Wardha Scheme and Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09404955338, 09415777229

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Wardha Scheme and Mahatma Gandhi 

 

 

I see a great danger in it. For, such a step would invite intense jealousy. It would also mean asking the Government to incur great expenditure. I would not be interested in this, as it would mean diversion of funds to us. Our field is service of Daridranarayana. In one way the task is difficult, in another it is easy. However, I shall certainly not stand in the way. Do I take any interest now in its management or do I meet anyone or know what is happening? As for the Wardha Scheme, I may be said to be its author and so I must devote some of my time to it. I do not consider myself of any importance in the matter of deciding the future of the Vidyapith. My heart is at present wholly in the villages. It is better to let it remain there. If you seek my help in thinking about the Vidyapith, you will be inviting unnecessary knocks because I would only be throwing stones from a distance. 1 Mahatma Gandhi further said that agriculture is not a craft dependent on social and political condition. Craft training is essential for Indian villages. A compact and a small area without previous schools and with national work as the background, is necessary for introducing the Wardha scheme which is primarily rural, and for urban areas the same principle with the necessary modifications. 2 

I am not in a position to advise you much in regard to Gijubhai. But I should certainly like you to consider one point. Gijubhai is a devoted follower of the Montessori system. I know its basic principle. We do not even make an attempt to follow it here. Narandas and you have understood the principles of the Wardha scheme and are convinced of the soundness of the scheme. Probably Gijubhai will not be able to co-operate with you. For, as far as I know him, he will not be able to co-operate unreservedly in implementing the Wardha scheme. 3 We have left out the teaching of religions from the Wardha Scheme of Education, because we are afraid that religions as they are taught and practised today lead to conflict rather than unity. But on the other hand, I hold that the truths that are common to all religions can and should be taught to all children. These truths cannot be taught through words or through books. The children can learn these truths only through the daily life of the teacher. If the teacher himself lives up to the tenets of truth and justice, then alone can the children learn that truth and justice are the basis of all religions? 4

As to the necessity of teaching equal regard for all religions, I personally hold strong views. Till we reach that happy state, I see no prospect of real unity among all the different communities. I regard it as fatal to the growth of a friendly spirit among the children belonging to the different faiths if they are taught either that their religion is superior to every other or that it is the only true religion. If that exclusive spirit is to pervade the nation, the necessary corollary would be that there should be separate schools for every denomination with freedom to each to decry every other, or that the mention of religion must be entirely prohibited. The result of such a policy is too dreadful to contemplate. Fundamental principles of ethics are common to all religions. These should certainly be taught to the children and that should be regarded as adequate religious instruction so far as the schools under the Wardha scheme are concerned. 5

I was particularly glad to note that the Khoja Boarding House at Wardha had sent its quota of scouts to participate in your rally. This is as it should be. Boy scouts’ training has been incorporated in the Wardha Scheme of Education. It would be nothing worth if it did not serve to remove all mutual distrust and suspicion and foster among the various sections and communities a perfect spirit of camaraderie which is an integral part of that scheme, although it is not set down in so many words in the Zakir Husain Committee’s report. The Wardha Scheme of Education does not aim merely at imparting literary training to the students; its object is to give an education for life that would answer the need of our millions. It is calculated to be a living and life-giving experiment. Teachers, who have in their turn to become torch-bearers of this education, have needed, therefore, of a broader and wider training. And scout craft is an important and useful part of that training. 6

That does not surprise me. I should be surprised if the higher educational authorities developed faith in the Wardha scheme of education all at once. Faith will follow experience. In the mean time all I can say is that where there is a will there is a way. I do not think there is any legal difficulty in the way of the Education Minister instructing his Director of Public Instruction to help, in every possible way, those who might wish to give effect to the Wardha scheme of education. The C. P. Ministry has not found any difficulty in making the Education Department to fall into line with them. But if a legal or technical difficulty is discovered, it can be removed in a legal way. 7 I hope that the Poona Educational Conference will, in all it does, keep steadily in view the newness of the Nai Talim, rendered in English as Basic Education. Just as we may neither reduce nor increase ingredients in a chemical experiment, so also we may not add to or discard anything from the essentials of the Wardha Scheme. The newness of this scheme is that education is to be given through a village craft. The end in view is not to be accomplished by merely adding a village craft to the current syllabus. 8 

For all these activities, you may get the money from Sevagram. I will give a note to Chimanlal. You cannot use the money of the original Trust. And the expenditure should not exceed one lakh rupees. If patients from the village do not seek admission to the hospital, you may admit outsiders. Local patients should get priority and the expenses on their treatment also should be borne by the institution. You may fix a fee for patients from outside. The standard of treatment for everybody will be simple. This should be laid down among the objects of the Trust If any men or women workers from outside wish to join, they may come and stay in a spirit of service. They cannot be paid any remuneration. Menial staff should be employed from amongst the villagers and should be paid. You may engage ten or twelve-year old children from the village and pay them, and also arrange to teach them according to the Wardha Scheme.

Get a few service-minded workers from outside. Train some servants and children from the village and admit only as many patients as you can easily look after. The workers will be subject to the Ashram rules. For the servants, you may frame lighter rules. There will be bye-rules relating to such matters. If, after his marriage, Parmanand starts an establishment of his own, we will pay him just enough to meet his expenses. We may pay something to Gokhale, too, if he needs it. Fix the amount in consultation with Balkrishna. The equipment for the hospital should also be very simple. It would, of course, be best if you got it made in the village itself. For tubs, you can even use large containers made of baked earth. Or you can get them made of tin. For beds, you may arrange bricks to form the four legs and place a plank over them. This is merely by way of a suggestion. I am of the view that non-vegetarian food has no place in the treatment. I am not here looking at the matter from a religious point of view. Instead of tea, you may serve Indian-style decoction. In any case, wheat coffee will do. We cannot supply bidis. Don’t mind if persons addicted to these things do not come for treatment. Try to explain the reasons to the people. Patients suffering from tuberculosis, leprosy and other contagious diseases may be admitted if there is provision for separate accommodation for them. Non-violent honey should be extracted in the village itself. Teach the local Vagharan the improved method of extracting honey. You may even start bee-keeping. Make arrangements to supply cow’s milk and ghee. But in the absence of cow’s milk, you can supply buffalo’s or goat’s milk. 9

 

References:

 

1. Answers to Questions, January 13, 1938
2. The Bombay Chronicle, 22-6-1938  
3. Letter to Chhaganlal Joshi, June 22, 1938
4. The Bombay Chronicle, 7-7-1938
5. Harijan, 16-7-1938
6. Harijan, 31-12-1938
7. Harijan, 18-2-1939
8. Harijan, 4-11-1939  
9. Note to Gramsudhar Trust, April 13, 1947