Poila Baishakh and Foundation Day

The good tidings for Dakshinayan started from 14th April itself, a day before the Bengali New Years Day. Right in the morning Mr.Tarun Saha came over with solar fittings for Roldih. There were ten solar lamps and the charger and also a solar panel for charging the laptops there. The Panel was put up on the roof of one of the classrooms and the charger was fitted in the main bedroom. It turned out that all these were gifts from Mr.Vijay Mahajan who had recently visited Roldih. We are very thankful to him and the fact that he has zeroed in on the exact need for the project in this moment even in his very short visit. Those solar lamps and the solar panel will come in very useful on the project.

The 15th of April is the Bengali New Year Day and also the day foundation stone was laid for the first time in Roldih in the year 2005. It is celebrated with the children and the villagers every year. The kids offered to bring in the rice and the pulses to which a little more was added and khichdi was made to feed an army. All the children came from early in the morning and an offering of sweets and fruits was done at the Baba Lokenath Temple on the project, which was later on distributed amongst the children and the villagers who came. Then everybody sat down to eat under the old banyan tree and ate off plates made from leaves. Around 250 people ate on that day. Everybody had a good time.

5TH APRIL

On 5^th April evening the Austrian volunteer, Philip Auinger and me, we left for the project on the night bus from Kolkata and was picked up by Bhola in a private taxi from Porayahat early next morning. The weather was balmy on the way. In Roldih the weather was hot and dry but it cooled down in the evenings so there was some respite. Also, the funny thing about the weather there is that when it becomes too hot it is a sure sign of the rains or at least a storm cooling everything down.

We had the Bihar famous litti one evening for dinner. Bhola is an expert at it and brought all the things needed to make it. It is supposed to be made in cowdung cakes fire and the litties were put in the fire to dry roast for some time. Then they were taken out and dunked in ghee(clarified butter) and a spicy chutney was made on the side and also, mashed potatoes with spices. The whole affair was quite enjoyable and we ate under the stars outside the kitchen. Bhola’s father was our guest as he brought in the much needed ghee in the last moment as the previously bought ghee could not be found.

During the day, Philip and I both taught English in classIII and classIV as those two classes were missing their English lessons so far. We took turns in alternating both the classes so that the kids don’t get bored and the classes were kept interactive. In fact, after I came away also, Philip was using the same technique and bhola is guarding the alternate class where Philip is leaving the kids to do some work and going to the other class to teach. I have told the children that intensive English classes will go on if I or the volunteers are on the project so, as not to be absent during those days. The satisfaction of teaching the kids was high as usual and I returned to Kolkata on the night bus from Godda.

THE ADMISSIONS 24th MARCH

I went back to Roldih within a short period for two reasons, one was that the admissions were due, another was that Tomoyo was going to end her one month stint and given the recent situation in Japan I wanted to give her some companionship.

Bhola had already spread the word about the admission date through the children of the school and village visits. On the D day children with their parents started to trickle in from early in the morning. By the time it was 9 o clock- the designated time to start the admission process- the crowd was so big that we had to send Bansi and Shanku to organize by numbers. So they started to send them one by one to where Bhola and me were sitting. The process of interviewing the parents and kids went on till late morning. The kids who wanted to join class I or higher were asked to read a passage from the English and Hindi Readers. They were taken in those classes if their reading was found satisfactory. Even after we closed the admissions, there were people coming in throughout the day and the next few days.

From the money that was collected, we could pay off the dues which had accumulated over the last few months both in the salaries and the provisions department and miscellaneous expenses. After it was all over, Tomoyo and me, we came back by the night bus to Kolkata. Tomoyo learnt a lot of Indian cooking on the project and she was carrying all kinds of spices to Japan.

FINAL RESULTS 14th MARCH

This year we decided to hold the final exams in the month of March instead of in December as all the other schools in the surrounding areas have their exam during this time. This change was made so that the outgoing students don’t have to wait to join the other schools and can directly take admission. The exams went on without a hitch and the marksheets were ready within two days.

Lea, an old volunteer wanted to do some research on santhali language and she with her assistant Minu wanted to make Roldih as a base, so, they were traveling with me and Tomoyo Kaneko, a Japanese volunteer who was going to volunteer for a month. The four of us traveled by the Shantiniketan Express to Shantiniketan and stayed there overnight and visited the Saturday Haat there- a very colourful affair. The girls went crazy buying things.

The next morning, we left early for Roldih. We had breakfast in Massanjore and after that the road was a riot of orange and green as the palash trees were in full bloom all through the road. We reached Roldih before lunch and then it was a whirlwind of activity of getting the report cards ready. The next day was result day and the children started to come in early, some grinning and some grave faced, not knowing what the results were going to be. There was a lot of clapping for the first, second and third toppers. Some also failed. It was mostly in nursery class that students failed which was not much of their fault as the teaching has been erratic. But now, thankfully, it is in order and we are hoping for better results next year. We celebrated the end of session by making and having Alu Paratha(Potato stuffed Indian bread) for dinner.

Roldih still Rocks

For those who are wondering Baba Gyan Mandir still exists, let me say that it not only exists, it rocks. I was there briefly on 21st February. My friend Vijay and I arrived in the afternoon and left soon after assembly the following day. Vijay, who is on a Shodh Yatra (read his blog at http://vijaymahajan.wordpress.com) wanted to visit the projecct -- he had heard a lot about it,  supported it, but had  never found the time to visit it.

These days I too don't find the time to visit the project. So I felt this would be a good opportunity to go and see how Bansi was managing the show. I must admit I am satisfied. But I do find him spending too much time in the kitchen. Was it because there were two additional mouths to feed? Shanku is there, but it was obvious that he would not do any work unless prodded to do so.

Anyway, it was also obvious that school was doing  ok. Attendance at the assembly was quite good. Vijay did not get to see the school in progress, but I hope he was impressed by the discipline of the children. He did enjoy the peace and quiet of the project and also managed to get some rest from his busy and sometimes grueling travel schedule. I should know. I was with him in Sundarbans and have just come back from Garhwal.

Bansi has started visiting the villages again. That is good.  He is also sticking to a routine. Which is excellent. But his inter-personal skills hasn't developed much. But I know he is not entirely to blame. But there's something that is bothering me now -- A few days ago, while I was in Garhwal, he called to say he wanted a salary raise! I was quite surprised because after literally begging me to take him back on the project and agreeing to work for no money and appearing grateful for the honorarium I offered him, this was quite a turn-around! And that too within a couple of months of joining the project! I do wish to pay him more money as he is now so crucial to the project and is working so well. But to be told he wants a raise immediately was rather disconcerting.

I asked him why this sudden change and he said that his old employer in Punjab was offering him more money. This gentleman was paying him 800 rupees while he was there for working practically 20 hours a day! So I told Bansi if money was his main motivation in life, he was free to leave. This shut him up. I told  him I'd like to discuss this with him face to face. I don't know when that is going to be. But whatever hopes I had of leaving the project to him eventually, have dissipated. I realize that when  I pull out, the project will  have to die. No one seems to want the project for what it is and what it stands for. When I meet him, I'll talk to him. But God knows when that will happen.

In a couple of days I will be in Patna helping to conduct yet another training programme. I will not be free till the 16th. Meanwhile, Tomoyo, Lea and her assistant are going to the project. Thankfully, Mitali has agreed to escort them and settle them in. Tomoyo is coming as a volunteer while Lea will be using the project as a base for conducting research work in the area. She has a letter from the Chief Minister, no less! I am hoping I will get some time to be there with them on the project after my Bihar programme.

Bhola is well. It seems that the medicines he's taking are helping to cure the tumor in his head. He needs regular checkups. Meanwhile, he got into some trouble with a "bad charater" from his village is having to spend a considerable time running from police station to lawyers. I hope his problems get sorted out soon. He seems to be having a run of bad luck.

Since I was not on the project, Bansi conducted the final exams. Mitali will give out the results when she's there. Fresh admissions won't take place till I visit. So I will have to find time to do that soon. After Patna perhaps.

Right now I'm wondering if I should move back to Delhi. I feel terribly homesick whenever I go there. Also, the climate in the east is not suiting me. The moment I arrive in Kolkata, I fall ill. I remember being very "sickly" while I lived here as a young person. So perhaps it is time for me to move back. I think I'll find more opportunities to work if I live there. I'm 50% decided at the moment. There are a few things in the pipeline and once they either come through or fall through, I'll  know for sure.

Meanwhile, I'm doing whatever I can to  keep the project alive -- even if it means giving away whatever I earn from my training programmes.