गाँधी धाम: बाउंड्री के उस पार

" मैं", बाउंड्री के उस पार रहता हूँ.
अचंभित! समझ के पड़े था यह पता. 
मैला-कुचला कपड़ा, बेबस निगाहें.
हाथ में झाड़ू, और यह रुखा सा जबाव
समझ के बिलकुल पड़े. 
"हा साहबजी, हम लोग बाउंड्री के उस पार रहते हैं. "
फिर अचम्भा! यह कौनसी बाउंड्री?
"साहबजी हमलोग बाउंड्री के बाहर ही रहते आये हैं."
"आपको पता नहीं."
"साहबजी यह किसी को पता नहीं"
"पता क्यूँ करें, क्यूँ पड़ेसानी मोल ले."
"साहबजी, पर  एक बात हैं, आज के बाउंड्री और तब के बाउंड्री में थोड़ा अंतर हैं."
"पहले दिलों में बाउंड्री थी, गॉव कस्बों के हासियें पर रहा करता था. पर  था गॉव का ही."
और अब?
"दिलों में भी बाउंड्री हैं. और जमीन पर मोटी दीवारों की. और मैं कहीं का  नहीं."
अचम्भा, जितना जबाव दो, उतना ही समझ से पड़े. 
भाई जान, मैं ठहरा सीधा सादा, दुनिया से बेखबर.
घुमाओ मत, जरा सीधी बात बताओ. 
"सुन सकोगे बाउंड्री की कहानी, तो सुनो.
"बाउंड्री भारत को बाँटती हैं.
जाती के आधार पर नहीं, धर्म के आधार पर नहीं, और न ही राजनीती पे.  
बाउंड्री बांटती है, काम के आधार पर.
बाउंड्री के उस पार दिमाग लगाते, कलम चलाते.
बाउंड्री के इस पार, झाड़ू लगाते, शरीर खपाते. 
उस पार  ! पक्के, सजे  कतारों में बने घर. 
 इस पार ! टूटे-फूटे टीनों की चारदीवार, इधर उधर बिखरे हुए.
उस पार ! बाग़ बगीचा, कृत्रिम झरने और मनभावन पार्क
इस पार ! जंगल झाड़ झुड़मुट, और कीचड़ की परात
उस पार ! झील हैं, तालाब हैं, जहाँ खुसबू बिखरी फूलों की 
इस पार ! गदीला तालाब, जहाँ बदबू फैली मैलों की. 
उस पर ! कॉन्वेंट स्कूल हैं, अच्छे शिक्षक हैं, बच्चे पढ़ते कलरव करते हैं. 
इस पार ! स्कूल का पता नहीं, जो भी था उजड़ गया, बच्चो का भविष्य थम गया. 
उस पार ! शौपिंग सेंटर, सब दिन मेले लगते हैं. 
इस पार ! दीवारों से टंगी एक छोटी सी दुकान. 
उस पार ! क्लब हैं, सितारा होटल हैं, शैम्पेन  की बोतलें टनटनाती  हैं. 
इस पार ! देसी दारू की भट्टी हैं, पी के धुत्त मस्ताने हैं 
उस पार ! मंदीर मस्जिद और गिरिजाघर हैं. 
इस पार ! बेचारों के भगवान् का अता पता नहीं."
मन बिचलित होने लगा.
करूणा, दया उमड़ने लगी. 
बस खुद को लाचार बेबस पाया 
अब बस करो भाई, अब और सुन न पाउँगा.
महात्मा गाँधी के सपनों के भारत को बँटते देख न पाउँगा 
अब मैं चलता हूँ, ईश्वर से आपके भले की कामना करता हूँ.
"रुक जाओं भाई, मेरी विनती सुनते जाओ.
नयी कविता रची हैं, इसे पूरा सुनते जाओ."
मैं तेजी से भागा, पर वह माना नहीं.
कवी की वेदना! चिल्ला चिल्ला कर सुना रहा था
"उस पार ! बिजली हैं, चकमक हैं, बिजली दिल्ली को जाती हैं.
इस पार ! घोर अँधेरा हैं, कोलाहल हैं, डिबिया की टिमटिमाती लौ  के लिए कटोरी भर तेल कहा से लौऊँ . 
Source: http://dedicated-to-nation.blogspot.in/2012/09/blog-post.html

Sirsoti (Prehistory of Navodaya Mission)

Vidyalaya se Bhojanalaya Tak

Some of my colleague insisted me start a class room teaching. They were fed up with my thoughts and wanted to be involved in real stuff. I was waiting for an occasion. It was the day of Raksha Bandhan. We conducted a healthy discussion on the topic "Raksha Bandhan se Rashtra ki Suraksha tak". We tied Raksha Sutra to one another and made promises to stay together and work for the welfare of nation. Then we went in Sirsoti village, five kilometer away from my hostel. This village was completely unknown to us. We just took some sacred threads and some sweets and entered in the villages. There are scattered homes. Ladies are sitting there milking their children. We felt awkward to talk them and went inside the villages. There were some children playing in the field in rags conditions. None of them looked clean. We called them. Initially they feared, but some of them daring ones approached us. We hugged them and tied the thread on their wrist. Then we gave them sweets. Suddenly many bunches of children started coming. One old man also came to what is going. We explained them about the wider importance of Raksha Bandhan and told about my plans to teach them. They all were very happy. To give jerk on their minds we recited Vande Mataram and they followed.

The very next day we started the program. We spent one hour every day. Within three days the number of children reached hundred. It was difficult for us to manage such a huge number. We also not wanted to discourage them for telling them not to come.

Although there are students from all classes, class one to tenth. But none of them can do simple mathematical calculation like addition, multiplication. Some of them are good in study, but the rest can’t read books. Half of them even don’t know how to read. So we plan to teach them so that they could learn to read and do simple mathematics. After that we have in mind that most of them will automatically will stop coming as we would stringent the rules.

Now the task was how to manage such a huge mass. We have very limited volunteers as we all have to go there after riding for 5 Kms. So we divided from class 4 to 10th into four groups. Two groups for girls and two groups for boys were made naming after Vivekand, Subhash, Laskmibai and Anusuya. One of them can read and do simple mathematics. The other group can’t read well. Again class one to third was divided into two parts one for girls and the other for boys.

Teach Themselves

We assigned two to three boys among themselves to help other to read and remember counting. We taught the rest of them. This process brought result and within a week much improvement was visible. Almost all of them learn to read and many of them remember counting. All got chance read for four two pages every day and that helped them develop reading habit.

We taught the rest to understand Hindi in better way to extract the meaning of writing and a bit difficult mathematics process.

We assigned the task to my colleague and moved on for other important work. As people lack confidence so the effect is also diffused. My colleagues asked me something concrete. Seeing the situation I suggested them to select a few good one and focus on them for some concrete result.

After a long interval I went that place. One woman came with her three children. First they feared but then introduced them to me. One of them was in class sixth. It was shocking that she can’t read a single line in her book. She went school daily for past 6 years. She appeared in all the examination and declared passed (I have made video of my conversation with her, but it is too big to insert here). This is an alarming situation. Such dubious education policy will distort our country.

For increasing attendance, our primary schools, which shapes the future India is turned into Bhojanalaya.

Some Facts about our Bhojanalaya:

1. Not a single student from any class can read fluently even Hindi. Some who inherent desire to study know better, they are also at very low standard.

2. None of them can do addition confidently.

3.None of them can write anything correctly.

4. None of them understand Hindi well. They don't know the meaning of simple words at all.

5. Not a single one of them have read ten pages (better say five pages) a day.

6. Although they don't know Hindi at all, they all always insist us to teach English. Their parents are asks for the same although most of them are illiterate.

Facts: Yes it is true, all students have to work at their home, like cooking and cleaning. But six hour in school is enough to make them educated persons. But sorry to my country, to my nation now schools are also involving them in cooking and feeding.

It is better for students to work in field, graze their goats in fields rather sit idle in schools.

Written by Shanta Kumar (3 Nov. 2010)

JNV Darbhanga

Date 29/12/2015

As Sunita Singh, Hindi Teacher of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya called me for attending alumni meet, I made up my mind to visit our school. But I have plan to buy my car and for that I have to go Ranchi. Anyway on last day, Ravishankar Roy, doing MBBS from RIMS arranged a driver who was his own cousin and told he may stay with me as long as I would like. And in this way we started our journey to Darbhanga from Ranchi. Ranchi to Hazaribagh was high with four lane. Later we have to move a place from where we again went on Highway NH-2, till a bent from where we went to Gaya. We reached Gaya at 10 PM, where we did some shopping and unknowing of any incidence, with confidence we moved towards Patna. The journey was not so easy, as the way was not straight and we have to judge for taking turns. Anyway we reached Patna at 12.30 AM and booked a room near Bus stand and slept. Early in the morning we started our journey for Darbhanga. When we entered Muzaffarpur border, the road was blocked in reaction to a road accidents in which two people killed. Someone suggested us about alternate road. Somehow we moved ahead. Again there was road blockade on actual spot of accidents. Again we have to take turn and moved ahead. Finally in Muzaffarpur town there was road blockade in reaction to killing of a businessman by some goons and there again some told us to go from Highway and in that way we finally reached school.

This time school were in good shape. There was well developed gardens and every other things were in good shape. Still there were a number of old teachers. They all find difficult to comply with Principal rules. Anyway Principal seemed tight and tried to make all fall with his words. Proper arrangement were made lunch. Finally we came back.

JNV Arawal

Date: 4/01/2016

While on the way from Darbhanga to Patna, we took night stay at Arawal with Rahul Shandilya, alumni of JNV Darbhanga and student of BIT Mesra. In the evening we visited JNV Arawal. It is a new Navodaya Vidyalay located in its temporary building. As it became too late, we just wet the Principal. While talking with him, he recognized me and told I have met him in JNV Vaishali. Then I recalled his face. He invited us to come in the school again in the morning, so that we may see school premises and meet students.

In the morning at about 9 we visited school again. It is really too small to be run as residential school. Because of lack of residential areas, number of intake of students were very low. Classrooms were in pathetic condition. Even office of Principal was not in good shape. The condition of Kitchen was also very bad and potatoes etc were kept in open. Somehow cooks were struggling to maintain hygiene. On request of Principal Sir we delivered motivational lecture to class tenths students. Further on request of a teacher we also interacted with class 9th students. 

With time the aspiration of students have changed and they have started in realistic term. Unlike all students aspiring for engineering or medical, here students were also thinking about becoming teachers, lawyers, businessman, journalist etc. This is a  desirable change and would help students to focus on their own special talents and inclinations rather just throwing head for solving mathematics.

There we found discipline was maintained. Teachers were cooperative and inclined for compliance of school rules and regulation including acceptance of control of the Principal. They showed respect for their leadership. Children were also curious and obedient.

SIRSOTI (सिरसोती)

After doing Google search to know about Sirsoti, I found not much have been written about this small village. Whatever has been available on the web were written in official language.

It is small, backward and neglected village in Myorpur block of Sonebhadra District. It is fifty kilometer away from block headquarter and 125 Km away from district headquarter.

When I first visited in this village in year 2010, there was no electricity in the village. It was under complete darkness as most of people are too poor to burn enough kerosene to keep their home lit for longer hours. After five years of Government agency promises and processes of installing electric poles and wires, it is now getting electricity from the scheme of NTPC Rihand for giving light in its vicinity in 5Km range.

In year 2010 on behalf of Navodaya Mission,we visited this village on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan and distributed sweets to children and tied Rakhi on their wrist.  At first I found them dirty, wearing no shirt but only paints which were also very old and dirty. We called them, talked and embraced before tying Rakhi and giving sweets.  Soon all of them become acquainted with us.

After that Navodaya Mission started evening classes for these children. Jitendra Paliwal, Pradeep Lokhande,Bhagwati Charan Yadavj volunteered for this program. There is Brahmnishtha Ashram run by saints of Aghori belief. T N Singh and Shiv Shankar Singh, both are employees of NTPC Rihand facilitated this place to us for this noble job.

In the Ashram there are four big rooms where one Sadhu is living with some tribal children. Amid the campus there is a beautiful Shiv Mandir. Mahashivratri is being celebrated on grand scale in which villagers participate and gets Khichdi in prasad. The sadhu of this belief has no boundation of about choice of food. On many occasion they take non-veg items just in front of the Mandir in celebration mode. Yet sadhus wear dresses like dhoti and stay clad for most of time on upper body. Further they are not suppressing their desire. At one occasion one Sadhu requested for a television. Whatever be their belief, they get respect from villagers  driven either by respect or by fear of God. Ashramites also do social work like distribution of blankets etc for the poor people.

 There on the verandah we taught the children. Later Abhimanyu Jaisawal, an energetic youth joined us. After some month Gram Panchayat Election was held in which his mother won the seat of Pradhan by getting 168 votes out of about 1500 votes. Later his father acted as pseudo Pradhan, a typical example of Pradhan Pati. Anyway we didn't take interest in local politics. After some days  we moved our activity in Government school which is up to class 8th in the village. In the very first survey we found about 95% boys and 90% girls were not able to read and write. Abhimanyu Jaisawal is also appointed as Shiksha Mitra in the school. With the help of some teachers appointed by NTPC Rihand, now education till class 10th is being given to children.

Sirsoti is one of the village whose residents were displaced by the installation of NTPC Rihand. Many PAPs got compensations, permanent or temporary job in the plant. Most of villagers are working as contract workers in NTPC Plant and its associate companies. It has locational disadvantages as compare to other villages. It is located just outside the boundary of NTPC Rihand towards Waidhan, a small but well advance town and district headquarter of Singrauli and is located 50 Km away from RIhand.

Sirsoti is a village with tribal majority. According to 2011 census, 45.58% are tribals. Goud and Baiga are two major tribal group. Here some persons of Gaud are much advance than general people. Baiga community still seems very backward in spite of many of them have got permanent job in NTPC and got the taste of modern education.

Jaisawal though comes in OBC category is the dominant caste in this belt and so in this village.

NTPC RIhand has taken many initiative for the benefit of village community.  Supply of RO water by installing three tanks, villagers have got the test of pure water after a long interval. It is proven by some NGOs that mercury level in the ground water in the region is much above the accepted level. Under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, currently a big toilet complex has been constructed. Along with this NTPC has already built a community center.

With the help of NTPC Rihand Navodaya Mission has started a library "Navodaya Bharat Pustakalaya" for the benefit of the children. Some students are coming in training center to attend classes for preparing competitive examinations run by Navodaya Mission.

Korar, Mahuawari, Naktu are some settlements away from main village Sirsoti, but they all come under the same Panchayat. This village is located just near to lake (Govind Sagar) and river like flow of water in between hills. Korar produces very beautiful natural sceneray. By the inspiration of Prem Bhai and his initiatives, villagers have developed a check dam which has enhanced rice production. A small school has been run by Gov. and Malviya Mission, a local NGO in which mostly children of Baiga community are studying. Navodaya Mission has been facilitating motivation lecture by Navodaya Guru in this school keeping in mind for the overall development of this special community which is categorised as community about to become extinct.

The MGR rail route is passing through Sirsoti village. Mahuawari is also a mohalla in the village near CISF colony which is mostly occupied by migrant workers. They lack proper way of getting basic facilities of life. They have no water supply, no pucca road and no electricity. Because of this, they have to depend on open man made ponds.

There is social, religious harmony in the village and people live peacefully.