The Annual Picnic

It was that time of the year again...the annual picnic. The kids were looking forward to it since the new year set in. This time my sister(Piali), my friend(Madhu), and the repairman went with me and we were joined at the Jasidih station by a volunteer(Sahil Patel) from Canada. Bhola came to pick us up and we all travelled to the project together. When we reached we had a cup of tea around the bonfire and sat around and had our dinner around the fire only. The repairman had come with us as the roofs needed repair and so he had to take measurements for the job to be done before the monsoon sets in with full force. All the preparations for the picnic was done before by the enthusiastic kids. The chulah(Clay oven) was dug in the back fields ready and waiting. Next day we all shifted to the back fields after a late breakfast. We had carried bar ones(chocolate bars) and gave them to the kids and then the fun and games started. Thanks to Madhu, Piali and Sahil there were lots of games like relay race, normal race, musical chair and other games which the kids enjoyed immensely and so did we. There were more bar ones as prizes which kept the kids happy. Bhola had brought her two kids who also joined whole heartedly. One one side there was serious cooking going on organised and executed by Bhola and helped by Haldhar, Premanand and Mongol. There were huge woks in which Khichri(mix of rice, different kinds of lentils, vegetables and spices) was being made. There was tomato chutney and papad fry also. It was quite late when the games and the cooking was done and the kids sat down to eat. The enthusiasm was infectious. After the kids were done we also had our late lunch on the plates made of leaves. In the evening we had different kinds of pakodas in the kitchen which was the warmest place in the very cold weather. We girls ultimately decided to bring the kitchen chulah(oven) to our bedroom at night! We also slept with our socks on and with hoodies, thermalwear etc. We left Sahil fortified with soup packets and bar ones to tide him over. He will be teaching English and try and help the kids prepare for their final exams in March.
One sad news is the Bruni has passed away. But I guess it was good for her as she no longer lived on the project and there was nobody to look after her.

March 2013, Final Exams

The academic session at Dakshinayan is over. The final exams were in the first week of March. I prepared the English question papers and went to the project for the exams.

After the exams were over it was our turn to correct the papers, which was a huge job. But the teachers, Premanand, Haladhar, Shanku and me, we finished them on time and the marksheets were drawn. Shanku was very helpful with the marksheets as he remembered the exact way guruji(Siddharth) used to do it. Finally the report cards were made and the fates sealed. On the result day the children and their guardians came and assembled in front of the Lokenath temple. The results were announced and report cards given. The pass average was good this year. There were prizes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd students of all the classes and also for the maximum attendance in each class for the whole year.

After the last year's results were out the new session's admission is going on. Shanku visited the various villages and told the villagers about the date when admission is to start, as, many of them were asking about the dates. At present the admission for the new session is going on.

We had a bit of a good news from our ex volunteer Philip Auinger who has contributed a nice amount of money to Dakshinayan which will go a long way in running the project. Thank you Philip for keeping us close to your heart and helping our cause.

ROLDIH in January 2013

It took me a while to upload this blog as I was a bit under the weather after returning from Roldih. This time Raj(my hubby), went with me as we were carrying two cartons of goodies for the children, which our Japanese volunteer, Daisuke Ura, had sent. After returning from India he has been working in the tsunami affected areas and had sent two huge cartons and was eagerly awaiting photos.

The first day after reaching in the morning and after breakfast the school started. I went into the classes and taught a little, revised a little and checked how far they have progressed after I had left them. They were quite up to date inspite of our problems in finding good English teachers in the area. The children have been told about the gifts from before and they were all agog with excitement wondering what they will get. We gave off school a little early. The children lined up as they line up for assembly in front of the temple. Then we distributed the things which included, inflatable balls, whistles, caps, bubble blowers, skipping ropes, exercise copies, erasers, lots of pens, pencils, sharpners, scales, sketch pens, colourful notebooks etc. There were smiles all around as they got their gifts. After it was over they started preparation for the next day’s picnic.

Next day was Sunday and the children were early at the gate in coloured clothes as they were told to come as they wanted and need not wear school uniform. The previous day a chulah(oven) was dug by the children in the field. Shanku, Bhola, Haladhar and Premanand with the help of the elder children  started the fire going with logs of woods which are in abandon on the grounds. Cooking was done in huge utensils brought from Bhola’s house. The menu was khichri(mixture of rice, pulses, vegetables and spices), papad fry and tomato chutney. Even though the utensils were huge, the cooking had to be done in batches. The children did all the cutting of the vegetables very efficiently. Then, after food was ready they were called and made to sit in a line with leaf plates in front of them. Shanku and Bhola did the serving. No need to say, food was much appreciated. After the children had finished we sat down for lunch. Some of the children stayed back and went on playing and had a second helping after they had finished packing everything up and before going home.

This trip covered three things which were - checking to see the progress and fixing till how much will be taught before the exams, distributing the gifts which Daisuke had sent and the ever important January picnic.

The brief break is over. The children have returned to their respective classrooms. I decided to use the  remaining battery on my laptop to write another blog. Tomorrow, this time I will be on a train headed towards Kolkata and then after a short wait, on another train going to Bolpur. My brief sojourn will be over. I don't know when I will be back. I am due to  leave for Delhi end of this month so I am hoping I will be able to make yet another motorcycle trip to the project before I leave. If the weather remains the way it is now, then that should not be a problem.

I has been raining every day since I arrived on the project. Bhola claims we brought the rain with us. I find the rain refreshing, but also rather inconvenient. The roof of my veranda leaks. So one is forced to stay in the room which gets rather stuffy. But rain is good for farming. And this year hopefully with Harish's (villager -- Parvati's father) help we will plant something. He came last evening and promised  to plough the field and plant some lentils, corn and vegetables. He will be entitled to half the produce. But that's ok with us. He will be doing most of the work, so I guess he deserves it. We only provide the land and the seeds.

Though I have been ill most of the time, I am glad I came. Even Shantiniketan does not have such wide open spaces and greenery. Now that I am feeling better, I am able to enjoy the overcast skies and cool breeze that is blowing. But I do wish I could also like the way the project is being  run.

Despite my presence here and the good weather, I have not seen anyone make any effort to visit the village. Those living here seem to be happy to wake up, eat breakfast, teach for a few hours, eat lunch, sleep, wake up and cook dinner and then eat and sleep. I dropped a few hints, but all I got were excuses -- it's too hot, we don't have umbrellas, etc. Yet, it's not too hot if they have to go to Dumka or for a drive. Sad. Very sad. I'm beyond caring. I'm just glad the school is regular. The kids seem happy and to me that's all that counts.

Bruni is Back

When the children were leaving school we asked them if they had spotted Bruni.  A few of them claimed they had seen her in Siayarkatia, close to Devadand. And an hour later she was at the gates demanding to be let in. She had obviously sprinted all the way from there to the project. So the question is: does she understand human language? How did she know we were back? Did other dogs inform her? It's one of nature's mysteries. But we are happy she is back and obviously she's happy to see us. But Bruni has changed.

She no longer jumps on you when she sees you. She no longer demands food or biscuits -- patiently waits to be given something to eat. She no longer bangs on the gates to be let in. And it's obvious that she prefers to spend off the project than on it. As soon as the gates are opened in the morning to let in the school children, she leaves and comes back only in the late afternoon. She, however, insists on sleeping under my bed and spend more time sticking to Mitali who never tires of petting her. But unlike before, she no longer demands to be petted.

School is doing fine. At least it is regular. Mitali is still teaching Class 2 and all those kids are doing these days is learn English, English and more English. Mitali is making up for lost time. Raju and Susanti are teaching in their respective classes. But seem to be doing little else. No village visits and apart of helping Shanku with cooking, nothing else on the project. I don't like their tendencies of asking the school kids to do personal chores. I've already warned them, but I don't think it has much effect.

Shanku is doing most of the project work -- cooking, cleaning and taking care of the guests -- Mitali and me. Mitali is at least teaching. I am doing nothing.

It has been raining since yesterday -- off and on. We had some heavy rains yesterday. The weather has become cooler. But I have not been able to enjoy any of it as I have been quite ill with flu since yesterday morning. I'm a bit better today, but still feeling under the weather. What a pity.

School timings have changed. Before we arrived, school was starting at 6:30 and finishing at 9:00. Now it starts at 7:30 and goes on till 11:00. This is possible because the weather has improved considerably. Perhaps that explains the near 100% attendance.

I can hear thunder. I can hear the children playing in the field. It's break time. Good sounds. I am somewhat at peace. Om shanti, shanti, shantih....