Vashima - EduRetreat's Page

National holiday in India.
Remembering Gandhi.

“It is extraordinary how in many things he took interest and when he took interest, he did so thoroughly. It was not a superficial interest. It was perhaps his thoroughness in dealing with what are considered to be the small things of life, which emphasized his humanism. That was the basis of his character.”

I was trying to get the online link to the book 'Bahuroope Gandhi' by Anu Bandopadhyaya.
'It is a remarkable book for children, it is the best book ever on Gandhi. The conception of the book is unique. It is divided into 28 chapters, each depicting the ordinary aspects of an extra-ordinary man.
Gandhi’s life as a toiler, barrister, tailor, washer man, barber, scavenger, cobbler, servant, cook, doctor, nurse, teacher, weaver, spinner, bania, kisan, auctioneer, beggar, looter, jail bird, general, author, journalist, printer- publisher, fashion-setter, snake-charmer, priest.'

Gandhi did not simply preach. He lived his convictions. Nothing was menial for him. He laid emphasis on working with the hands. He believed that true learning involved the hands, the heart and the head. Instead of cramming from textbooks he wanted children to engage in productive work for society.'

EduRetreat 09 will come close to seeing this conviction in action when we visit Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad.

Personally the pedagogy of love , compassion and peace came alive for me in our conversations and interactions with
Mr Jayesh and the children at Manav Sadhana in EduRetreat 08...

Marion Forman and I had a go at the 'charkha' - the famous spinning wheel at the Ashram on 6 Dec last EduRetreat..

Today on Gandhi's birthday I feel good thinking of my grandmother wearing hand woven 'khadi'... she had learned to spin the 'charkha' as a little girl in support of Gandhi's values and remains Gandhian at heart till today in her actions. I was amazed to see her interest in hand washing her clothes, cooking and cleaning at 97 when i visited her last year in Gandhidham, Gujarat ! She listened to all our EduRetreat 08 encounters with so much interest and shared many tales of her growing up in Gandhi's era...