familyissue1final
DESCRIPTION
http://www.swaraj.org/shikshantar/familyissue1final.pdfTRANSCRIPT
1
first issue july 2006first issue july 2006first issue july 2006first issue july 2006first issue july 2006
2
ge ^gkse&Ldwfyax* ds <k¡ps ls D;ksage ^gkse&Ldwfyax* ds <k¡ps ls D;ksage ^gkse&Ldwfyax* ds <k¡ps ls D;ksage ^gkse&Ldwfyax* ds <k¡ps ls D;ksage ^gkse&Ldwfyax* ds <k¡ps ls D;ksacpuk pkgrs gSa\cpuk pkgrs gSa\cpuk pkgrs gSa\cpuk pkgrs gSa\cpuk pkgrs gSa\
tcls geus yksxksa dks ;g crkuk ’kq: fd;k gS fd ge viuhcsVh ¼tks vc pkj lky dh gks xbZ gS½ dks Ldwy ugha Hkstsaxs]rks gesa dbZ rjg dh vk’p;Ztud izfrfØ;k,¡ izkIr gksrhjgh gSaA dqN yksx rks g¡ldj pqi gks tkrs gSa vkSj dqN yksxcksyrs gSa & ^^vks! rks D;k vki gkse&Ldwfyax djsaxs\** eq>sbl ’kCn ds bLrseky ls fnD+dr eglwl gksus yxh gS vkSjtSls&tSls ;g T;knk izpfyr gksus yxk gS] eSa bl yscy lsHkh nwj tkuk pkgrh gw¡A eSa ;g Li"kV djuk pkgrh gw¡ fdeq>s bl ’kCn ls bruh fnD+dr D;ksa gSA
eSa vius ?kj tSlh ifo= txg dks Ldwy tSlk f?kukSuk LFkkuugha cukuk pkgrh gw¡A ^Ldwy* ’kCn esjs eu esa dqN ,slhHk;kud phtsa ykdj NksM+ nsrk gS] tSls & ikB~;Øe] izfrLi)kZ]rkuk’kkgh] Dykl:e] ewY;kadu] ijh{kk vkfn( ftUgsa gefcYdqy vius ?kj esa ykuk ugha pkgrsA esjs [kqn ds Ldwy odkWyst ds vuqHko ls eSa ;g vPNh rjg tkurh gw¡ fd ;s lcphtsa okLrfod lh[kus o fj’rk cukus ds fy, cgqr [k+rjukdgSaA vxj eSa ;s lc phtsa ?kj ij djrh gw¡] rks lc ifjtu HkhLdwy&Vhpj cu tk,¡xs vkSj og fj’rk cgqr gh lrgh ox+Sj&ftEesnkjkuk gksrk gSA ge rks ,slk fj’rkcuk jgs gSa] ftlesa ge lkFk feydj vius gkFkksals l`tu djsa vkSj Lo;a ds iz’uksa dks fujUrjc<+krs jgsa] tcfd Ldwy gekjs iz’uksa dks cgqrvklkuh ls [k+Re dj nsrk gSA
gkse&Ldwfyax djus okys dbZ ifjokjksa ls eSa blckr ij Hkh vlger gw¡ fd ge ?kj ij ghcSBs&cSBs vius cPpksa dks Ldwyh ikB~;Øe jVk nsaAge uk rks dksbZ ikB~;Øe vuqdj.k dj jgs gSavkSj uk gh dadq dh dkfcfy;r dks fdlh ge&mezcPps dh dkfcfy;r ls rqyuk djuk pkgrs gSaAgesa ;g iwjk fo’okl gS fd dadq esa lh[kus dhvuUr ÅtkZ gS vkSj mls tc Hkh dksbZ ubZ phtlh[kus dh I;kl gksxh] og Lo;a gh mlds fy,iz;kl djsxh vkSj ek/;e <w¡<+sxhA gk¡] ge ;giz;kl fujUrj dj jgs gSa fd ge vius Lo;a dslh[kus dh I;kl dks cq>us ugha nsa vkSj dqN udqN u;k djrs jgsaA
ge dadq ds lkFk vyx&vyx dykdkj] tSls &vk/kqfud ’kSyh ds fp=dkjksa ’kkfgn o fdj.keqfM+Z;k vkSj ikjEifjd ’kSyh ds fp=dkj jktkjke’kekZ ds lkFk dkQh le; fcrkrs gSaA lkFk gh
dadq dBiqryh dykdkj ckcwyky ’kekZ ds lkFk dBiqryhdk [ksy Hkh lh[k jgh gS vkSj txnh’k iztkir ds lkFkfeV~Vh ds f[kykSus o crZu cukuk lh[k jgh gSA ’kk;n blhrjg ls ge vius lh[kus dh izfØ;k dks foLr`r djuk pkgrsgSa vkSj gtkjksa yksxksa dks blls tksM+ jgs gSaA [k+kldj ,slsyksxksa dks] tks Kku dks iSnk dj jgs gSa & [ksrh ds ek/;e ls]laxhr ds ek/;e ls vkSj dyk ds ek/;e lsA ge dsoyvius ?kj dks gh lh[kus dk LFkku ugha cukuk pkgrs] cfYdftruk gks lds] ubZ&ubZ txgksa] izk—frd LFkkuksa rFkkvyx&vyx gqujksa ls tqM+ jgs gSaA ge dadq ds lkFk vlyhyksxksa] vlyh txgksa vkSj vlyh phtksa ls tksM+dj lh[kukpkgrs gSaA dadq gj mez ds yksxksa ds lkFk vklkuh ls?kqy&fey jgh gS vkSj fcuk f>>d ds lcds lkFk nksLrh djysrh gSA vke&rkSj ij eSaus ;g eglwl fd;k gS fd Ldwytkus okys cPps dsoy viuh gh mez ds cPpkssa ds lkFk fj’rkcuk ikrs gSa vkSj ckdh yksxksa ds lkFk mudk fj’rk cgqrlhfer gksrk gSA blhfy, tks yksx lh[kus dh izfØ;k dksokLro esa Ldwy ls eqD+r djuk pkgrs gSa] mUgsa eSa vius lkFkbl [kkst esa vkefU=r djuk pkgrh gw¡A
& fof/k tSu] mn;iqj<[email protected]>
FAMILIES LEARNING TOGETHER NETWORK
* How do you define your “family”?* What creative experiments are you doing with your family?* Where has your family embraced the home-made or
community-made instead of the readymade?* What learning resources have inspired your family?* What skills and ideas can you share with other families?
Do these questions intrigue you? If yes, think about joiningus in the Families Learning Together Network.
We’re a group of families, who believe that learning startswith healthy families, that sharing our own experiences witheach other is a good way to learn, and that co-creating newways of organic living is vitally important. We are interestedin learning and living beyond the boundaries of factory-schools, home-schooling and other forms institutionalization.Currently, we host an online discussion group([email protected]) to share our ideas andexperiments.
If you’re interested in the Families Learning TogetherNetwork, or would like to respond to the above questionsfor inclusion in our newsletter, please e-mail Vidhi Jain<[email protected]> or write c/o Shikshantar, 21 Fatehpura,Udaipur, Rajasthan 313004, tel. 0294-245-1303
We look forward to hearing from you!!!
3
Families Gathering - Van UtsavVan Vadi, Maharashtra
October 2005contact: Bharat Mansata
NEXT FAMILIES GATHERINGNOVEMBER 2006
GOA, GOA, GOA
A N N O U N C E M E N T SFAMILY NEWSLETTERS
a few months ago we started a process ofcreating our own family newsletters in
which each family makes a newletter abouttheir own learnings and experiments...
focusing more on their skills and strengthsand shares it with others... we invite you to
make your own newsletter about yourfamily and share it with the Families
Learning Together Network.
Check out Paranjape-Borkarfamily newsletter!
www.swaraj.org/shikshantar/sakhifamilynewsletter.pdf
yes, the next families gathering is beingorganized in goa for around mid-november. thisis your chance to spend 5 days with 15 really
creative families. this event is open to all familymembers... adults, children, grandparents,
grandchildren, cousins, dogs, goats...for more details contact:
Navina and Vidhi<[email protected]>
Are you a family that has made a consciouschoice not to send your children to school?We are interested in knowing about you, your
ideas on learning and your experiences. We areplanning on putting together a directory
(hardcopy and on-line) of families who areactively involved in unschooling themselves in
the South Asian sub-continent.Write to: Manish <[email protected]>
We are looking for research and experiencesrelated to the harm done by immunizations andvaccines as well as stories of families who are
choosing not to vaccinate their children.Please contact: Vidhi <[email protected]>
4
Don’t we all joke that atChristmas and Birthdays ourchildren are more interestedin the boxes and wrappingpaper? So why don’t weopen our hearts to learn fromthis, step into the realms ofchildhood for a momentand away from adultperception, the power ofmarketing and peer pressure.What are our children sayingto us? Most children have fartoo many toys and become
bored and dissatisfied with them -always looking for the next ‘fix’and not feeling a real connectionwith any of them, unable to focusfor any length of time on any onething.
Within the first few years, if thiscontinual bombardment of newtoys which promise to entertainand do everything for youcontinues, the imagination, theinner world and creativity becomequashed and we find ourselvesliving with a child who is not ableto truly play; totally lacking ininitiative and creativity and whomlooks to the ‘outside’ to provideexciting and gratifying experiences.Thus, a low boredom threshold setsin, a loss of motivation for life, andthe need to turn to ‘things’ in orderto satisfy that nebulous‘something’ which is missing.
Why are we fixated on rushing ourchildren through their preciouschildhood years, insisting on*teaching* them from day one,rushing them to read, write andperform, eager to quickly turnthem into an ‘upstanding citizen,a useful member of society’? Whatis this doing in the long term andwhat sort of adults will emergefrom this childhood?
Childhood play prepares for thefuture, so it seems right to providean environment and playthingswhich offer these opportunities.Compare a simple cardboard orwooden box to a Barbie doll. Thebox can be somewhere to hide, abed for teddy, a ship to sail the seasin, a car, a space rocket, on its sideit’s a play den, upside down itbecomes a table for tea parties, itis used for filling and emptying
treasures, it’s a hat, a shoe, achair, a drum.
These wonderful, electronic,technological gadgets insti lheartless and negative values -they provide our children withabstract concepts, such as the toythat ‘teaches’ numbers andletters, they become substitutes forreal human contact with their falsecomputerised voices and theyunwittingly draw our children intobeing good consumers with theirflashing gimmicks that lead towanting better, faster and newer.Tell me where the educationalvalue lies in a toy like that? As faras I see it, they only teach us howto step onto that consumertreadmill that seeks to imprison usthroughout our lives.
We worry about our childrenreading, writing and passing examsbut we can do all of these thingsat any stage in our life. What wecannot do is recover the loss ofchildhood. How many adults dowe know with ‘inner child’ issues,unable to relate to others, unableto maintain relationships, unableto rise to challenges, problemsolve, cook a simple meal,entertain themselves without TV,happy to be alone, happy to leavethe house looking anything otherthan ‘perfect’, unable to put up ashelf or fix a tap?
We believe that we should takeour child to new places, give themnew things but all this does is teachthem to look for newer, better orfaster and to not be satisfied withwhat they have. Children learnthrough repetition, throughimitation, they ENJOY the samestory told every night, they WANTto hang onto one teddy bear orblanket or book, no matter howrag-eared it may appear. You cantake them to the same park everyday, walk the same way, take thesame route and your child will seeeach trip as a unique adventure.They will notice all the things youdon’t - the trees are a differentcolour today, or the wind isn’tblowing as hard, there aren’t asmany puddles, the clouds are
different. Watch your child as theypick up a leaf, a twig, a stone andmarvels at it - seeing it assomething completely new andinteresting.
We are all too eager to put adultemotions and perceptions ontoour children - we feel they have tobe constantly, externallyentertained, that we are notgiving them enough attention andstimulation unless they arewatching a new video or playingwith a new thing. All we are doingthrough this is projecting our owndissatisfaction onto them.
On a recent tv programme aboutChristmas, they interviewed 100s ofpeople, presenting a good cross-section of society and asked themwhat present they received lastyear. I expect you can guess theoutcome: not one single personcould remember any of the giftsthey had received. What was evenmore interesting was that most ofthe children were unable to recalla single present, yet ALL of themcame out with something aboutthe day that they remembered like‘Dad put on a silly hat’, ‘We putmusic on and danced around theliving room’, ‘We all sat down andate together’, ‘Mum sang afterlunch and we told jokes’. They allremembered being surrounded bypeople they loved and the fun andlaughter of the day.
Many people I am sure, believe weare depriving our daughter and Ithoroughly agree with them - weare depriving her the subliminalmessages that brainwash usthrough the media, we aredepriving her the poison in plastictoys, we are depriving her theneed to be satisfied with thenewest, the fastest and the best,we are depriving her the need tolook outside of herself for excitingand gratifying experiences. Insteadwe are giving her the freedom tobe a child without many of thepressure of conformity that societyplaces upon us, we are allowingher imagination to ‘educate’ herwhich leads to a more enrichinglife than any bright, flashingeducational toy could ever do.
- Excerpted from Rachel Strauss<www.houseofstrauss.co.uk>
TOY STORYTOY STORYTOY STORYTOY STORYTOY STORYdisc
ussion
playg
roun
d
5
Thanks so much for this wonderfulreminder. I am so glad our familyspent almost nothing on toys, thoughI have to admit I have a weaknessfor wooden railway tracks (Brio) andmy kids love Lego. BUT, yes, most ofthose were gifts, and we consciouslydidn’t buy all those things beingpromoted for kids. It was all so muchuseless junk, adding to clutter andfeelings of guilt when I wanted to getrid of ‘gifts’ from well meaning adults.
The toys are indeed a creativity killer.What our boys need is fresh air, sticks,stones, and our local beach. Theyhave made bows and arrows frombranches, and played for hours inthe woods in games of knights andsoldiers, and merchants and kings.
It is for the sake of creativity that weoriginally did not send our kids toschool. What better way to kil lcreativity than to tell a child thatthey cannot draw because it is 10a.m. and we must study arithmetic?
- Anita Roy, [email protected]
Loved the article. I went through a similarexperience. My kids got bored of most toysin less than a week. In fact, both Ameliaand Tanvi found the boxes and packagingthe toys came in more interesting andstimulating than the toys themselves. I foundmyself preserving and playing with the boxes,making castles, vehicles, puzzles, paintingthem, decorating them, etc. This was loadsof fun. Most useless were the battery-operated toys. They could hold their interestfor about two minutes at the most. Legos andwooden blocks, however, were moreinteresting. Soft toys gathereddust. Expensive dolls like Barbie were castaside while soft dolls made of cloth weremore cuddly and comforting. Though Tanvitill about six months ago was very fond ofBarbie, but I realized it was more becauseher friends made a big deal out of them plusthe very attractive commercials on TV.
Similarly, I found audio tapes of songs betterthan videos of nursery rhymes. Audio tapesof kids’ songs are available in most Indianlanguages and can be played in thebackground, while the kids are playing. Wehave songs in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati,English... Most toys are a waste of money andhardly hold the child’s interest for any periodof time. Most computer games and videogames also promote violence and areaddictive. I remember our childhood gamesof hopscotch, lagori, langdi, etc withnostalgia. Wish we could bring back thegood old days.
- Poorna, [email protected]
RESPONSES TORESPONSES TORESPONSES TORESPONSES TORESPONSES TO ‘‘‘‘‘TOY STORYTOY STORYTOY STORYTOY STORYTOY STORY’’’’’
Today’s toys are designed to play bythemselves, not to be played by children. Thisonly benefits those who sell batteries and, ofcourse, the companies that sell the toys,because as the article perfectly shows childrenget bored very quickly with these toys.
Why the are so many in the market? Why doadults keep buying them? Maybe becausetoday parents get trapped in the illusion thatmodern, fancy toys that play by themselves canliberate the adults of the responsibility of payingattention to their kids.
Young parents (mid 20s and mid 30s) weretrained by school and media to believe that alltechnology makes our lives simple, so the logicalresponse is that a toy that flashes a lot of colorfullights and makes a lot of noise will betterentertain and stimulate a child.
Rodrigo, my 5 year old son has taught us veryquickly that he appreciates quality time with hisparents more than the most expensive toys...
- Sergio Beltran, Oaxaca, [email protected]
6
Children in traditional, natural learning cultures aresimilar to any newborn living being. All the gamesand other activities children do in the villages is akind of a response to their biological needs. It seemsthat the evolutionary process of life itself evolvesthese activities. Awakening the intelligence of thebody seems to me the first step towards acquiringknowledge. At the initial stages of learning (living),the tools for learning also get developed. Thesedetermine not only the paradigm of ourknowledge/ worldview but also how we are goingto perceive the world and what knowledge wewill create out of it.
Our immediate contact to the world outside isthrough our senses. Senses therefore play a veryimportant role in the process of learning and area sort of a reciprocal device that helps creationestablish communion with the inner and the outernature. All the games children play in thesecommunities has to do with sensitizing the senses,planning, balancing, guessing, developing themathematical sense, etc. This is the process ofknowing the world.
By default, and because the rural tribal peopleare so-called ‘ignorant’, the children grow up quitenaturally developing various qualities needed intheir adult life. They learn to take care ofthemselves quite early, become tough andresponsible. No child ever complains about heat,cold or rain and is at ease with what ever is theclimate, till the modern adults teach them to hatethese natural occurrences. Letting the child respond to each and everysituation authentically helps the child to releaseits instinctual responses, which helps the child drawout innate knowledge. Mathematical senses orthe sense of numbers, quantities, space getsdeveloped by acting on the outer world. Thisconscious process begins from the time of birth.
Therefore, any help/assistance to the child shouldbe re-examined, as it could hinder thedevelopment of instinct. Just as holding hands tomake the child walk might hinder his/herdevelopment of balance.
Children are by nature holistic, spiritual, an artistand a scientist. Every activity that a child does onits own is not fragmented into ‘work’, ‘play’, ‘learn’and every activity contains the principles of lawsthat govern life: mathematical, physical,chemical, linguistical, and other qualities likereasoning, planning, spontaneity, attention,responsibility, etc. In the modern scenario, children
recovering our senses
Families Gathering at RedstoneFarm, Panchgani - May 2005
Contact: Mona Patrao<[email protected]>
are treated for attention deficit and drugged forwhat the adults perceive as hyperactivity. Adultsactually create all these problems for the child bynot responding to the child correctly in the firstplace.
Children need to be left alone to explore the worldaround them and in that process their senses aresensitized and awakened, their bodily intelligencelearn the laws that are basis of life on earth. Until/unless they are experientially mature, text (whichis second-degree abstraction) should not beintroduced to children.
- Jinan KB, Kerala <[email protected]>
“Child, I have forgotten the art of beingabsorbed in sticks and mudpies.
I seek out costly playthings, and gatherlumps of gold and silver.
With whatever you find, you create yourglad games. I spend both my time and
my strength over things I can neverobtain.
In my frail canoe, I struggle to cross thesea of desire, and forget that I too am
playing a game.” -Rabindranath Tagore, Crescent Moon
7
All you need is love, love, love. Words fromthe sixties that sound clichéd and mushy. Butthe idea of love has been integral toeverything we believe in. It is because of ourlove of our children and our love for our worldthat we decided unschooling was a logicalway to do justice to both.
When our family first started unschooling in1995, the challenges consisted mainly ofdealing with the skepticism of others and ourown fears, which were based on a lifetime ofbelieving that stepping outside the mainprescription was dangerous. But after 12 yearsof many successes, we have much moreconfidence. Our current challenge andlearning revolve around what consists of work,study and play. Though in a natural livingparadigm, the three are completelyinterrelated, our creativity is still tested as ourfamily lives in the context of the so-called ‘real’world. Our kids are old enough to work in thatworld, spend money in it, and think about howto navigate it successfully. And so, it was onlynatural this year that they all started to work.
Zaman who is 16 works in a cafe about 25-30hours a week. He makes the coffee, tea,espresso, lattés, sweeps the floor, warms upfood, uses the cash register, cleans the dishes.He took a Superhost course, a one day coursewhich taught basics of good customerservice, making eye contact, rememberingregular customers’ names, paraphrasing,validating their concerns etc. and that hasbeen excellent for him as those skills arevaluable in life. It used to bug me thatsometimes he would zone out completely andthat of course is necessary for creativity, andzoning out is not allowed at school, butsometimes when I needed him to be alert -when was relying on him to do some task orchore - but since he started working he is muchmore ‘alert’.
Bashu, 14, works in a supermarket and stacksvegetables and fruits about 25 hours a week.He likes the money, but isnt’ crazy about thejob. He is already enrolled in university coursespart time so no one questions his ‘brilliance’ inthe ‘real’ world. However, he failed his 3 month
probation because he was not‘approachable’ enough. That is to say, themotto of the store is Customer Service with aBig Smile, and it is just not a good fit. He is athinker and takes pride in the quality of his workbut is not a peppy extrovert. They have toldhim that quality of work is less important thanstopping what you to do to say “Hello, howare you today?” with a big smile and “Can Ihelp you?” And for this he has ‘failed’.However, since he has made a bigimprovement recently, he has had hisprobation period extended. I would have feltawful and quit. We gave him that option, buthe chose to continue.
Kian, just turned 13, works in a sushi restaurant,washing dishes, and preparing vegetables. Hetook a day long Knife Skills course, which taughthow to cut professionally like a French chef. Italso taught safety, and cutting for esthetics. Hejust loves it. He gets to cook the rice for thesushi, and loves his coworkers.
I think the big value in working for them is thatit has made them much more worldly. I thinkthere is so much learning that happens at work.They learn to deal with people, products, real-life businesses, where their performance has areal-life effect on someone else’s life.
Youths have a natural need to be in the worldas part children and part adults. They need toearn money, spend it, and make it through awhole day without the assistance andcontinuous supervision of their parents – as iflearning how to fly. At the end of the day, theyneed to check in for nurturing, feedback, andsafety. When this natural flow of needs isrespected and met, children are not workingand learning against their will, but rather witha disposition that learning and working are fun.Then the world is not a hostile place, but rathera place that loves you as you are. And whatcould be better for the child, growing intoadulthood, than to feel loved?
-Anita Roy, Canada <[email protected]>
Working to Learn
8
esjh dyk es cgqr #fp gSA eSa fefu,pj isfUVx djrk gwaW]ftlesa dqN vyx&vyx iz;ksx Hkh djrk gwaW( tSls nhokjksa ijE;wjy (cM+s fp=) cukukA E;wjy ,d cM+k ek/;e gS] ftlls
ge fcuk cksys yksxkas dks le>k ldrs gSaA igyh ckj eSausE;wjy nsokyh (mn;iqj) esa vk;ksftr dyk&dk;Z’kkyk dsnkSjku cuk;kA cPpksa vkSj geus feydj xzqi Mz~WkbZx dhAmlesa tks phtsa fudy dj lkeus vkbZ] mUgas geus nhokj ijLdsp fd;k vkSj isfUVx cukuk ’kq: dj fn;kA ge yksxksa dksbl izfdz;k eas cgqr etk vk;k A eq>s bl dk;Z’kkyk ds [kRegksus ds ckn yxk fd bl xfrfof/k dks vASj vkxs c<+kukpkfg,] ftlls eq>s vkSj u;s&u;s vkbfM;k feys vkSj eSasviuh isfUVax eas Hkh dqN u;s iz;ksx dj ldwaWA
mlh nkSjku EkSaus ikfjokfjd E;wjy ’kq: fd;kA bl izfdz;k easesjk [kkl vuqHko esjs ifjokj dkstkuus dk jgkA esjs ?kj ds yksxksa dh#fp fdl&fdl dke eas gS\ mudsvUnj D;k&D;k xq.k gS] D;k&D;k{kerk,aW gSa\ E;wjy cukus dk ,dedln ;g Hkh gS fd ge mu phtksadks fQj ls igpkusa] tks gekjs iwoZtvius ?kj ds ckgj nhokjkas ij ;kpkSd esa viuh lksp ls ek.Mus cukrsFksA ysfdu vc dPps ?kj Hkh ugha jgs]lkjs iDds edku cu x;s gSSaA yksxvc ek.Mus ilUn Hkh ugha djrs gSAblfy, geus viuh le> ls ,du;k gquj [kkstk gSA
Ikfjokfjd E;wjy dk vuqHkoIkfjokfjd E;wjy dk vuqHkoIkfjokfjd E;wjy dk vuqHkoIkfjokfjd E;wjy dk vuqHkoIkfjokfjd E;wjy dk vuqHkoeSaus tc vius ?kj dh nhokj ij E;wjy ’kq: fd;k] rks esjsifjokj ds lnL;ksa us ;g iz’u Hkh j[kk fd isfUVax dks nhokjij gh D;ksa cuk jgs gks\ eSaus dgk fd diM+s] ekbdk] ekcZyij rks lc gh fp= cukrs gsaSA nhokj dks blfy, pquk sfd ;gcgqr cM+s :Ik eas isfUVax curh gS vkSj nhokj ij gh bldksvPNh rjg le> ldrs gaSA E;wjy dk Ldsp fd;k] rks ogdqN tek ughaA tks eSa cukuk pkgrk Fkk] og ugh cu jgkFkkA eSa ckj&ckj dksf’k’k dj jgk FkkA mldks rS;kj djus esatks [kkl lh[kus dk vuqHko jgk oks Fkk] tc eas ckj&ckjLdsp dj jgk FkkA rc eq>s yxk fd eSa ftruh ckj mls cukjgk Fkk gj ckj eq>s u;k vkbfM;k feykA eSaus vius ifjokjls ckr dh fd gekjs E;wjy esa nks ewy phtsa gSA ,d rks ukovkSj nwljk isM+A ge lc yksxksa us isM+ dks pquk] D;kasfd isM+dh vyx&vyx Mkfy;kas esa ge vius xq.kkas o dkekas dksfn[kk,aWxs] rkfd og lqUnj Hkh yxsA
geus bl isfUVax eas LVksu dyj dke esa fy,A LVksu dyjblfy, fd ;s uspqjy dyj gksrs gaS vkSj lLrs Hkh fey tkrsgaSA iwjh isfUaVax eas nks lkS&<kbZ lkS #Ik;s dk [kpkZ vkrk gSAbu jaxksa ls isfUVax esa Hkh ped vkrh gSA E;wjy eas [kkl ckrmldh tM+kas eas FkhA eq>s yxk fd tks gekjs ifjokj dh tM+gS] mldks isM+ dh tMksa+ esa+ Mkyuk pkfg,A ge dgkW ls vk,& ;g ,d egRoiw.kZ pht gSA geus tM+ksa esa dy’k cuk;kAD;kasfd tc fd’ku Hkxoku dh ’kknh gqbZ] rc mudks dPpdy’k dh t:jr iM+h FkhA rc mUgksaus dqEgkj dks iSnkfd;kA mlds ckn dPps dy’kksa dks pkjkas rjQ j[kk] fQjmudh ’kknh gqbZA blh dkj.k dqEgkj lekt dh mRifr gqbZA
E;wjy isfUVax cukus dh xfrfof/k esalHkh yksx ’kkfey gq, vkSj ;g cgqrgh et+snkj izfdz;k jghA isfUVx cuusds ckn esjs ?kj ds vkl&ikl dsyksxkas us bls ljkgkA eSa vc ,slsifjokjkas dks <w<+ jgk gwW] tks bl izfdz;kes ’kkfey gksuk pkgrs gSaA esjh bPNkgS fd eSa vius ifjokj ds lkFk vkSjHkh lkewfgd xfrfof/k;kaW djrk jgwaWA
- fueZy iztkir<[email protected]>]
uhep ekrk Ldhe]nsokyh] mn;iqj
9
To Switch Yourself “On”Buying with Self-imposed Limits:Is it a need? Is it a want?
Always Hands-on:Did machines produce it?
Regional, Local:How far has it traveled? What is the energyspent producing, packaging, transporting,disposing?
Trading in No Pollutants:Does it kill? Is it safe? Does it destroy?
Equally Fair:People first - color, creed, caste no bar
Regarding the Earth:Is the end result bio-degradable?
LIVE ON-With BarterWe have started experimenting with barter witha few families in Goa.
For me Barter starts in the head! It is the principlethat surrounds the action, even of ‘buying’. Thebasis is that:
· All of us have ‘something’ of value within thecircle of family and friends, that can beexchanged and shared, both material andnon material.
· It’s an active search for goods that can beexchanged, without the actual transactionof money. These goods range from foodstuff-provisions-meals-to books, magazines, toys,plants, seeds and even clothes. We supporteach others search for resources that willbring us closer to our own ideals ofharmonious family and community.
· When something is bought and paid for, inthe conventional market place, the circuitis closed. The goods become a possessionwith no ‘after life’ except for the stamp ofownership. This reduces the intrinsic value ofthe goods itself. The whole notion that a thingcan be bought, a price paid - that’s the endof the story - is what we are questioning, inour own small way.
This does not mean that we do not use money.We do, but use it in a way that will support eachother’s enterprise or endeavors - and will extendthe usage of that good - to the maximumcapacity, among others that we know. Thereby,every child need not have his/her own toy orbook - but these can be exchanged. A lot ofplaces where we retail our incense are with
friends who run small eating joints. By choosingto eat there and telling others we are engagingin a kind of barter. This way, both our endeavorsgrow.
Of course, we do not yet live in a self-sufficienteconomy or community. But the consciousnessregarding our real wealth-our time, energy andresources is constantly expanding. Trying to keepthe balance is a daily challenge.. and we arelearning about our own limits all the time.
One area where the idea is really rolling well-iswith our kids. Interests, skills, play things, clothes,guide-teachers, are constantly being workedon. Even hanging out together is a choice wemake, to keep up and exchanging… - Navina, Goa
The Freecycle Network is a grassroots andentirely nonprofit movement of people whoare giving (& getting) stuff for free in their owntowns. Each local group is moderated by alocal volunteer. Membership is free.
The Network provides individuals and non-profits an electronic forum to ‘recycle’unwanted items. One person’s trash can trulybe another’s treasure!
When you want to find a new home forsomething — whether it’s a chair, sitar, fridge,anold bicycle — you simply send an e-mail offeringit to members of the local Freecycle group. Onerule: Everything posted must be free, legal, andappropriate for all ages.
The Freecycle Movement is growing in Indiawith nearly 500 members in India – Hyderabad,Pune, Chennai and Gurgaon are active.
For more details: www.freecycle.org
10
“Food is a religion with this family,” my brother-in-law warned my husband soon after we weremarried. After all, in my family we could spendhours discussing food – from planning the menufor the next meal while we were still eating, tothe ingredients and taste of the food that wewere relishing. I had grown up in a family thatrelished meat and fish. My father was a fishmerchant. In my husband’s family the pleasuresof non-vegetarian food were multiplied manifoldin terms of the delicacies on the table vying tobe savoured.
However, my life experiencesinspired me to cook and relishvegetarian food according tothe cuisines of the regions whereI lived and worked. Thus, when Igot married, I gravitated towardsfilling my grocery bag with freshfruit and vegetables rather thanmeat and fish. I enjoyed givingmy family and friends a taste ofa delectable and eclecticvegetarian menu. However,when I visited family in Mumbai,I ate the non-vegetarian foodthat they cooked and enjoyedit too. So they couldn’tunderstand my tryst withvegetarianism. I tried to sharewith them my notions ofreducing the level of violencethat one commits by eating meat onlyoccasionally, that too rarely in my own home. Ialso became increasingly interested in reducingthe quantum of processed and packaged foodin my home, which I viewed as highly resourceintensive and wasteful.
In the meantime, living in Bangalore, myhusband’s chronic rhinitis and sinusitis had begunto assume a tendency towards asthma. In theyear 2004-2005 he was laid up in bed 3 times inthe year for about 3 weeks each. It was then thatI felt the need to intervene to assume jointresponsibility to arrest or reverse his deterioratinghealth situation. Until then, my attitude hadbeen: his health is his responsibility.
Thus, it came to pass that during the Diwali andEid holidays of November 2005, we were in UruliKanchan (near Pune), getting ourselves detoxifiedthrough a combination of a moderate diet,fasting, yoga, massage, enema, hydrotherapy,mud packs, sun baths, fresh air, walks and plenty
of rest. The mealtime regimen was such that onedrank fruit or vegetable juices in the morning, atewholesome foods in moderation at noontime andprior to sundown so that one’s afternoon nap andnight sleep were on an empty stomach giving thebody ample opportunity to cleanse itself of toxins.The idea is that if one does not burden the bodywith the task of digestion by keeping the foodlight and simple, or even fasting as required, thebody is able to use its vital energy to keep itselfhealthy and ward off ailments. While Asad wasreeling under the effects of detoxification andweight loss, I felt energised despite my fasting forthe month of Ramazan during my visit to UruliKanchan.
Once we returned toBangalore, I was determinedthat we live by the dietaryprinciples of naturopathy. Iffood is indeed a healer, as Ihad become convinced,then at least we could createour own paths of healing andrejuvenation! The next stepwould be to make yoga anequally integral part of ourlives, which it is now to a smallextent. I was able to counterthe family’s initial resistanceand reluctance, andpersuade Asad and the girlsabout the relevance of foodas healer in our lives. Thus, wehave a completely differentstart to the day – dried and
fresh fruit rather than the cooked breakfast ofcereal, milk and eggs that we had beenaccustomed to all our lives. Lunch and dinner arecooked meals but we try to follow the cardinalprinciples – one grain at one meal, one proteinat one meal and plenty of raw and cookedvegetables. We have introduced parboiled andraw red rice into our diet in addition to wheatand done away with white rice. We have alsoincreased our use of millets such as ragi. We havedrastically reduced our intake of dairy products.The first month was hard, but we have allgradually adjusted to our new food combinations.For the children, I keep at hand roasted peanutsand gram, sesame and peanut chikki, idlis, dosasand congee made with whole grains, and plentyof fruit.
There is also a nagging concern that I have, whichour families echo – are we depriving our childrenof the ‘goodies’ in life, or are we ensuring theirlifelong well-being through insistence on a dietrich in fruit and vegetable? Growing up in acommunity that has valued richly made meaty,
A Tryst with Naturopathy
11
PATTIESIngredients (to make 20 pieces):1 kg potatoes (steamed and grated)1bunch coriander (finely chopped)2 green chillies, and 1" ginger pasteGroundnut powder- 1/2 cup· MIX all the ingredients with salt and
make into flat round disks.· Roll on groundnut powder and bake
till crisp. If potatoes are sticky addsome raw poha to the mixture. Canalso be roasted on the Tava.
FILLING FOR THE PATTIESIngredients:!00grams green peas(steamed)Coriander (chopped)Amchur/salt/Red chilli powder· Mix together· Stuff the patties with the mixture and
bake· Can use other root vegetables like
beet root, sweet potato instead ofpotato
We are planning on hosting a gatheringwith the Health Awareness Centre around
healthy food and nutrition. If you areinterested in participating, please contact
Manish Jain <[email protected]>
FRUIT CAKEIngredients:1 cup Dalia (corn or rice or amaranth)3-4 well ripened Bananas (mashed)6 slices Pineapple (finely chopped)1 cup Jaggery1/2 cup Dates1/2 cup Coconut (scrapped)Ginger (grated)1/4 cup Carrot (grated) or appleCinnamon powder (roasted)1/4 tsp suva· Mix all the ingredients very well. Keep
the batter for 6-8 hours.(It shouldbecome light ). The consistency shouldbe dropping. If it becomes dry, addcoconut water or coconut milk. (Alwaystaste for balance).
· Bake in oven for 45 minutes or steam.
Source: How to Make Food - The NaturallyHealthy Way. The Health AwarenessCenter, Mumbai.
VIJAYA NANI’S HEALTHYALTERNATIVES:
INSTEAD OF CHIPS AND CAKES…
fishy food both for its taste and as a status/wealthsymbol, the values that we place on certain foodsis something that I realize I too need to workthrough. Moreover, I often wonder about therelationship between the food combiningprinciples of naturopathy and the climatic,regional and cultural specific definitions, practicesand knowledge of food that communities haveevolved over the generations in accordance withtheir understanding of the relationship betweennature, body, food and their healing powers.
It is now 6 months since we have adopted thenaturopathic diet, which Asad has combinedwith simple breathing exercises and shirsasana(head stand). I believe that it has helped reducethe frequency and intensity of his respiratoryailments. In an emergency, he has had to resortto allopathy to treat acute symptoms thatdebilitate him, but the recourse he has had totake to such an option is much less frequent.However, we plan to continue this regimen foran entire year to ascertain whether it helps to tideus all over the changes of the four seasons. I mustshare that the children’s visits to the homoeopath
“Though I have had two serious illnessesin my life, I believe that man has littleneed to drug himself. 999 cases out of athousand can be brought round bymeans of a well-regulated diet, water andearth treatment and similar householdremedies. He who runs to the doctor,vaidya or hakim for every little ailment,and swallows all kinds of vegetable andmineral drugs, not only curtails his life,but, by becoming the slave of his bodyinstead of remaining its master, loses self-control, and ceases to be a man.”
- Gandhiji, Nature Cure
have also reduced in frequency; I believe thatthe naturopathic diet is also allowing the childrento ward off seasonal allergies and ailments.
- Tasqeen Macchiwalla, Bangalore <[email protected]>
12
Our search for natural health and other relatedmatters started with the birth of our son. Actually, itstarted a little before that, when we were looking fora sympathetic gynecologist. And despite all thetrouble we took to find a doctor who did not have arecord of C-Sections, I ended up having one! It waslater that we realised that whichever doctor wechose, the vision on health matters was more or lessthe same. The system makes them this way, for theydo not really study health; they study medicine.
That was only the beginning. Twenty years ago, mymother and mother-in-law were badly brainwashedinto believing whatever was written on a doctor’sprescription was sanctum santorum. The ads thatappeared on milk food add-ons and substitutes hada huge impact on them. My mother thought I wasdepriving my son of Bournvita which she believed wasvital for his growth. My mother-in-law also had herown views: that women of my generation no longerproduced enough milk to feed their babies and thatI was starving mine. I had by this time found out thatany woman who had given birth could breast-feedas long as the child demanded it. One does not haveto consume milk to produce milk but consume a lotof fruits and vegetables. Anyway, nature makes youfeel thirsty while feeding a baby. I remember alwayshaving a glass of water next to me while feeding.
One decision we had to take (for which we did notfind any support from anyone in the family) waswhether to vaccinate or not. I think this was the turningpoint for me. On this issue, I was initially undecided.Bharat was quite clear that it was only a largebusiness aided by the government. He wrote toseveral groups to get at the truth. The reports thatarrived were divided in their opinion. The ones thatsupported vaccination came from the medicalfraternity, and the ones that did not were from outsideIndia where people had started questioning it as morecases of iatrogenic illnesses started emerging.
With such a split vote, I was still undecided. And thenBebu got diarrhea. The family physician prescribedsome medicine which I was wary of putting into hislittle body. I had discovered that on the corner of thebottle was written in very small print that an overdosewas detrimental to children. I did not give him anymedication and found that the diarrhea petered outon its own. After about a month, he got diarrheaagain, and I merely waited for it to peter out. At thispoint, I realised that the body follows its own logic ofassimilation, digestion and excretion and anythingelse is interference in the natural process of the bodyfrom finding its equilibrium.
For the last nineteen years, we have been letting theillnesses that afflict us run their course. At such times,we do a water fast or at the most consume only fruit
or juice. We avoid grains or any such foodduring this time as we believe the energy shouldgo towards detoxifying and not digestion.
When Zui was born, I merely implemented whatI had learnt while raising Bebu. She was borneight years after him, in our home, with the helpof an efficient mid-wife, after a thirty-six hourlabour. Perhaps I should mention here that Zui,at the age of two, had what is conventionallycalled whooping cough. She coughed forabout a month violently. The cough wasaccompanied by mucus. Once the mucus waseliminated, the coughing stopped. Imagine hadshe been given some medication, the mucusmight still be stuck in her body!
The children have had the usual chicken-pox,mumps and measles. Bebu during his measleshad a craving for watermelon, so we gave himonly that. Children often know what they wantand intuitively reject what is unsuitable for themat that time. On normal days, we have notbeen too strict with their diet, as they then craveto eat what other children eat. Just a few rules:eat your fruit in the morning, coconut watereveryday, salads as much as possible and donot suppress any symptom.
We see that symptoms are in actuality the cureof the disease. Nowadays, ‘health’ is seen asthe absence of symptoms, and ‘disease’ as thepresence of such symptoms. Many of thediseases we suffer from are classified in terms oftheir symptoms. Medicines aim at eliminatingsymptoms, but do not remove the root cause ofthe disease. The root cause of disease lies in thehost of changes brought to our lifestyle andenvironment. To just treat the symptoms, doesnot fully heal a person. Symptoms exist for ourprotective benefit. They are the healing anddetoxifying reaction of our bodies. This is whythe symptoms should never be interfered with.
Modern medicines have been developed onthe basis of the experience of people in the last150-200 years while human beings are on thisplanet for several million years. I quote fromNatural Hygiene practitioner, Dr. Bernarr: “Sincelife began on earth, our inherent intelligencewithin each cell of our bodies has learned tomake the optimum adaptation and resolution,to any problem to which our bodies aresubjected. Whatever stresses our bodiespresently have, every cell of our bodies hassuccessfully learned how to cope with such,previously. It is already built into our genes, ourchromosomes and our DNA.” It is in terms of thistotal experience that we must look at the issueof health and disease.
- Vineeta Mansata, Kolkata<[email protected]>
T h e Powe r o f S e l f -He a l i n gT h e Powe r o f S e l f -He a l i n gT h e Powe r o f S e l f -He a l i n gT h e Powe r o f S e l f -He a l i n gT h e Powe r o f S e l f -He a l i n g
13
When we speak to people about having had our kids at home or having not given them vaccinationsor inoculations, a lot of them look at us as if we’ve popped over from Mars. For my husband Jehangirand me, having our kids at home was not a reaction to hospital callousness, or a previous caesarianbirth. Having lived our married life outside mainstream medical doctrines for the most part, we couldn’tconceive of any other way to bring our children into the world.
In our quest for information, we got tons of half-bakedadvice from people. We were told that if we wantedto find a traditional midwife or “Dai” all we needed todo was go into a Mumbai slum and yell for one.
What we did instead was read extensively about theprocess and talked to anyone we could find who hadexperienced a home birth. At the time, there was noone we could speak to about home birthing inBombay. We asked one of Jehangir’s yoga students whois also a doctor to come home at the time of the birth. Sheinsisted that she would be no help without her instruments. Weassured her that we wouldn’t need any. All we wanted was herphysical presence. Till the last day of my pregnancy, I was doing aspecial sequence of yoga asanas that was designed to help relievethe discomforts of pregnancy and ease the labour.
My daughter Rishaya, was born after 24 hours of labour . Theentire family was involved in various ways: my father-in-law gaveme this incredible back massage that made the contractionsbearable, my ma-in-law in providing constant refreshments andcomfort, and my husband in devising various ways to makeme feel good.
It was a beautiful birth. Rishayadidn’t cry at all, she just let out a littlebird-like squawk to let us know shewas amongst us. Jehangir dideverything, from holding the baby asshe came out, cutting the cord, andcleaning up the blood and gore ... tocrying in the bathroom after she wasborn, because he was so overcomeby the experience!
By the time our son Paritosh was borntwo years later, we felt like stalwarts.We definitely didn’t need anyone beside each other. I didn’t wake Jehangir up till half my labourwas over. I wasn’t being enormously brave. It was just an extremely short labour (3 hours!). I was stilltrying to convince my sleepy husband that the baby was actually on its way out when he incredulouslysaid, “Omigod I can see the head.” Ma-in-law was summarily pulled out of bed to boil twine andscissors for the cord cutting. Paritosh was born while I was under the shower to relieve the discomfortof the contractions.
The most magical part in both the births has been the hour after the birth. The peaceful exultation one feelsholding this wondrous new creation, bathed in soft lights and gentle voices, totally in harmony with all thebeautiful, spiritual energies of the universe.
It was just too miraculous an experience to keep to ourselves. I now share my natural birthing experienceswith new mothers- to- be and we have helped a few mothers deliver their babies at home since then.
- Rashmi Palkhiwala, Mumbai<[email protected]>
Blissful BirthsBlissful BirthsBlissful BirthsBlissful BirthsBlissful BirthsIM
AG
E B
Y N
AVIN
A V
EN
KAT
SON
DERG
AARD
14
?kj esa QuhZpj\ dHkh ugha!?kj esa QuhZpj\ dHkh ugha!?kj esa QuhZpj\ dHkh ugha!?kj esa QuhZpj\ dHkh ugha!?kj esa QuhZpj\ dHkh ugha!^D;k vki xjhc gSa\ D;k vki csjkstxkj gSa\ vkids ?kj esadksbZ QuhZpj D;ksa ugha gS\**^^igyk dkj.k gS fd QuhZpj dks ns[kdj gesa HkhM+HkkM+ lheglwl gksrh gS] tSls dgha VªsfQd tke gks x;k gksAnwljk dkj.k gS fd yxHkx lHkh ds ?kjksa esa QuhZpj gksrkgS] rks blesa dqN u;kiu eglwl ugha gksrkA rhljkdkj.k] QuhZpj u gksus ls cPpksa dks [ksyus ds fy, dkQhtxg fey tkrh gSA**
^^rks D;k esgekuksa dks uhps fcBk,¡\**D;ksa ugha! Hkkjr dh lHkh ijEijk,¡ uhps cSBus ds i{k esa ghgSa] fQj oks ’kknh&C;kg gks ;k gou gks ;k fQj lkewfgdHkkstuA QuhZpj ?kj esa ugha j[kus dh lksp rks gekjh rHkhcu xbZ Fkh] tc ls ge vius cPpksa dks dbZ nksLrksa ofj’rsnkjksa ds ;gk¡ ys tkrs FksA gjsd ds ogk¡ QuhZpj dhot+g ls gesa ;k rks cPpksa dks Vksduk iM+rk Fkk ;k tcjujksduk iM+rk FkkA rHkh ,d le> ;g cuh Fkh fd vxj?kj esa QuhZpj gksxk] rks iwjk fnu cPpksa dks ̂ ;g er Nwuk]oks er Nwuk] bl ij er cSBuk] ml ij er ysVuk* tSlsdbZ udkjkRed vkns’k Fkksius iM+saxsA
ge ¼pUnzs’k vkSj eSa½ vgenkckn ’kgj esa vius nksuksa cPpksa¼dqnjr vkSj vtUE;½ ds lkFk ,d ,sls ¶ysV esa jgrs gSa]tgk¡ ls cPps vdlj [ksyus ds fy, ckgj ugha tk ldrsgSaA ,d cM+s ’kgj esa jgrs gq, Hkh geus vius thou esa dqNmlwy r; fd, gSaA gekjh thou’kSyh ’kgjh thou lsfcYdqy gVdj gS vkSj geus r; fd;k gS fd ge viusnksuksa cPpksa dks dHkh Ldwy ugha HkstsaxsA geus r; fd;kfd ge vius cPpksa ds lh[kus ds fy, ekSds [kqn cuk,¡xsvkSj vius ?kj dks Hkh ,d ,slh lh[kus dh txg ds :iesa cuk,¡xs] tgk¡ os [ksy&dwn lds vkSj eupkgh phtsadjrs gq, lh[k ldsA blhfy, gekjk fu.kZ; Fkk fd gevius ?kj esa fdlh izdkj dk QuhZpj vkSj jsfMesM ltkoVdk lkeku ugha j[ksaxsA
ge tc Hkh fdlh ?kj esa x, gSa] rks ns[kk gS fd T;knkrjekrk&firk vius cPpksa dh f’kdk;r gels djrs jgrs gSafd ̂esjk cPpk Bhd ls ugha cSBrk] esjk cPpk m/ke epkrkgS] esjk cPpk ’kSrkuh djrk gSA rc gesa ,d pht fcYdqyle> esa vk xbZ fd T;knkrj udkjkRed fopkj cPpksa dhvkUrfjd ÅtkZ dks nckrs gSa vkSj tks ÅtkZ ckgj fudyuhpkfg,] oks fQj fgald :i esa ckgj fudyrh gSA
geus vius ?kj ds vk¡xu esa cSBus ds fy, bZaaV] xkscj vkSj
feV~Vh dk vklu cuk;k gSA nhokjksa dk iwjk bLrseky fd;k gSA,d nhokj ij isijes’kh ls E;wjy cuk;k gS vkSj nwljh nhokjdks dckM+ ls ltk;k gSA ,d NksVk lk dejk gS] ftlesa cPpksads [ksyus dh txg gSA bldh ,d nhokj cPpksa dks fp= cukusds fy, NksM+h xbZ] os tSls ltkuk pkgs] oSls ltk,A ;s lcgeus cgqr de [kpZ esa fd;k gSA eSaus vuqHko fd;k gS fdjsfMesM QuhZpj vkSj cukoVh ltkoV ds lkeku ls gVdj [kqnvius ?kj dks ltkus esa thoUrrk dk vglkl gksrk gS vkSjblls gekjh l‘tukRedrk Hkh fodflr gksrh gSA
,d ckj tc ge vius ?kj esa ,d Vscy ysdj vk, Fks] rks’kq:vkr esa rks dq+njr ¼gekjk 5 o”khZ; csVk½ us dgk fd blsdqN fnu ?kj esa jgus nksA ;g Vscy dk¡p vkSj ydM+h ls cuhFkhA nks fnu rd gekjs nksuksa cPps bl Vscy ij mNys&dwns]mlds ckn dqnjr us crk;k fd gesa ;g Vscy vc vf/kdle; rd vius ?kj esa ugha j[kuk pkfg,] D;ksafd blls gekjs[ksyus ds fy, i;kZIr txg ugha cprh gSA blds rqjUr ckn;g Vscy geus vius iM+kSfl;ksa dks ns nhA vc gekjs ?kj esa,slh txg cu xbZ gS fd iM+kSfl;ksa ds cPps Hkh [ksyus ds fy,gekjs ?kj vkrs gSaA
QuhZpj ugha gksus ls ?kj dks ,d u, <ax ls ltkus dk ekSdkfeyrk gSA eSa mu lc yksxksa dks laokn vkSj lkFk feydjlh[kus ds fy, vkefU=r djrh gw¡ fd ge vius ?kj dks ,dlh[kus dh csgrjhu txg ds :i esa dSls fodflr dj ldrsgSa] rkfd gekjs cPpksa dks Ldwy ;k fdlh ckgjh laLFkk dkslqiqnZ u djuk iM+s vkSj ?kj dks ltkus ds fy, cktkjhizksMDV~l ij fuHkZj ugha gksuk iM+sA
&lqeh] vgenkckn, <[email protected]>
Me experimenting with natural dyesAuroville - March 2006
15
“These people just didn’t know any English.Over that, they start to giggle when you’retrying so hard to communicate with them inyour simplest English. But no: all they do isgiggle, giggle, giggle. Finally, we spoke inMarathi (my mother tongue) and did somesign language; and they spoke in Thai and didsome sign language. And guess what, itworked!”
- of curses and crab fried rice, January 2006
What Inspired Me to Write This Book and HowI Came to Write It?… Well, for one thing, thefact that I got to go to Thailand and back, andhad all the fun of my life there. What else? Andfor my love of writing. It all began when, aftercoming back from Thailand, someonesuggested I make a photo-essay, consideringthat there were like thousands and thousandsof photos clicked by all the camera holdersthere. It didn’t sound like a bad idea. And so Istarted writing. In the process somewhere thephoto-essay got forgotten and this whole newidea of making a book emerged. I wasn’tsupposed to know. Not that I didn’t, I sneakedout the plan from my mom one day andinsisted that I be part of it. But still, on my 14thbirthday, my parents (forging that the bookhadn’t come from the printers yet), let meuncover it with cries of surprise and delight.And wow, the book didn’t look like it waswritten by me at all. It was, of course, just thecover and the lay-out was so beautiful that it
just, well, wasawesome. And Isti l l couldn’tbelieve it. It hadtaken me 3 monthsof writing, typing,completing it
within my deadline (which was very unusual ofme, I tell you). And getting bored of writing somuch, (having writers’ block, eh?), forgettingstuff, making huge mistakes, writing it again, wasa huge, fun, tiring process. And here in front ofmy eyes now was the fruit of it all. Very sweetand lovely.
- Sakhi, Nashik <[email protected]>
What Sakhi showed us about her recent learningjourney to Bangkok was memorable. The writingevoked images of a teenager’s impression ofgoing to Thailand, not so much about Thailandbut about the journey she undertook with usalong with our Abhivyakti family. She hadcaptured the process in her own inimitable stylewithout too much of consideration for niceties.She had kept her commitment, diligently workedon her writing, which she really loves and hadhandled it with responsibility. It was reasonenough to publish her musings into a booklet, ofcurses and crab fried rice, and surprise her onher 14th birthday!
-Anita and Nitin, Nashik <[email protected]>
On Fashion...“Children of fashion conscious parents have also toswim with the tides of the time. Children are oftenmade to exhibit what parents find fashionable, or whatis in style at the moment.
Take an example of girl’s dresses. Most of them havebuttons at the back. No one knows who thought ofthis style, but children wear it, parents demand it, andtailors stitch accordingly. So far, so good.
But what happens when a child wears a dress with thebuttons at the back? “Mother do my buttons”. “Daddy,please fasten my hooks.” The parents are hassled withother tasks. The mother calls for the elder sister, “Heyhelp her with the buttons” or she yells for the servant,“Why don’t you close the buttons for her?”
The child with her own two hands is helpless. She isdependent on someone else to complete dressing. Shecan not go out unless someone is around to button her
up. She has to request, or plead, or shout for this. She isdependent, for all the sake of being dressed in fashion, adress with buttons at the back.
That’s just about dressing, what about undressing?
If the dress gets wet, the child can’t take it off. If she isfeeling hot and feels like cooling down, she can’t take itoff. And heaven forbid if the dress catches fire, she can’ttake it off.
But still the child wears such dresses. She likes thembecause her parents do. They like them, because theywant their child to be well dressed.
But fashion is really just a series of fads. Started somewhere,by someone who wants to be different, it sometimescatches on, and then everyone wants to follow blindly.”
– Gijubhai Badheka,It Is Not Easy Being Parents. 1935.
M e m o r i e s o f T h a i l a n d . . .
16
To live organically we need tothink of what we eat?
where we shop? what we wear?how we wash? how we healourselves ... here are some
interesting places where we canexplore these questions and alsosupport movements and families
committed to organic living...
ElementsTomy and Seepja MathewCustoms Road, Kozhikode
670644 KeralaPhone: 04935-260-426
AsalMithun Shah
5 Tejpal Society, Paldi,Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Phone:[email protected]
Hamo Desi MelaPannalal Patel and Shilpa Jain
Shikshantar21, Fatehpura
Opp. Fatehpura Post office,Udaipur-4, RajasthanPhone:0294-2451303
AurolineNavina and UrjasHouse no. 1288Igroze Vaddo
Bardez,Anjuna,Goa-403509
Phone: 0832-2274197
People TreeGurpreet Sidhu and Orijeet Sen
8, Regal Building,Parliament Street
New Delhi-1Phone: [email protected]
Write to us with the names ofgroups in your area...
LIVING ORGANICALLY
HEY THERE!!!HEY THERE!!!HEY THERE!!!HEY THERE!!!HEY THERE!!!We need your contributions in the form of
essays, artwork, critical feedback,interviews, poems, healthy recipes, healing
tips, questions, book reviews, websitereviews, film reviews, jokes, interesting
people/places to visit, cartoons, love, etc.
^^fYkfoax flEiyh fon fpYMzu fdrkc** esa esjh ’kjyksd geas dqN lqUnj iz’ulq>k jgh gS ftu ij ge fdlh ikfjokfjsd xfrfof?k ;k feyu ds nkSjkufeytqy dj ckr dj ldrs gSaA ;g iz’u O;fDrxr Lrj ij Hkh vkSjikfjokfjd Lrj ij dqN thou ewY;ksa ij lkspus ds fy;s dkQh vPNs gSaAbuls ge ,d nwljs dh Hkkoukvkas dks Hkh vgeh;r ns ik;saxsA- vki Lo;a ds thou dh lQyrkvksa dks dSls ifjHkkf"kr djsxsa\- vkf[kj vki fdl ds fy;s th jgs gSa\- gekjs ifjokj fdlds fy;s gS\- vkids thou es lcls T;knk vgfe;r D;k j[krk gS\- vkidks lcls T;knk lUrks"k fdlls feyrk gS\- vkids nksLrksa ds dkSuls xq.k vkidks lcls T;knk egRoiw.kZ yxrs gSa\- vki ifjokj eas feytqy dj D;k xfrfof/k;ka djrs gaS\- vkids ifjokj ds dkSuls feys Tkqys flU}kr gS\- vki vius ifjokj esa D;k cnyko ykuk pkgrs gSa\- vki vius ifjokj dks D;k Lo;a fufeZr rksgQk nsuk pkgsxsa\
Editorial Team:Vidhi Jain
Sakhi Nitin AnitaNavina Venkat Sondegaard
YashodaraContact us at:Shikshantar Andolan21 Fatehpura, Udaipur-4, Rajasthanwww.swaraj.org/shikshantar/families<[email protected]>