The Monthly Newsletter
Issue 125 | April, 2016 | www.ei-india.com
ASSET Summer Programme
Misconception Series
The Live Laugh Love Foundation (TLLLF)
COVER Story Slices of Gandhiji’s Principles Among 21st Century Children – A Recent Experiment Remember Lage Raho Munna Bhai, the blockbuster Bollywood movie that had created a lot of sensation among youth of India on Gandhian ideology in the last decade! In the 21st century we have not forgotten Gandhian principles in spite of all kinds of globalisations and technological advancement that have taken place around our lives.
mighty British Raj. One of his important ideas was the revival of charka, a symbol of India’s rural economy and national integration. Gandhiji used to spend a substantial amount of time on a daily basis in spinning at the Sabarmati Ashram. The tradition is still alive, thanks to the dedicated efforts of a few Gandhians who are using the ashram premises to spin and Gandhiji was an extra ordinary soul. educate visitors about Gandhiji and His experiment on Satyagraha had his ideology. been an outcome of India’s thousands of years, experiment in Recently I had accompanied a ideas such as compassion, nongroup of 30 young students of 6th violence, Sufism and Bhaktism. But grade from the Fountainhead they were all in bits and pieces. School in Surat. This was organised Gandhiji combined all and used it in by Anala Outdoor Camp, an the struggle of freedom against the Ahmedabad based organisation specialised in outdoor learning. The children were asked to sit and listen to a woman who voluntarily discussed the principles of Gandhiji and charkha. She also demonstrated spinning. Children not only listened to her carefully but
asked a number of questions on Gandhiji, his beliefs and actions. They extended their hands and minds to learn the craft of charkha spinning. A few also bought models of the charkha from the Ashram store to learn. It was a sight of innocence and curiosity, far from the 21st century mobile games to which children are addicted heavily. While interacting with the participant children I discovered
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that some of them had bought charkhas to gift to their parents and grandparents and make them understand how Gandhiji was right and why his ideas are important today. I was speechless. I left the Ashram with a heavy heart.
By Jitu Mishra – Educational Specialist, EI