepreneur Development Programme.
She took a loan of Rs. 5,000 from her SHG
and started a grocery shop in January 2007.
She has a monthly turnover of Rs. 13,000.
Smt. Vanasundart in her grocery shop
8 9
Training in Wirebag Making
Training in Knitting
other subjects of training. The girls are
trained in napkin making, rexine products,
arecanut plates and many other handicrafts.
For old, poor and uncared women, a
Vriddha Mahila Kendra is run. There are
25 women. All facilities, including TV, are
provided for them.
The Ashram runs a Vocational Training
Centre for rural girls. It is residential. A
10 - month course in computer training is
given to 25 girls at a time. 12 computers are
available for the training. Already, several
batches have received training and got
employment. Typing in English and Tamil is
taught through 10 machines. Accounts
maintenance and spoken English are the
Inmates of Vriddha Mahila Kendra
schools and gives them boarding and
lodging facility and coaching. Orphans, one-
parent children, destitute or children without
a congenial atmosphere at home are eligible
for Sevalayam admission. Coaching is given
2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the
evening, especially in subjects for which
teachers are not posted in their schools.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalay is an
institution supported by Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan. 51 girls in 11-14 age group are
enrolled in classes VI to VIII. They are
school dropouts or they were not enrolled in
any school so far. They are taught in
accordance with Activity Based Learning
System [ABLS]. There are 5 full time
teachers and 4 part time teachers for PT
and vocational training. The school is
residential. The girls are sent up to Standard
IX after completion.
The examination results of students under
the wings of the Ashram are among the best
in the district.
Sri Sarada Ashram started its activities
in 1979 by establishing a school in
Vriddhachalam with just 3 students. Their
parents lacked the motivation to send them
to school on their own. Swami Anantananda
Maharaj himself used to pedal a cycle
rikshaw, unable to afford a paid driver, to
bring the students to the school and take
them back home. There were no funds to
appoint teachers and provide basic facilities.
Volunteer teachers taught. For black board,
walls covered with soot were used. The
dedication bore fruit and the school became
the best primary school in Vriddhachalam.
The Ashram expanded its activities in the
field of education by establishing a Higher
Secondary School in Ulundurpet with 2,500
students, a Residential High School for 600
students and a College of Education for 100
students are being run. In 1998, another
educational experiment was initiated by
starting an institution, Sevalayam. It enrols
150 girl students studying in Government
10 11
EducationTeach some boys and girls of the peasant classes the rudiments of learning and infuse a number of ideas into their brains.
– Swami Vivekananda
HealthThe Sisters of the Ashram periodically visit villages in the area in pursuance of Swami Vivekananda’s call:
Go from village to village from one portion of the country to another.
Your work is to serve the miserable without distinction of caste or
colour.
lady doctor working on a voluntary basis for
the past three years. The mobile dispensary
visits villages as per pre-planned itinerary.
The Ashram runs camps in the village.
Recently, an Eye Camp sponsored by the
famous Sankara Nethralaya was organised
in ten centers covering fifty villages. The
Ashram has on its rolls several eminent
doctors of Chennai. They offer their services
whenever needed.
In one such visit, the sisters bathed the
children and combed their hair. One girl was
found with rashes on her scalp. Her mother
said that it was not possible for her to take
the girl to a doctor, as she would lose a
day’s wage. This prompted the Mother
o f the Ashram, Mata Yatheeswar i
Ramakrishnapriya Amba, to start the
Dispensary in the Ashram with mobile
facilities. The dispensary has a whole time
he Ashram is located near a village,
Aziznagar. It appears that the village Thad an unsavoury past. According to two
persons of the village, Sri Pazhamalai, a
retired teacher and Sri Sethuraman, an
important functionary of Moovendar
Munnetra Kazhagam, a socio-political
organisation, the inhabitants of the village
belong to Veppur Kallar community and
were in the army of Raja Desingh of Senji
(Gingee). After his defeat by the British, they
dispersed and drifted away. In 1910, they
were rehabilitated and settled in Aziznagar
by the then Collector of South Arcot, Sri Aziz
Hussain, whose name is given to the village.
It appears that they were mostly on the
wrong side of the law. When the Ashram
was established in the vicinity, the Maharaj
took keen interest in their development. He
took them under his tutelage and inculcated
moral values. He tirelessly worked for their
rehabilitation in Neiveli Lignite Project,
12
Social Change
Uttishthata jagrata prapya varannibodhata – Awake, arise and stop
not till the desired end is reached.
– Swami Vivekananda
Sri Pazhamalai of Aziznagar
approached the Maharaj to intercede with
the Collector to remove the liquor shop. The
Maharaj took it up with the Tehsildar and
Collector. On their part, the people of
Aziznagar also took to dharna and other
peaceful forms of protest. Women played a
key role in the agitation. Sri Sethuraman
said that the liquor lobby offered him
Rs. 10,000 to soft pedal the issue, but he
did not yield to the temptation. The efforts of
the people bore fruit and the liquor shop was
removed from the village.
where they lost some lands and got them
both regular and contract jobs. According to
Sri Pazhamalai and Sri Sethuraman, 200
people got jobs and work in Neiveli thanks to
the efforts of the Maharaj. The Ashram is
running a day care centre in the village for
poor old people.
An important offshoot of their joining the
mainstream was witnessed in the year 2002.
Government sanctioned a liquor shop in the
village. Fearing that easy access to alcohol
will disrupt their fragile social progress, they
13
resulted in considerable saving in seed rate.
He said that against 35 kg of seeds, he
sowed only 3 kg of seeds per acre. Though
yield has fallen from 36 bags to 32 bags in
his 20 cents, he hopes to increase to 42
bags next year. He adopted organic farming
in sugarcane also and has seen increase in
yield from 40 tonnes to 47 tonnes per acre.
He is also doing vermiculture under the
guidance of the Ashram.
Sri K. Gurumurthy is a progressive farmer
of S. Pudur village of Semmanangur
Panchayat. He was awarded second prize
for best urad cultivation in the district and
proudly showed the cheque of Rs. 10,000
given to him. His production was 1,115 kg in
one hectare. The Ashram persuaded him to
adopt the System of Rice Intensification
[SRI] method, also known as single straw
method, in 20 cents of land. This has
Agriculture
14 15
Sri K.Gurumaurthy near his vermicompost tub
Sri Anandakannan applying azolla
asserted that he was able to defy the trend
thanks to his own expertise and the constant
guidance from the Ashram.
Sri Gunasekharan of village Pullur in Pali
Panchayat has adopted azolla cultivation. In
the bed, he put a polyethylene sheet, spread
red soil and cow dung and watered it. After a
week, he shifted to a bigger bed. After
weeding, he put azolla. Last year, he got
1 kg of azolla. In paddy, he found less weed
Sri Anandakannan of Pullur village and
Panchayat, Ulundurpet Block was motivated
by the Ashram to bring 20 cents of land
under organic farming. He stated that the
yield was 12 bags against 8 bags when
cultivated with chemical inputs. The general
perception is that in the initial stages of
switch from inorganic to organic cultivation,
yield drops and only after the soil recovers
natural fertility, yield starts catching up with
pre-organic levels. Sri Anandakannan
and healthier and greener
crop. In bhindi [lady’s fingers]
and brinjal, the size was
bigger and the vegetables
were fresher and more in
quantity. Pests were fewer.
In Pullur village of Pali
Panchayat, Smt. Vanasundari
prepared panchakavya with
encouragement from Ashram
Sisters. She improvised the
Ashram technique by mixing
cow dung, cow’s urine, cow’s
milk, banana, ghee, jaggery
and neem oil and kept it for
15 days. She added 10 litres
of water for 1 litre of the
mixture to get panchakavya.
She applied it to lemon,
kanakambaram, chili and
beans and got good yield.
She found no pests in the
crop.
16 17
Azolla cultivation in Sri Gunasekharan’s field
Azolla fed to cows
Water Development
Before Renovation - Semmanangur
After Renovation - Semmanangur
Vital Role of CAPART
sacrifice for public good. Besides, there
were encroachments on the inlet and
outlet routes. The encroachers physically
obstructed the work. One such person was
Sri A. Kaliyamurthy. He said that he
threatened the workers and forbade them
from digging the channels. The Sisters of
the Ashram were summoned. They
persuaded him to give up his opposition and
convinced him that the project was for the
common good and that he would gain in the
long run. He said that he abided by the
advice of the Sisters and became very
cooperative.
ith CAPART assistance, the Ashram Wimplemented the project, Renovation
of Tank and Formation of Tank Users’
Association in village Semmanangur in
Thirunavalur Block of Ulundurpet Taluk in
Villupuram district was in 2002-03. The
water body is a lake with a 1242 metre long
Bund. It has an irrigation area of 169.9
acres. The entire bed of the lake was thickly
infested with weeds, which were cleared
with people’s cooperation. The incoming
channel passed through some patta lands.
Initially, the landowners were reluctant to
part with their land to let the supply channel.
Sri Sarada Ashram persuaded them to make
18 19
People’s Participation in Pandur
O n e o f t h e
CAPART works
implemented by
Sri Sarada Ashram
was “Revival of
traditional chain of
tanks” in Pandur
v i l l a g e a n d
P a n c h a y a t o f
Thirunavalur block.
The tank bund of 3
kms. was cleaned
and deepened.
Two revetments, two sluice, two surplus
weirs, outlet channels and steps are the
features. Bund height is increased by 5' and
more importantly it is widened to allow
vehicles to pass. Photos of the bund before
the work was done show it to be narrow,
uneven and bushy. Panchayat President
Sri S. K. Sridhar is trying to get the bund
included under Local Area Development
Scheme to make it a good road. Water was
abundant on the day of the visit falling on
10th May 2008 in the height of summer.
Local people participated in the works. They
claim that against one harvest, they are now
having three harvests. The view of village
SHG women and other farmers is that the
work was done efficiently and economically
by the Ashram and that any other agency
could not have done it as well.
Sri A. Kaliyamurthy-Semmanangur
Sri Andi Padayachi with family near his recharge well
which is about the average cost for such
works.
Sri Subramanian of Nannavaram village in
Thirunavalur block has constructed a
filtering structure with assistance and
guidance of the Ashram. This village is in a
rocky area. His well had water at 48’ depth
and did not have retaining capacity. The
filtering structure is of two rectangular tub-
like excavations filed with stones, blue
metal, boulders and sand to filter water.
Pipe connected to the well carries the water
from the filter structure. Sri Subramanian
has tapped a water source at a distance of
200 meters and brings the water to the filter
Recharge well is a structure,
usually 10’x10’, by the side of an
existing well, designed to receive,
store and discharge rainwater into
the well after filtering it. One such
work is in village Pallianthangal of
Pullur Panchayat of Ulundurpet
Block. 4 bores of 80’ each are sunk
with filtering mechanism. The
filtered water flows into the well
through a pipe. A pipe on the
opposite side is fitted to let water
from a nearby canal flow into the recharge
well; this is an additional source of water,
besides rainwater. Sri Andi Padayachi, the
farmer who constructed the recharge well,
has stated that there is more water in his
well for the last three years as a result of the
recharge well.
Another recharge well is in village Pullur
belonging to Sr i Anandakannan, a
progressive farmer. He is a teacher in a
school in a nearby village. In his recharge
well, besides 4 bores of 20’ depth, rough
stones and blue metal are spread in the bed
of the structure as filtering mechanism. This
3-year old recharge well cost Rs. 15,000,
20 21
Sri Subramanian of Nannavaram, near his recharge well
through a channel. This provides extra water
to the filter. Now the well has plenty of water
even in the middle of May. Sri Subramanian
said that his yield had increased from 30
bags to 40 bags per acre. Encouraged by
the result, he is digging another well.
Sri Subramanian of Nannavaram near his well
ain Centre is serving as a
major source of training Rand demonstration. 150 students
of Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT), Chennai came in 3 batches
of 5-day training each. Students
of Anand College of Engineering
came for a 2-day training. SHG
members, villagers, College and
S c h o o l s t u d e n t s a n d
Government officials visit the
Centre frequently to study all the
51 technologies demonstrated
though telltale models. The most
i m p o r t a n t t e c h n o l o g i e s
presented are: bench terracing,
graded bunds, continuous and
staggered trenches, contour
bunds, gabion structures, gully
plug, check dams (vegetatitive,
sand bags, wooden planks,
bamboo, earthen and masonry),
percolation and farm ponds,
recharge well, filter mechanism,
contour furrowes, tied ridges and
rainwater harvesting.
Propagation of Technology
22 23
Rain Centre models viewed by officials
Rain Centre models explained by the Sisters
In demonstration plots, the technologies
developed by Sri Sarada Ashram are
experimented and used for training villagers.
In March, 2008, Tamil Nadu Women
Development Corporation, Villupuram had
sent 300 women for a month’s training in
agriculture through these plots. They
received training in two batches of 150
each. Each batch was divided into 4 groups,
Ganga, Yamuna, Sindhu and Kaveri. They
were trained in floriculture, horticulture,
water harvesting, vermicompost, bio-
compost, azolla cultivation, mulching
Rain Centre models viewed by women farmers
techniques, crop rotation and similar
activities. They worked on the plots and
sowed black gram, green gram, red gram,
gingili (sesame), groundnut, ragi, cumbu,
curry leaves, cluster bean, cowpea, greens,
radish, chillies, brinjal, kanakambaram,
jasmine, rose and many other varieties to
get hands-on training.
In vermicompost demonstration, the women
prepared the compost in sand mixed with
coconut fronds, coconut fibre, sugarcane
fresh mud, groundnut stalks, tapioca, cotton Smt. Santa Sheela Nair, I.A.S., Secretary, Ministry
of Rural Development, Govt. of India, New Delhi
inaugurated the Rain Centre exhibition containing 50
technology demonstration units on Rain Water
Harvesting and Water Conservation. This project is
assisted by CAPART which is serving as a major
source of training and demonstration centre.
After 60 days, the compost will be
transferred to a tub. One kilo of earthworms
will be collected from one tub of compost.
The tub will be continuously replenished
with compost, with each stage of collection
of earthworms.
The Ashram has established an Adaptive
Research Centre to demonstrate azolla
cultivation, biocompost and vermicompost. It
has seed bank, meteorological laboratory,
soil testing laboratory and nursery. Farmers
visit the Centre for first-hand knowledge of
technologies.
waste, vegetables, leaves, jaggery etc.
After one week’s watering, worms will be
introduced and cool conditions ensured.
24 25
Women farmers under training
Azolla Spread
Relief work was undertaken
Attipakkam, Sarayamedu, Pullur,
Kattunemmili, Pallianthangal and
Kaliyanallur for natural calamities.
In Eraiyur, Periyaselvam and
Saravanapakkam, relief was
g iven af ter group c lashes
disrupted normal life.
In Sarayamedu, Smt. Sakuntala’s
cotton harvest was gutted within
hours of storing in her barn. The
sisters of the Ashram rushed to
her and provided immediate
relief. They took her daughter,
Punithavalli, under their care and
gave her computer training.
She is now supporting the family.
Smt. Sakuntala’s husband,
Sri Mayavan, developed eye
problem. He was treated by the
Ashram and now he is selling
clothes.
Friend in NeedFeel, my children, feel; feel for the poor, the ignorant, the downtrodden; feel till the heart stops and the brain reels.
– Swami Vivekananda
Relief measures in Kattunemmili
Relief measures in Attipakkam
They gave two examples. First, in village
Periyaselvam, clashes broke out between
groups and normal life was thrown out of
gear. The Ashram was contacted at 7.30
PM. Food meant for Ashram hostel students
was diverted and by 9.30 PM the village was
reached and food was served to all. Utensils
worth Rs. 1,500 and bedding and clothes
were also distributed from the Ashram stock
to 160 people. On 9-3-2008, village Eraiyur
Block Development Officer, Rural Welfare
Officer, Village Administrative Officer and
Extension Officer, Panchayat, Ulundurpet, in
the course of their usual visits to the Ashram,
explained the close coordination between
Government and Ashram functionaries.
They said that whenever any natural
calamity or law and order problem arose, the
Ashram would be pressed into service for
emergency relief at a short notice.
26 27
Smt. Sakuntala’s burnt cotton harvest
was affected by caste riots. By 8 PM, the
Ashram provided food and relief materials.
The second instance was in village Erainji,
where sudden floods at 7.30 PM marooned
1,600 people. The Ashram was approached
by the district administration. By 8 PM, the
Ashram supplied to food to all people and
consoled them in distress. In village,
Kattupalli and Udayananthal, near Panrutti
Preparedness for Emergency Relief
town, flash floods marooned 2,500 people.
Asked by the district administration at
8 PM, the Ashram diverted hostel food
and supplied it to the affected people by
9:30 PM.
The case of Smt. Vijayakumari, a poor
village woman, is an example of the
Ashram’s response to distressed people.
Encounter
What is your mission in life and what
role you envisage for Sri Sarada Ashram
in living up to it?
Sr i Sarada Ashram is a sp i r i tua l
organisation. Its inmates are solely guided
by the philosophy, Service to society is
service to God. Swami Vivekananda put it in
these words:
ata Yatheeswari Priya Amba is the Mguiding light of Sri Sarada Ashram.
With a beatific smile, exuding love and
affection, she explains her role as the
mentor of the organisation. During a brief
interview summarised below, she shared
her thoughts about the mission of the
Ashram.
28 29
Mata Yatheeswari Priya Amba with Sisters of Sri Sarada Ashram
Her husband, the only earning member of
the family, fell into a well and fractured his
hand. The Ashram persuaded her to take a
loan of Rs. 7,000 from her SHG and
purchase a cow. By dint of her hard work,
she earned enough to treat her husband,
pay for household expenses and repay the
loan. Today, she is a good dairy farmer.
The Ashram has all materials-cooking
utensils, plates, beds, blankets and clothes-
stacked in a room. At the shortest notice,
they can be rushed to the areas of distress.
The ashram is on a constant alert to
respond to emergencies in the quickest
possible time.
30 31
people. They involve us in providing succour
to people whenever there are emergencies
like floods, fire ravages and law and order
breakdown. They have confidence in our
capacity to rise to the occasion. They are
using us in many Government schemes like
women development, child development etc.
Officers from Collector downwards visit us
and share their concerns with us. Good and
understanding relationship with Government
functionaries is a source of strength to the
Ashram.
Our sisters go to villages frequently and
meet people on a regular basis. They attend
meetings of SHGs and other village
associations formed by the ashram. They
participate in village festivals and share the
joys and sorrows of the people. All these
actions have helped in forging a bond of
friendship and mutual understanding with
people. We are in a position to feel the pulse
of the people. We have meetings of
Mahasabha every month. Two members
from each village group attend the meetings.
This is also a source of feedback.
What is your feedback mechanism?
values and encourage them to improve their
lives by taking up productive works. We
create conducive facilities for this to happen
and try to upgrade their existing skills and
teach them new skills. Our vocational
programmmes and SHGs are designed for
this purpose. We concentrate on education,
as it is key to the advancement of society.
Our schools, hostels and special coaching
facilities focus on children who are orphans
or very poor, with special attention to girls.
CAPART is a very proactive body. It is doing
a good service by identifying suitable
voluntary organisations and encouraging
them with guidance and funds to take up
meaningful programmes. We are happy that
CAPART sanctioned many projects to the
Ashram and provided needed financial
assistance.
Villupuam district administration is very
understanding and helpful. The officers
recognise us as an effective voluntary
organisation enjoying good rapport with
What is your experience with CAPART?
What is your experience of Government
agencies?
technologies suitable for agriculture in the
district and testing their viability in our farms.
Then we started taking them to the people.
We are slowly persuading farmers to adopt
techniques like vermicompost, application of
panchakavya, azolla cultivation, mulching,
single straw method etc. The pace of
adoption of these technologies is good. We
also feel that water is very crucial in this
area of scant water resources. We,
therefore, s tar ted promot ing water
conservation, rainwater harvest, filter
mechanism, drip and sprinkler irrigation
technologies and propagating them to
farmers. We took up plans to improve
existing tanks and lakes with a view to
increasing irrigation potential. In technology
adoption, we have a twin strategy: prove
effectiveness in our farms and establish
close contacts with farmers to persuade
them to adopt and give all help to them.
We should instil a sense of confidence in
people whom we serve. We, therefore, try to
make them realise their potential to become
self-reliant. We organise men, women and
youth in associations, impart them basic
What are your strategies to help people?
Atmano mokshartham jana hitaya ca
(Self-salvation through service to mankind)
All Sisters of the Ashram are imbued with
this spirit. Once on a pilgrimage to
Brindavan accompanied by Sri Mathur
Babu, a king, Sri Ramakrishna encountered
several hungry, ill-clad and sick people on
way. Sri Ramakrishna sat down on the
ground and asked Sri Mathur Babu to fetch
food and clothes to them immediately. When
Sri Mathur Babu said that it would be difficult
to go back and bring the materials and that
the matter could wait till they completed the
pilgrimage, Sri Ramakrishna was unyielding.
He said that the pilgrimage could wait, but
not the needs of the people. Only after their
needs were met, he resumed the pilgrimage.
We in the Ashram take inspiration from this
incident in Sri Ramakrishna’s life.
Agriculture is the mainstay in Villupuram
district where we serve. From the early
stage, we felt that we should help in
increasing production and productivity in
agriculture. We started experimenting with
What is the reason for giving importance
to technology by the Ashram?
the end of the term for which it is sanctions.
Programmes are continuous and require
regular follow-up. All our CAPART projects
have been completed, but our Sannyasinis
still go to the villages, interact with the
beneficiaries, attend their meetings and give
the people guidance and support. We shall
continue our efforts and we have every hope
that our future programmes will also be
effective.
How do you look upon the future?
We are working in the area for more than 15
years. We have won the confidence of the
people without any distinction of caste or
religion. Being an institution predominantly
of women renunciates, our relationship with
women of area is especially strong. So far,
our programmes in education, health,
agriculture, irrigation, vocational training and
technology transfer are successful. It is our
belief that no programme is complete with
ri Sarada Ashram has scripted a story
of genuine service to people-literally Sfrom the cradle to the grave. Through its
health units, it is providing antenatal care
and paving way for the child to enter the
world. Nursing it to different stages of
education, it opens up the world to it to be
self-reliant. The service is carried through till
old age help is given. Women remain the
primary focus and many have acquired skill
and aptitude to become self-reliant.
The impact of the Ashram is brought in bold
relief in Aziznagar. From a turbulent life, a
community has progressed to an orderly and
temperate life. The work in the field of
education is also noteworthy. The Ashram
has lit the lamp of learning in the previously
illiterate homes. The boundless love and
self-less dedication of the Sisters of the
Ashram resonate all over in the lives of the
people of the area. The Ashram has become
a byword of selfless service in Villupuram
district.
Finally
Emblem of Ashram
32 33
34
Sri Sarada AshramTrichy Trunk Road, New Edaikkal,
Ulundurpet, Villupuram Distt., Chennai, TamilnaduPhone: 91-4149-222362
CAPART Projects
Sri Sarada Ashram has been sanctioned the following projects by CAPART:
Amount (in Rupees)
S.No. Name of the Project Sanctioned Released
1. Renovation of Lake and Formation of Users’ Association, Pullur 6,75,835 5,32,668
2. Renovation of Lake and Formation of Users’ Association,
Semmanangur 13,50,100 10,84,500
3. Establishment of Rain Centre 16,87,000 13,69,820
4. Revival of Traditional Tanks and Allied Activities, Arali 30,22,150 11,62,749
5. Preparation of Integrated Organic Farming
with indigenous village level technologies 47,59,262 40,12,349
6. NGOs Institutional Monitors’ Capacity Building
workshop on CAPARET policies 96,000 63,536
7. Nodal NGO Scheme-on going 12,24, 000 3,51,000
8. Grameen Vikas Andolan-on going 4,68,500 2,34,250
9. Capacity Building Workshop for NGOs of Villupuram district 82,000 61,500
Total 1,33,64,847 88,72,372
(All figures are provisional)
(Sketch map not to scale)
We look forward to your suggestions and comments.
Please write to us at:
Chiranji LalAssistant Director
CAPART(Publication Division)
Zone-V-A (Core C), 2nd Floor, India Habitat CentreLodhi Road, New Delhi-110003
Tel.: 2464 2395, Fax: 2464 8607
© CAPART, JULY 2008
AREA OF OPERATIONSRI SARADA ASHRAM
TRICHY,VILLUPURAM
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