Remembering Shanno Khatun and the need for non-violent schools

I've taken the past couple of weeks off to visit my Mrs. Batti's side of the family and to think about the future of the Dhaba. During that time, all kinds of corruption and abuse of power have been in the news-- a telecom minister stealing phone lines for his brother's business, a religious figure threatening to train thousands of 'nationalist' (read: RSS) youth in how to beat up the police , and of course the police tear gassing thousands of peaceful protesters. Where to start? I'm not even going to try.  Instead, I'm going to write about a story that wasn't in the news these past few weeks. 


Two years have passed since eleven year old Shanno Khatun died in an MCD school after allegedly being abused by her teacher. A month or two back, a blogger I respect suggested I write about the case, and the fact that it seemed to be going no place fast. I agreed, but found it hard to know where to start. 


For those who don't recall the details of the story, here's an excerpt from 2009 article in the Times of India:

Shanno was allegedly made to stand out in the sun for more than an hour after she failed to recite the English alphabets properly. The teacher had allegedly made her squat like a hen and put bricks on her shoulders. The girl had started vomiting and was rushed to a hospital, where she slipped into a coma and died two days later. 

Here's something from a piece in Time:

[Shanno's father, Ayub Khan] gets emotional as he describes Shanno's last hours. "She kept on asking for water but the teacher ignored her," Ayub describes what he says as his daughter's suffering. Her two sisters, Saima and Sehnaz, say that Shanno pleaded with the teacher that she would learn her alphabet properly after lunch, but was ignored. (The parents of several other children at the same school say their children describe the incident in similar terms.) Shanno's sisters Saima and Sehnaz then ran to get their mother. "We thought our sister was dead," Saima said. When their mother arrived, she found Shanno lying on the ground, Khan says, and by the time Shanno was taken home she had slipped into a coma. He breaks down while relating Shanno's last words to her mother: "I never want to go to school again." Shanno died the next day, on April 17. 

Shanno's teacher denied any wrong doing.  In July, 2009, the police found that Shanno died of epilepsy, though there was a dissenting opinion given by the Delhi Commission for the Protection of Child Rights.  Shanno's parents have denied she even had epilepsy. Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy is something that very rarely happens in childhood; it is typically something adults with severe epilepsy worry about. Children, on the other hand, are more vulnerable than adults to heat stroke, especially in the kind of weather we find during April in Delhi. . 

In May, the Delhi High Court finally took up the matter, demanding, among other things, that the Delhi government and MCD explain why corporal punishment is widespread, in spite of it being banned. Where it will go from here, I don't know. I'm neither a legal expert nor a doctor. I do hope justice is done in this case, because to deny justice to the weakest among us sends a powerfully toxic message. 


But I also hope a larger point is not lost in the heat generated by this case. Corporal punishment in schools is not bad only because it can be, on rare occasions, deadly. It's bad because in almost every case, it undermines learning. 


A year after Shanno's teacher was cleared, Outlook ran this piece by an MCD school teacher who argued that, "a slap or two doesn't hurt." It is a defense of corporal punishment, but you can tell it is written by someone who is conflicted about the issue, because there is frustration and ambivalence throughout:

...the children who come to study here are from an economic strata where the parents double up as domestic help or daily-wage labourers. And they have only one desire—to make their children literate...We occasionally have to slap them so that they can understand the importance of coming to school on time. It is for their welfare that we have to resort to such disciplinary measures, otherwise they won’t study at all. I know slapping is not a solution, but how else do you ensure some discipline in their lives?

The job of the MCD teacher, the job of our schools in general, is extraordinarily difficult.  But this teacher is right about one thing: slapping is not a solution. If we are only able to motivate children to come to school on time by slapping them, then I suggest we agree to let them come late until teachers, parents, and community members can collectively think of an approach that does not require violence.


I know many of us can point to an effective teacher who resorted to the occasional slap. But in almost every case, I would guess that the teacher was actually effective for reasons other than violence. Knowledge, and the desire and ability to think, are simply not things we can beat into children. Respect nurtures learning and thinking; fear spoils it. 

No slapping allowed!

How to make our schools truly effective will take a lot of thinking and a lot of discussion--and probably a lot more resources. It will be worth the effort, because the environmental crisis looming in India--falling water tables-rising fuel prices-deteriorating farmland-changing climate and extreme weather--could easily lead to widespread famine and social breakdown if we do not see some very impressive problem solving over the next few generations. 


We need to train a generation of students--in all our our schools--who know how to think well and understand the problems we all face. It won't be easy. But making real the courts' ban on violence in our schools is a good place to start.

Random thoughts--my school! by Kabir Arora

I was reading Mother’s article on education. It was beautiful. I was thinking if I was taught that way, life would have been a little better. I’m happy that I’m being de-conditioned; unlearning lot of things, just to be myself. Even at times feel like getting lost somewhere. Krishnamurthi’s beautiful words, his views on education soothe the wounded heart. He also takes the similar line. Individual being should be the focus, but our present system has lost the foresight. For our system it is important that our child completes his homework, submit assignments on time, clear tests and examinations. That is all our school life is about. 

At times I feel like writing a letter to my school Principal, who was leading  one of the city’s best institutions. The school had a very dark side. Violence! Students were punished physically and mentally. How can we combat violence in society by providing fearful environment in the childhood? I was never excited to go to school. Competing-worst of all human emotions was “the virtue”. I can’t convict all my teachers. Still there jolly presence made no sense. As there was no space for being the way one is. Jose Marti says that the teacher should not be instructor but a conversationalist. But in my school they were information providers.

Once my zonal leader asked me the reason of joining the fellowship apart from “Gandhi”. Without thinking I just said that I wanted to bring my imaginary classroom to the real world. During my Learning Quality induction & Village immersion, I was somewhere successful. When the kids used to draw on the walls, my thoughts board the wings of imagination. I was able to visualize their colorful future. When Shakti Singh, who looked like a pretty girl, constructed a temple of sand, I saw him as an upcoming architect of distant Non-violent India. These days I’m visiting the schools of Mumbai. Kids here too have similar aspirations- the way I had. I’m just struggling with myself-so that I can be a part of their beautiful future. 

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Kabir Arora is an environmental activist and Gandhi Fellow.  To read more by Kabir, see the the links at the bottom of this post.

Loneliness, libraries, and the power of stories

Gandhi Fellow Kabir Arora's final post from his village immersion makes clear the amazing power of stories. 

Story telling key to library inauguration

I can claim opening the library as my personal project. Starting from 8^th standard, I requested students to come out with stories. Next day they were all set to share. Many of them had amazing stories. I requested students to give them in writing so that they can be shared with the Headmaster. They did so. As promised I talked to Bhagirath Ji and suggested that books should be issued to students while showing the write ups. He accepted the idea. To keep the motivation factor working, I suggested to have story telling in assembly too. The library opened & story telling happened in my absence.  I'm assured about its sustainability as everything initiated when I was not physically not present.

The second day after the beginning, one girl didn't prepare and stood with a blank face, HM came down heavily on me. I felt humiliated in front of the whole school. I was not that bothered as I knew that it was not the girl's fault, she narrated a story in past in the smaller group. Somewhere, she was lacking the confidence. Next day, she came up with a small story to share, her confidence boosted, when everybody clapped for her.

It was Manju's turn next day, I had a similar fear. She was always lazy and bored in the class. In the morning, when she came in front, my fingers were crossed. She articulated an amazing story. All the teachers were shaken deep inside. Headmaster was forced to say that there are diamonds hiding in all you students. Another teacher was amused by narration in Hindi with no influence of Marwari. During midday meal, Manju came to me asked my opinion on her story telling. I said “I'm proud of you”. The glow on her face was amazing.

Journey Continued...

I'm having life's most important phase where there is turmoil inside. There is no external aggression but synthesis of thoughts all around. Village Immersion was smooth journey filled with frustration, anger, tears, smiles, laughter. At certain instances I felt like running away because of tedious life. There was something which stopped me. Krishna's desire to solve addition and subtraction, Naresh's arguments, Ashish's sweet voice saying “Tek Baing” all became the inspiring moments which kept me moving on the path which was filled with rose petals, but thorns in heart. Life was filled with loneliness as had no one to talk with except the moon and stars. Minute observations like placement of polestar and Venus were done in the village. Before VI I didn't know that the moon also rise in east. New moon to full moon and again heading for new moon kept me flowing.

For the first time in last four years away from home, I started missing my family, planned for my semester break. Read poems to short stories, current affairs. I was detached before it, but got very attached with my roots because of month long affair.

Concluding with Eunice de Souza's words:

“...In school

I clutched Sister Flora's skirt

and cried for my mother

who taught across the road.

Sister Flora is dead.

The school is still standing

I'm still learning

to cross the road”.

For more of Kabir's experiences, see:

Journey Just Begun

A Gandhi Fellow in Jaitpura: Introducing the School

If I were my own teacher: confidence, colour and voices
Steep Climb 
Tourist Guide  

Ambition, Injection, Multiplication: anecdotes from a Jaitpura School 

Unanswered questions: final words from a Jaitpura School 

Kabir Arora's Village Immersion: Ram Kahani Begins  

Pindan Chon Pind Sunida Baas Dhakkan

An evening of blunder: bad manners, drinking and disappearing peacocks 

My Father is in Iraq--What?

Lonely Urban India

Lessons from a village school: energy, honesty, and the price of pessimism 

More lessons from a village school: what about the other teachers?

Temples in the sand and other classroom experiments in a village school

Temples of Sand and other classroom experiments in a village school

This week, Gandhi Fellow Kabir Arora writes about some of the many experiments he undertook in the school where he was posted during his village immersion experience.

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Marti was my companion. He said that the teacher especially in rural schools should not be an instructor but conversationalist. I followed his principle in the school. The kids in my school don't fear anything. They do what they want to do. Many of my comrades complained that kids don't speak in their schools.  In mine they never shut their mouths! I knew the fact that if I'm not teaching in that school, the learning will still happen. What is my value addition was the question hanging on my neck like sword. I decided to have activity based class where mathematics was taught with exercises needed for studying language and environmental sciences. 

Geometry on ground

The last few chapters of the maths textbook (for primary wing)  are dedicated to geometrical figures which teachers rarely touch. We decided to have a game around the figures which kids named as tribhuj waala khel. I drew the figures which included triangle, hexagon, square and circle (Tribhuj, shashtbhuj, varg, virat) on the board. I told kids about their features and names. Took them out. Asked them to draw the same on the ground but enlarged version.

Square has all sides equal, so to make it they took the measurement by their feet. After drawing, I asked them to hear me and follow my instruction. If I say Varit, they all have to run and stand in figure of circle, relevant to other figures.

The idea was to understand geometrical figures properly and promote individual thinking not influenced by others. Not sure about the second part which is a time taking process. We abandoned the game when they were able distinguish between these figures and explain their features. This game was played with students of 3^rd and 4^th standard.

Temples of sand

This one was my favorite. Here I requested them to come out of their classes and construct whatever they wanted with sand. Most of the kids from 1^st and 2^nd standard were interested to construct temples.

Why temples? Their wealth and grandness attract everyone, even child's mind is not left untouched. Chhota Lohsana had three temples, Goga Ji Ka Mandir, Ramdev Ka Mandir and Shiv Ji Ka Mandir. This I came to know while this activity was going on. Anganwadi is also there in the village which kids constructed with the model of their own school.

One of my student was constructing a temple. While construction was on, I told him that there is no way to enter his building, so I made a door in the sand structure. He told me that it is in the wrong direction. I was surprised by his observation of the holy place.

3^rd and 4^th constructed the replica of whole village. It was a delighting activity which took me back to my childhood. I was satisfying my desire of playing with mud through them. 4^th standard even drew the map of their school in the sand. They were asked to show everything the way it is in school. Many of them were perfect in their imagery.

My aim of life

All classes I entered I questioned my kids about their ambition in life. Many wanted to join the army, a few were interested in becoming doctors and teachers. There was one scientist too, another one who wanted to migrate to Iraq. They had dreams in their eyes, especially when they are very young. When I turned to 8^th standard, the answer was Pata Nahi, Kucch Nahi. Girls prefered to say Kucch Nahi. At that juncture, they know ground realities, and they can envision their future which many a times looks very hopeless. I tried to shake them to rejuvenate their lost dreams. For getting kucch Nahi out of their mind, I narrated a story I will share in future.

Chitra Mandu?

Wall graffiti was the idea which I experimented here too. At moments I used to get frustrated especially with 1^st and 2^nd. They used to behave like beggars and later hide the chalks given to them for drawing. Still they colored their walls and faces. In 3^rd and 4^th papers and colors replaced the wall and chalks. Surprisingly here kids were asking what to draw, while in junior classes they drew whatever they felt like drawing. Loss of creativity because of our education system was my logic. Bhagirath ji had something else to tell, at that age kids start looking for perfection which our society and education system demands. Those who are not able to cope up with it feel shy to do anything creative.

Chhori Chhora

We played another game where I divided third standard in two halves. Forced girls and boys sit together in one girl one boy pattern. They named the game Chhori Chhora. They were very reluctant to sit together initially.

One group with seven members was assigned to say the names of animals, while other one with same number was suppose to share the names of fruits and vegetables. The idea was to increase the vocabulary and add team spirit and consensus building in classroom. By the end of the game they came up with so many names with consensus. For them there were no girls and boys but team members all around.

Another activity almost similar was about the favorite animal. From a crocodile to an elephant, frog they liked all of them. I was amused by their knowledge of natural world.

Torture!

Handling 1^st and 2^nd together was a challenge which I never overcame. It was a sort of torture for me at times. The kids freaked me out. There was chaos all around which never got managed. I feel that I was not able to do justice with so many kids. I taught kids addition, subtractions from both standards. Those who were learning number recognition were left out at a lot of occasions. There were two mentally challenged kids, one of them was very attached to me. Initially I used to loose patience with both of them later learned to manage them through affection. There are many moments where I lost my temper and patience. Kids start crying at my angry gesture. When tears pour out from their eyes, my dams broke too. I hugged them, tickled them to bring back in form.

Brutal Crackdown

In morning assembly harsh words used to start my day; because of it frustration never left me. At times it used to reach to the peak. At one instance kids of 3^rd standard were playing Kabaddi when 5^th class kids started teasing and interrupting them. I literally had to run behind them to shoo them away. They  hid themselves and turned up again to repeat the same. Suddenly they started hitting the younger ones where I lost my temper. I went to their class, looked in their eyes. Few were laughing, knowingly hit them. I saw an angry and hurt animal in me. Later after realizing my mistake, I decided to reconcile. To ill luck the day was over. I entered their class on the third day after the episode. To break the ice we shared the names of favorite animals. I narrated a story for them. Most of my stories were from the stock of folk tales of Punjab read years back.

Nakali Guruji Asli Guruji

What came to Sachin's (student of Class 1), suddenly he came to me when I was just observing kids playing. He was holding his bag the way I was holding mine. He said to me with his smiling cute face “I'm Asli Guru ji and you're Nakali Guru ji”. At that very moment, my eyes blinked to say that yes, you are! Every child has a sleeping man in him as Marti says.

Chhori Hai Chhora Hai?

In my school all boys of junior classes had their ear pierced. Many of them wore the earing which usually girls wear. I used to get confused about their gender. “Chhori hai Ke Chhora Hai?”, was the question on my lips. Their answer “Chhora!”. In case of girls, they had very boyish names and outlook. “Dinesh, Naresh” are few examples.

Roaming around world in classroom

Geography needs lot of visualization. Being a tutor of geography, I desired to show the movie “Planet Earth” to my class. With the permission of “My boss” I undertook this venture. A dark room with my laptop in front, speakers down on the floor. Audience with wide open eyes moving across the planet. With every new animal appearing on the screen they were asking me about its name and location. I feel to proud to ignite their curiosity to explore the beautiful world around them. We are so small when we look at the whole planet. No lands are foreign! 

For more of Kabir's experiences, see:

Journey Just Begun

A Gandhi Fellow in Jaitpura: Introducing the School

If I were my own teacher: confidence, colour and voices
Steep Climb 
Tourist Guide  

Ambition, Injection, Multiplication: anecdotes from a Jaitpura School 

Unanswered questions: final words from a Jaitpura School 

Kabir Arora's Village Immersion: Ram Kahani Begins  

Pindan Chon Pind Sunida Baas Dhakkan

An evening of blunder: bad manners, drinking and disappearing peacocks 

My Father is in Iraq--What?

Lonely Urban India

Lessons from a village school: energy, honesty, and the price of pessimism 

More lessons from a village school: what about the other teachers?

More lessons from a village school: what about the other teachers?

Last week, Gandhi Fellow Kabir Arora wrote about the honesty, energy and pessimism he saw in the school where he is doing his village immersion. That post focused on the Headmaster. Today, he writes about the other teachers. He finds that that there is often a gap between politics and practice in a classroom.

What about the other teachers?

As told, only the lady teacher and PTI used to take their class regularly and honestly. I was inspired by the teaching technique adopted by the lady teacher. She never sat higher to the kids. Picture making and rhymes were always a part of her teaching technique. She is very eager to learn alternative ways. Bhagirath ji also acknowledge and appreciate her way of teaching. But he never discloses what he knows which can be useful for her class.

PTI prefers to speak Marwari to Hindi. Initially I found him very rude from his physical gestures. He opened up after borrowing Vagarath Hindi literary magazine. He was surprised to know that even I like to read “that kind of books”. We interacted for once when he told me about the laid back attitude of the Headmaster for sports. He said he want to do lot of things in school that he is not allowed to do. I accepted that and told him not to loose heart, things will change. When I was leaving the school, I saw him turning emotional. He wanted me to visit his place but time was not in my hand.

Vijay ji is the in-charge of food arrangements. He even take his class regularly, but comes under the influence of Satpal ji, who prefers to discuss politics whenever he gets time.

Surjit ji always asks a very deep level of questions for which there are no clear answers. I tried answering them with a very balanced opinion at many instances, or even avoided them. He was also influenced by Satpal ji and avoided classes when all three were together and HM absent. I'm thankful to him for giving lift while heading back home daily.

Now for the much talked about character, Satpal ji. He always complained about the kind of tasks assigned to teachers. I agreed with his anger. He was not even very just to his work. He criticized political system in the country but never did anything to change it from his school. On my last day we organized a Baal Sabha dedicated to Mahatama Gandhi. He gave a long speech which lasted for more than twenty minutes, talking about deficiencies of modern-nation state. I don't think students understood a single word uttered by him. 

For more of Kabir's experiences, see:

Journey Just Begun

A Gandhi Fellow in Jaitpura: Introducing the School

If I were my own teacher: confidence, colour and voices
Steep Climb 
Tourist Guide  

Ambition, Injection, Multiplication: anecdotes from a Jaitpura School 

Unanswered questions: final words from a Jaitpura School 

Kabir Arora's Village Immersion: Ram Kahani Begins  

Pindan Chon Pind Sunida Baas Dhakkan

An evening of blunder: bad manners, drinking and disappearing peacocks 

My Father is in Iraq--What?

Lonely Urban India

Lessons from a village school: energy, honesty, and the price of pessimism

Lessons from a village school: energy, honesty and the price of pessimism

In this post, Gandhi fellow Kabir Arora writes about the school in Rajasthan where he did his village immersion. What is working? What is holding it back?

Rajkiya Ucch Prathamik Vidyalaya-Chhota Lohsana

The school assigned to me was a kilometer or two from the accommodation. An old building with eleven rooms, a kitchen, two toilets never opened and two Ghomut. One hundred forty five kids, 8 classes with 5 teachers, a PT Instructor and a cook. Being a nodal school, it should have staff of 9 people. Doesn't matter! Government Schools are not made for educating masses but data collection centers.

The school is being lead by Bhagirath ji, second to him is Mr. Satpal who teaches English. Hindi is assigned to the lady teacher whose name I don't remember now. Maths is the responsibility of Bhagirath ji and Mr. Surjit for junior classes. Mr. Vijay takes Social Sciences period, the PT instructor is given health education. The subjects which are left are taken collectively.

The classes which were offered to me in platter were 1^st,2^nd , 3^rd, 4^th & 8^th standard. For primary classes I used to take mathematics while I took Geography voluntarily for the senior most class.

The very first day at school I was thrown to fifth standard. Found myself totally confused. Did some random exercises from their maths text book. Later the Headmaster (HM) sensed that I'm not worth for that class so I was never sent their again.

1^st and 2^nd Standard used to sit together, I used to take their class for an hour after the midday meal. I'd take 3^rd standard in the first and 4^th in the second hour. In between those two classes we used to have pani peshab ki chhuti (break for ten minutes to go to toilet or satisfy thirst).

1^st-2^nd collectively had around twenty five kids, while 3^rd had 18 students but only 12-15 used to turn up. Lowest number was in 4^th with only 10 class members. Lot of activities were repeated from the LQ and I took the school as continuation of the same process. Here the response of kids was amazing. Many kids were so straightforward that they used to argue with me. Affection was shown through gestures like hugging, holding my finger.

The “prayer” was banned by Rajasthan Government to stop the flow of Swine Flu. Surprisingly my school staff took it literally. They used to have assembly where prathna was not done. Registers were filled with attendance, while demotivating speeches were delivered by both Headmaster and the PT instructor. Instead of passing optimism around, they promoted negativity in the school to motivate kids, but no progress from other side.

Bhagirath is meditating, but Ganges is hesitant to flow!

Mr. Bhagirath Singh Sunda, commonly referred “Bhagirath Ji”, is the headmaster of school. A very interesting person with good height and old man kind of looks. I met him last time in a Jaipur Kick start workshop. Not much interaction happened between us. But he seems to question everything, very high expectations and like to do role modeling. Sometimes he would grab attention by being very vocal. This was my image before meeting him. The moment I reached the school, he was ready to shoot me with his questions. The moment I entered his house, he was filled with humility of a host. A very different side of his character.

He seems to be an ideal teacher for rural belt. Punctual and walks very fast, I literally have to run behind him. I liked to attend his class which is always full of chaos and vibrancy. The new teaching techniques are used. Kids love him, talk to him with no fear. He likes to sing with them, they too enjoy his company. This is only for the kids in primary classes.

He is always criticizing the kids of senior classes on the ground of behavior and their laid back attitude to study. The whole school is actually falling under the category of fear free. Still, the PT instructor uses his hand sometimes on kids, but he is very much attached to them too.

The headmaster always complains about the extra work passed by the government to teachers. For the state, teaching in school is the last priority. He even stated that the government just want to close all the government schools. The quality is degrading but the teachers are not the only ones to be blamed. The state is equally responsible for it. In front of my eyes, he received a post in which he was asked to submit the minute details of midday meal from year 2001 to 2010 to Midday Meal department in four days.

Why is the state not hiring clerks to do this job, there is large scale underemployment and unemployment all around? The headmaster never missed his class because of the statistical work, the time after school was used complete it. Everyday he used to stay in school for hours after it is officially over, filling the files, answering queries forwarded by various departments. He was honest to his job. Because of his high expectations and role modeling in the school, a very different environment especially for teachers has been created. When he is in school all teachers will take their class. Otherwise they will have leisure time except the PTI and the lady teacher who were regular to their respective classes.

He also seems to be very much unsatisfied with the performance of his team. Most of the time he underestimates the person next to him. On my part I had to show him the demo so that he acts to my advice. At many places I was very hesitant to talk to him because of his idealization of himself. Working with him at times was fun, sometimes frustrating. Especially so because both of us carried our formal and professional relationship at home too, which disconnected me from his realities. At certain instances I felt like running out of the fence created around me. Something was there stopped me. The life at his home was lavish, filled with loneliness all around.

We used to reflect together on the day's act. He is very pessimistic person, so I was forced to put my pessimism aside. He used to come to the room with thoughts about how nothing works here. From my literary interest, I used to pick up tales and anecdotes and narrate them to him. How a dumb student like Vardraj became Sanskrit Grammar expert Pannini. Transformation done by Tarun Bharat Sangh in Alwar. Panchayati Raj institution performing amazingly in Uttarakhand, organic farming changing lives of farmers were all incidents narrated to him to make him optimistic. He also concluded that things take time to change, we should do our Karma.

In evenings it used to be like a grandson telling tales with positive note to his grandfather. At one instance he asked me if I'm placed in his position with the similar sort of team how will I work. I was lost for a moment, gathered courage to say that even I'll loose my interest, but will keep on heading and searching for inspiration to move forward.

There is a strong rivalry going between the PT instructor and the headmaster. One day, the PTI took me aside, opened his heart and complained about same thing which even I noticed. Bhagirath ji constantly blamed the lack of interest of parents in their wards' education. All the miseries in school had guardians as their convicts.

If I'm asked what is the one sole thing which I would want to see changed in his attitude, it would be turning negativity to a ray of hope, accepting the individuals the way they are. The moment it happens school will reach its level of perfection, everything will come on track. My hypothesis! 

For more of Kabir's experiences, see:

Journey Just Begun

A Gandhi Fellow in Jaitpura: Introducing the School

If I were my own teacher: confidence, colour and voices
Steep Climb 
Tourist Guide  

Ambition, Injection, Multiplication: anecdotes from a Jaitpura School 

Unanswered questions: final words from a Jaitpura School 

Kabir Arora's Village Immersion: Ram Kahani Begins  

Pindan Chon Pind Sunida Baas Dhakkan

An evening of blunder: bad manners, drinking and disappearing peacocks 

My Father is in Iraq--What?

Lonely Urban India

Pindan Chon Pind Sunida Baas Dhakkan

In today's piece about his time in the village,  Gandhi fellow Kabir Arora reflects on caste, rainwater harvesting, green building materials, and useless government schemes.

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My accommodation was in Baas Dhakkan but my school and kids belonged to Lohsana Chhota. This gave me an opportunity to explore two villages in one go. I have not visited Lohsana Chhota for lot of reasons, but still have some insights about it. Baas Dhakkan became my baas for a month. Confusion emerged from this  too, as my wards and I were still in different spaces altogether.

Baas Dhakkan or Dhakkan Ka Baas's literal meaning is "Residence of people who have Dhaka as surname." I'm still not sure under which Jati they are identified; most probably either with Jaat or Rajput. It's just a random assumption. Nobody asked me about my caste except the PT instructor of the school, who later announced that I belong to Vaishya Varna- which is historically not correct. Aroras are the only non-mercantile community by caste (belonging to Khatri varna- distorted version for the word Kashtriya- Gazette having details of Jatis in Punjab) but engaged in trade. As the caste question never came across, it was tough to explore the caste composition of the village. Hinduism, but of a Northern Rajasthani version, was followed in both villages. There were few Muslims and other faith followers. Ramdevra and Guga Peer were the two main deities worshiped there. The deities are also respected by Muslims of the region. All the villagers used “Ram Ram “ for greeting each other. Ram here does not refer to Ramayana's Ram, but to Ramdevra.

Lohsana Chhota had 225 houses where as Baas Dhakkan had 220 houses. Lohsana Chhota was under Lohsana Barra Panchayat Samiti. The Public Health Center and Higher school were both in Lohsana Barra which was quiet far from the village. Both the villages had Anganwadis and Primary Schools.

Ghomut

The villagers have a long tradition of harvesting rains. Tanke or Kund commonly used words for rainwater wells. There are two kinds of well structures used in the villages of this region. One has a dome like structure Ghomut in the core, very deep to store water; the periphery has a cemented floor in a circular pattern bordered with a small wall to keep insects and animals away. The floor is inclined towards the core and the Ghomut has a lot of pores on all sides so that harvested rainwater can go in core. The other structure is similar to urban rainwater harvesting structures where people use the roof for gathering water which is collected in wells through pipes. The roof is cleaned properly before the rainfall.

The underground water is very saline, so it is used in toilet and washing utensils. This year, it rained a lot so all the wells were filled to their utmost limit. In order to provide tap water to all houses in the village, the government  constructed wells to extract water from underground aquifers for storage in tanks on the ground in Baas Dhakkan. They are now lying as abandoned ruins. People prefer to use their Kund for water. Clearly this is a case of  implementing the government scheme for the sake of implementing.

Raw Material

The construction material used in the village was also from the local resources. Mud huts, we all know use material from surroundings. The concrete houses too, used sand, limestone, boulders which were gathered from the areas around. Many houses were more than hundred years old.

Nowadays cemented houses are also being constructed but people there don't hesitate to question their age span. 

For more of Kabir's experiences, see:

Journey Just Begun

A Gandhi Fellow in Jaitpura: Introducing the School

If I were my own teacher: confidence, colour and voices
Steep Climb 
Tourist Guide  

Ambition, Injection, Multiplication: anecdotes from a Jaitpura School 

Unanswered questions: final words from a Jaitpura School 

Kabir Arora's Village Immersion: Ram Kahani Begins

Kabir Arora's Village Immersion: Ram Kahani Begins

Last month, we published Kabir Arora's notes from his work in a Jaitpura school.  This month, he's sent us his reflections on the time he spent learning more about village life.

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“This land derives its driving force and momentum from people formed and raised in the country side with the vigor given by direct work; from those genuine spirits who carry within themselves an original and insuperable strength-not from these impotent raised by anxious parents and irascible school teachers in schools of mere words where one learns barely more than an apparent way of satisfying needs that stem of instinct”.

---Jose Marti in “A false concept of public education”-La Nacion.

From a very long time, I'd been feeling like an impotent raised to satisfy the needs which originated from the instinct. To get out of this structured life, I decided to find Gandhi in the villages of India. Now I am sitting in Khetari, writing the story of Village immersion which I completed few days back. Village immersion is a second step after Learning Quality (LQ)Training in Gandhi Fellowship Programme. I completed my LQ in Jaitpura (Udaipurvati). Second step was placed in Churu hundred kilometers away. A long journey began!

Likh kabir ki bani likh

Fir Meera diwani likh

Pehle to kuch akshar soch

Tab akshar mein manni likh

Aasman mein gheerte badal

Badal mein to pani likh

Shor sharaba cheekh pukar

Kavita mein virani likh

Krishan kahani kucch nahi

Apni Ram kahani likh... (Krishan Kalpit)

My Ram Kahani begins on 6^th September, 2010 when I reached Churu. The village alloted to me was Lohsana Chhota, 40 Kms away from the main city. My bus was at twelve o'clock. But I left my place at ten itself and reached the bus stop at ten thirty. There was one chai ka thela. I ordered a cup for myself, next to me an old man was sitting. He was passing his time while listening to songs played in the next shop. I ordered a cup of tea for myself to begin a conversation with the chai waala.  

Namkeen Chai!

The intention behind the order was to know about the bus arrival. While waiting for the bus, the old man kept staring at me. After my initial introduction, he started asking me questions about Punjab (my home-state). He commented on the girls passing by, and later passed a comment that my eyes have Kashish. My mother used to say the same thing in old times. Later he turned to the beauty of girls in and around my village. “The girls there are beautiful but have no dressing sense”, were his words. Maybe he was referring to traditional outfits which women wear in villages.  

The bus arrived. The journey to that village itself was a unique experience. Sitting on the roof of the bus, head covered with Gamcha, butts like paranthas baked in tandoor. Fear in the heart whether I’ll get a home to stay or not, prepared for the worst case scenario.

Suddenly Bhagirath ji, Headmaster of the school appeared on the road to stop the bus. Fully baked, I got down from the bus and entered Rajkiya Ucch Primary School-Gram Chhota Lohsana, constructed by Panchayat Samiti-Barra Lohsana. My school was between Dhakkan Ka Baas and Lohsana Chhota. There were few questions and queries about my prospective presence in the village and work details.  I met him in a workshop organized in Jaipur. So I was aware of his nature to an extent. Our conversation concluded with an idea proposed by him that I should stay at his place, which is in Dhakkan Ka Baas (Baas Dhakkan). I accepted the offer with no hesitation. Jose Marti's On Education and Totto Chan accompanied me on this journey. I was sitting in a small village of 220 houses-in the mid of nowhere, reading about Hispano-America and Japan, two extremes of the world map. 

I reached back home, there was an initial introduction with Bhagirath ji's brother who was staying next door in the same courtyard. 

Later in the evening, I started writing a diary (after a long time), I felt like documenting each every incident so that I can turn back to it. First day while writing, an old man and a young man were sitting and  staring at me constantly, innocent faces full of curiosity. I was feeling shy, kept my eyes down in the diary. Summed up my day with lot of rotis, Kachari ki sabzi and a huge bowl of curd as my dinner around seven thirty in the evening, went to sleep at nine.

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For more of Kabir's experiences, see:

Journey Just Begun

A Gandhi Fellow in Jaitpura: Introducing the School

If I were my own teacher: confidence, colour and voices
Steep Climb 
Tourist Guide  

Ambition, Injection, Multiplication: anecdotes from a Jaitpura School 

Unanswered questions: final words from a Jaitpura School

Unanswered questions: final words from a Jaitpura school

This week, Gandhi Fellow  Kabir Arora concludes his report on his work in a village school in Jaitpura with a series of questions.  Soon, he'll move on to a more urban setting.  

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During the past six weeks I came across lot of things. Some inspired. Some depressed. Many of those moments are a part of this small book. I thought to conclude in this section, but realize there are so many questions unanswered. I decided to share all those unanswered queries here.

Where does violence start? Can classroom hitting lead to violence and anger againstthe society?

Can teachers bend down a little to hear what a kid wants to share?

Is it possible to incorporate the dialects (languages) like Marwari in the syllabus instead of making it Hindi (English too) Centric? What kind of political and social will be neede to do that?

Do we need to redefine the work of the teacher? Is teaching in the classroom only task assigned to a teacher?

Is it possible to complete the syllabus with the same method which I adopted during past six weeks?
Lot more going on in my mind.

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Who is Kabir Arora?  Here's what some his peers, other Gandhi Fellows, had to say about him:

Our nodal point of intellect, whose knowledge is group’s inspiration. His articulation makes us proud, his “happy go lucky” attitude gives us joy. Art of managing time, and, his knack to carve his space out, makes us all look upto him, so brilliant in his positive criticism, that you want him to be your critic always.

However with “positive” there is always a “negative” and our dear Kabir, apart from being moody, demands too much of the space which becomes hindrance, and the art to learn when to speak & when not too is something he needs to master as well!

For more of Kabir's experiences, see:

Journey Just Begun

A Gandhi Fellow in Jaitpura: Introducing the School

If I were my own teacher: confidence, colour and voices
Steep Climb 
Tourist Guide  

Ambition, Injection, Multiplication: anecdotes from a Jaitpura School