GANDHI LEGACY TOUR

On December 27, 2016, I embarked on a trip to India with a group from my college.  This was not a journey to visit various historical landmarks; instead, our trip to India was to introduce us to some of the social organizations that are making an impact throughout India.  The Gandhi Legacy Tour centers around the ideas and principles of Mahatma Gandhi and is led by Gandhi’s grandson, Arun Gandhi. 

Each day, I took extensive notes about our travel experience.  I strove to include a lot of information I learned about the organizations we visited, but also about the emotional intensity of the journey itself.   This website is a collection of those notes and photos from our journey.

You too can experience this annual pilgrimage to India.
Visit: http://gandhitour.info/

   

Day 14 - Delhi - Gandhi Memorial and Museums

There are very few rules for driving  (drive on the left side, edge out who you can because a bus is bigger than a scooter) & surprisingly few accidents. What may look like 2 lanes is utilized as if there are five. The car horn is not reserved for special occasions but in constant use to tell everyone you're taking over. So it should be no surprise that I, the foreigner, had my own accident on our way to Delhi. I dozed off and didn't brace myself as the bus came to a screeching halt to pay a toll. I fell from the back of the bus onto the floor and in the process, gouged a chunk out of my shin and broke my pinky toe. I can still walk a reasonable distance, but I'm very careful not to do too much.

After that exciting ride, it was quite a relief when the bus pulled up to our first taste of America -- the Holiday Inn. We stayed on the 13th floor. This was, by far, the best accommodations. Our rooms were above par for even a stateside hotel and we learned that our tour guides had finally lifted the ban on eating fruits and salads. 

Gandhi's accommodations at the location where he was assassinated

Our agenda in the morning was to visit Gandhi Smriti. This is where Gandhi stayed during the last few months of his life. He fasted for peace here, and it is also the location where he was assassinated. Tushar, Gandhi's great grandson first showed us the room where he fasted and the area in which he conducted meetings. Afterwards, we made the somber walk to the site of his assassination. Tushar gave an emotional explanation of the events of that fateful day and then each of us, in our own way, paid respects to Gandhi. 

Footsteps to the site of Gandhi's assassination 

It was a short ride then to the Gandhi museum where his possessions, as well as historical information, are preserved followed by a short tour of Raj Ghat, where Gandhi was cremated. 

Raj Ghat the site of Gandhi's cremation

Day 12 & 13 - Bus Ride to Sariska and the Waterman

I was a little “worse for wear” as we traveled to Sariska from Ajmer.  When Mat and I settled into our last hotel room, there was a very peculiar sound.  I traced the intermittent screeching to the air return vent. The hotel may have looked Vegas beautiful from the outside, but I soon realized that the air ducts were infested with a colony of rodents. They circulated through making noises about every 45 minutes, and occasionally I'd hear one fall from the air duct into the wall (to who knows where). So the sounds of a rodent party kept me up all night. I resorted to a sleeping pill and earplugs and prayed for rest.

The 5-hour bus ride the following day shuttled us north to Sariska. This town is known for its tiger sanctuary. As much as we'd love to experience the wildlife, the schedule is jam-packed already, and there's simply not a spare moment to add a big cat excursion to this itinerary.  Instead, we spent the afternoon with the Waterman of India. Over 30 years ago, the Waterman, Rajendra Singh (a medical doctor by trade) was approached by a local village elder he was treating. This elder asked him to help the village with their shortage of water in this arid land. Singh, of course, reminded the old man that his expertise was medicine, not in water conservation.  The elder replied that it wasn't the physician's formal skills that were needed; it was his authority as an outsider that was necessary. And so this project began. He has now transformed this arid region of Rajasthan into a fertile, green area that can produce crops, has an ongoing water source, and has allowed many of the wildlife to return (including the tigers). 

As we approached Turun Bharat Sangh - the place of the Waterman's ashram, we were greeted by local villagers.  The fashion of this area is quite beautiful and unique to this part of India. Women in this region cover their heads (and sometimes entire face) with an Odhni - a brightly colored swath of material, and the men are dressed in scarves wrapped into turbans called Pagris.  Each of us was blessed by one of the villagers with a yellow kumkum and pieces of rice placed on our forehead. I found out later that the rice represents fertility. The women of our tour were presented with our own colorful scarves and the men given turbans. My scarf is gauze-like material that is tie-died bright orange; considering the drop of temperature in this region, I'll be wearing it for the remainder of our time here. 

The Waterman was there to greet us, of course, ready to embrace Arun and Tushar Gandhi, the guests of honor.  Singh has a strong presence about him, and he lectured extensively of the water issues and improvements here in the villages as well as water issues abroad. Some individuals from the neighboring communities spoke of the impact of Singh -- how he was at first shunned by the villagers and then slowly embraced by them. The Waterman then took us on a tour -- first showing our group an example of how to find where water pools, how to harness that water to be stored for times of drought, and the how this concept has replenished the underground aquifers.  We then drove to the local village of his first water experiment. Again India presents its dichotomy through environment -- one side is whirling dust and desert-like, the other is lush and green, covered by growth and small bodies of collected water.  By the time we finished our village hike, it was getting windy and dark.  Our tour group had traveled for most of Day 12, and many of us were getting progressively more sick with this mentally and emotionally exhausting pilgrimage -- well, I suppose I can only speak for myself. I hadn't slept well the night before and my throat was getting worse, my head feeling congested, my body exhausted. 

After an evening tea and a second round of butter cookies back at the Waterman's ashram, we drove another hour to our accommodations in Sariska. We are staying on a vast expanse of rocky wilderness.  Some of our accommodations look like insulated tent structures, while others stay in small apartments surrounding a pool. I'd estimate the entire resort sits on about 10 acres. Connectivity to the outside world is non-existent, and the electricity here is intermittent. After a late buffet dinner with the group, I helped Mat set up the lighting and camera in our hotel room for his much-anticipated interview with Tushar. Immediately afterwards I crawled into bed. So as I slept on the far end of the bed, Mat met with Tushar, asking him questions about what we've experienced on this trip to India or to recount a story Tushar had told us during our travels.

It's official; we are both sick now. Our tour group is on the day 2 excursion with the Waterman while we are in bed this morning trying to recuperate for the long, 8 hour journey to Delhi this afternoon. What was supposed to be a short, late morning trip to visit another "Waterman transformed" village became a round trip 6 hour car ride to the uppermost ridge of this beautiful land.  I'm in no shape to make that happen along with this afternoon's bus ride. So unfortunate, yet fortunate for the downtime - I'm thankful to rest.

Day 11 - Ajmer, Rajasthan, Barefoot College

We settled into our hotel in Ajmer close to 3:30 in the morning. From the neon framed gate, Mat described this place as "looking like a Vegas casino with 4 slot machines and 1 prostitute." Tushar explained that this hotel is commonly booked as a vacation place or by couples honeymooning; though the gate might seem lit like a Vegas sideshow, inside is quite beautifully decorated.  The 8:30 wake up call arrived quickly, and after breakfast we drove an hour and a half to the Barefoot College.

Founded by Bunker Roy, the Barefoot College teaches skills to those who lack a formal, traditional education. Skills include building solar cookers, transistors for LED lighting and also offering training to the women to become medical or dental technicians. Arun Gandhi mentioned this particular organization when he visited Rollins this past fall. Roy, who was an engineer by trade, told his parents he felt compelled to spend his first post-college year helping the impoverished people of India. He has never left India; instead, he has expanded his school into parts of Africa, Mexico and beyond -- bringing over 600 impoverished women to this college to learn skills to take back to their own villages. 

On campus, our tour group was treated to a puppet show and learned that they use traditionally created puppets to help spread social understanding and inform villagers of government schemes. I purchased two hand puppets from the gift shop on campus. I named the female "Raja" and the male puppet "Stanley" --as they are from the area of Rajasthan. These two characters are gifts for Eve and Landon upon our return; I'm taking photos with them for the remainder of the trip to share "Adventures with Raja and Stan" along the way. After the puppet informational, we toured other parts of the 2 campuses. From dental technicians to acupuncturists, this school focuses on empowering women to take many valuable skills back to their villages. 

As we entered the second campus, our tour group was welcomed by a group of Indian women who are building both solar powered cookers and heaters. We observed the process of them cutting the metal, hammering sheets into place, welding the edges together-- even the teachers of this craft were once impoverished women who've now "graduated" from this program. "Graduated" means that the Barefoot College believes that these skills speak for themselves; this is about practical training, not a piece of paper or certification.  We were then led to the "Solar Mamas" -- a large boardroom-like area covered in circuit boards, wiring, instruction books, and women representing at least 8 different countries including Micronesia, Senegal, Madagascar and Mexico. They learn how to assemble circuit boards here for LED lanterns, light panels, and solar electricity.  Of course there are many different languages and cultures working together, so a lot of the instruction is through photos and color codes. These innovators stay in a hostel on campus for 6 months learning their trade and then commit to utilizing this skill back in the village they call home.

On a personal note, so far I have managed to stay relatively healthy; however, Mat (along with many of our fellow tour mates) is suffering from congestion. We've run out of cough drops and most of our decongestant supply has dried up (pun intended). As our group sat to discuss the events of the day, I began feeling my health steadily weaken; my throat is scratchy and I'm on what I call "on the verge of the edge" of getting sick. This is a tireless journey both physically and emotionally with very little downtime -- and yet, I wouldn't trade this experience for the world. 

Day 10 - Heritage Walk, Ahmedabad

Each morning in Ahmedabad, we sat in the hotel's courtyard for a breakfast buffet, catching up with our fellow tour members and telling stories. We would order our standard breakfast omelet -- as Mat is in love with the mild, soft cheese here in India. Most days, the neighborhood's monkey population visited our group. They climbed down from their perch on the nearby building or swung near the buffet table via the large tree just outside the hotel wall. It wouldn't take long for the hotel owner to scare them away. They were a little more aggressive than the visiting pigeons, but it was fun to see them here in the city. 

After breakfast and monkeys, we embarked again for Old City of Ahmedabad -- this time for a Heritage Walk with our entire group and a local guide. There are so many areas of historical significance in Ahmedabad.  Ahmedabad was established in 1411 by Ahmed Shah.  The ending "-bad" means city or dwelling just as the ending "pur" or "pol" which also means the same thing -- one's habitat. So our tour was taken across the old city by foot to the joining neighborhoods or "pols."

Ahmedabad's "Pol" or neighborhoods are interconnected throughout the old city

The people of this city practice their own form of Feng Shui. The roads of this planned city structure flow north and south, and houses are built east to west so that the sun shines through the front of the house in the morning. Beyond planning the direction of roads and houses, Old Ahmedabad is organized by 600 different communities that live together here. Imagine how areas of America have Chinatown in New York or Boston's Italian population resiides in its North End. To keep everyone living peacefully, this kind of "pol" culture was promoted.  Priest, shepherd, Jain, every community had its own structure, personality, behavior every community. For example, practitioners of Jainism strictly eat vegetarian; if someone next door cooks non-vegetarian food, their religious sentiment may be compromised. Shepherds tend to the animals--so the cow dung might get problematic for others in the community. Priests may have a different daily prayer schedule than the other people and ringing of bells in the early morning may disrupt other city dwellers. So because of their cultural differences they prefer to stay in separate communities.

Though there are distinct neighborhods, every "pol" is connected though over 100 secret passages. Our tour group paused in an alleyway where we were surrounded by doors of many colors, sizes and shapes. The guide then asked us to find the secret passage --a door led beneath the dwellings and into the next neighborhood. After finding a hidden toilet facility and a closet, we did finally select the secret passage into the next neighborhood.

One of the temples we visited during our Heritage Walk

After our city tour, we checked out late from the hotel to make our way to the Ahmedabad station for the last train ride of this pilgrimage--from Ahmedabad to Ajmer.  This train ride was to be a much shorter ride than our first-- only 6 hours.  Mat and I shared a sleeper compartment with an Indian family with children much the same age as our own. We slept in the adjacent bottom bunks, and the children slept above us. The train traveled northeast to Ajmer where we visited Barefoot College.

Day 9 - A side trip off the Legacy tour and into India by ourselves

We've rested another night in Ahmedabad and are thankful our accommodations are at the same hotel for three nights in a row this time. On the legacy tour, we typically spend one, maybe two if we're lucky, nights at a hotel -- which means we are tirelessly packing and unpacking for the bus or train ride ahead. Today our tour group was scheduled to visit a farm about 2 or 3 hours outside the city; however, Mat was adamant he wanted to spend some portion of our stay in Ahmedabad capturing footage and taking his time.  There is so much to see and experience on the Gandhi Legacy tour-- this rigorous schedule means sometimes Mat is unable to get enough time to adjust for lighting his shots or manage any interviews at the organizations we visit. Today was his special day. Our tour manager, Alok, arranged a driver and an interpreter for us from 9am until 5pm. Of course, this little veer off the schedule required a signoff from my professor in charge, and she was kind enough to let me go under the conditions that I would carry along her phone number and Alok's contact information as well.  

Our hired interpreter was Surech (sir-Race) a tall, 40-year-old man with a strong voice and a deep understanding of his culture. He was quick to impart how important family life is to this country. He talked about how the social structure is very strong in his country. Grandparents live jointly with grandchildren and impart the experience and wisdom they've learned.  Surech emphasized that sometimes this transfer of knowledge can be even more important than traditional education. This was a theme he commonly returned to in our time with him, and it's important to note that it is a central philosophy in India: the value of family. 

Mathe Singh Jain Temple

Mathe Singh Jain Temple

On our first of many stops, we visited one of the Jain temples in the Old City corridor of Ahmedabad.  As it was morning, many residents of the area were coming to the temple to be blessed with good luck for the day.  A typical Jainist visits the temple just after the morning bath.  Surech described Jainist as very intellectual people -- businessmen, professors, doctors.  One young Jain man tapped me on the shoulder and asked me where I was from. After I mentioned I am a yoga teacher, he replied that he had been practicing yoga for 3 months now. Two women stopped to say hello and informed me that is was not advisable to enter the temple wearing black.  Black, to them, is the color of sadness. So wearing black, what I thought would be an inconspicuous color choice for our day out, was not the best idea. I may have to rethink my wardrobe. 

There are restoration efforts taking place on the temple grounds. They are using the same primitive tools and building materials to repair the temple’s sandstone. So adjacent to the temple are workers using cattle attached to a large stone wheel.  Mat asked if he could take their pictures, and after some interaction, they warmed up to us observing. Mat asked if the cows had names and when they replied no, they asked Mat to name them --- and he decided on "Abbott and Costello."  They in turn wanted him to also name the driver of the animals, and of course, Mat had a cheeky answer - that the driver's parents had given him a name.  They insisted, and Mat told the crew that "Lurch" should be the driver's name. 

Dada Mari Stepwell

After taking many photos with the crew, we headed to our next location -- a beautiful site called the Dada Mari Stepwell. Built in the 16th century, this stepwell was built by the Hindu rulers. One can find this type of stepwell in Gujarat and Rajastan due to water scarcity in these areas. Its main goal was conserving the water for drinking, bathing, and for the animals as well. Inside are Hindu designs of flowers and both Arabic and Sanskrit inscriptions. The stepwell drops several stories in interlocking of system of yellow sandstone. Imagine an ancient, upside down (meaning into the ground) pillared sandstone building. 

The caretaker of the Bai Hari Mosque

Bai Hari Mosque

Located behind this stepwell is a private mosque. In the distance, we could see the caretaker of the mosque. There are roughly 100 mosques from the 14th century or 15th century here in the old part of Ahmedabad.  The masons working in this area were specialists in making the Hindu temple and the Jain temples so when the Muslim ruler tasked them with building the mosque, they offered motifs of the Hindu and Jain traditions. We approached the very dutiful mosque caretaker with caution as he was laying out the prayer mats for the day and offered him a small donation to engage in conversation with us.  He shared that he has tended to this mosque for the last 48 years. He must've taken a liking to our interest in him because soon we were spontaneously led on a rare tour to the roof of this holy place. He motioned for us to climb the small spiral staircase encased in one of the mosque’s minarets.  From here, we had a breathtaking view of the surrounding area. Truly it was an experience only made possible by being at the right place at the right time.   The day was full of those moments, and although I was disappointed to miss being on our tour, it was a personal view of India as I assume only a few had experienced.  

Vegetable and Flower Market

Mat wished to get some footage of the local marketplace with the guide, so we stopped at the local market.  An elephant and his owner greeted us as we found a place to park for our walk around the crowded streets. We stopped to engage with the elephant owner. His 40-year-old elephant's name is Rose (in English) -- I can't remember the name in Gujarati. He has cared for this elephant for 30 years and describes their relationship affectionately as girlfriend and boyfriend.  She keeps him from getting harmed and he does the same. Though many speak of the mistreatment of these beautiful beasts, this seemed to be a symbiotic relationship. I walked back to the car to retrieve a banana for her, and afterwards, when I paid the man his rupees, Rose clasped my paper bill in her trunk and handed it directly to her “boyfriend.”

Rose, the elephant, and her "boyfriend"

The vegetable marketplace is full of middlemen.  Farmers grow the produce and transport it to the market to be sold.  From here, people sit roadside in this marketplace, displaying these goods for sale. Though we were informed of the plight of the farmers, here in the market is a vibrant place of trade. Sellers are eager to engage in conversation, and once Mat started taking pictures, people constantly asked for their photograph to be taken with whatever they were selling or with their friend at the next vegetable cart.  Regardless of occupation, the people of India are always proud of their job or what it is that gives them identity. I think back to the sugar worker who wanted to be filmed with his prized cow; similarly, in this market, a friendly young man sat side by side with his dog; women selling chickpeas or leeks would cradle a handful of vegetables as an integral part of her photo pose. 

A proud dog owner near the vegetable market

Everywhere you visit in India, even walking down the street, people ask "Where are you from?" and want to engage in conversation. In some ways it makes me feel more connected to them -- this desire to know, to exchange ideas. That is what this city is known for anyway -- historically it was a trade hub along the Silk Road, but I'll save that for another day. 

Vegetables on display among the vendors here at the market

Mat showing a grandmother and her grandchild their picture

Day 8 - Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Subarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad

We slept comfortably in a deluxe king suite at this beautiful residence-turned-boutique hotel.  The owner lives on premises, just one floor below our suite, and was born and raised in this home.  He chose to convert it into a hotel just about a decade ago. Needless to say, we feel pretty guilty staying in such a nice place after visiting slums and migrant camps; it is impossible to be human and not feel this way.

Our first stop of the day was a university where Gandhi was appointed chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapeeth. We met with graduate students in their large auditorium where each of us introduced ourselves and were given an opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with about 60 men and women. Some study economics, social work, or communications. A lot of them showed interest in teaching abroad. While we met, each student sat on mats they had crafted themselves, and next to each student was their own personal spinning wheel that looked much like a record player in a suitcase. They are required to work on spinning thread from cotton for at least 45 minutes a day, and they are allowed to do this very meditative activity during their seminar classes. There are several "trades" these students learn, above and beyond their specialties at the university. We toured parts of the campus, which included an example of the glass blowing studio. Here in India, they do not have the means to simply throw away test tubes or broken lab equipment; instead, they repair the glass themselves. One instructor gave a demonstration of how he creates test tubes from the long glass tubing.  He cuts the 4-foot tube to the correct size using an ebony stone and then heats up the ends.  Everything here is recycled and nothing, absolutely nothing, goes to waste.  It is an entirely "green" campus.  They treated us to a lunch, as most of our organizations do; this time, when we finished our meals, the uneaten food was scraped into a bin and we collectively did dishes in a cleaning "trough" shoulder to shoulder with the other students.  

Next was our visit to Gandhi's ashram that opened in 1915 after his time in South Africa. An ashram is simply a community that works together and upholds certain standards of a spiritual lifestyle. Mr. Arun Gandhi was very popular here as he was recognized by many visitors to the ashram.  There were many photo ops and blessings.  A highlight of the trip was watching him work at his grandfather's spinning wheel.  Afterwards, I asked him how long it took him to learn the art of spinning cotton.  He replied that it took him about 15 to 18 days to master the craft.  There is a rhythm and coordination about this art, and he is very much against the automation of the process. The evolution of the spinning wheel could be a documentary in and of itself. 

Arun at his grandfather's spinning wheel

 Our visit to the ashram was really the first time we'd seen him in full celebrity status; people stopping and taking photos or asking him questions about his grandfather. Otherwise, it seems as though he is just another gentle soul, traveling India.  There is a museum on the premises, and after we looked through the various artifacts, we crossed the street for a visit to the Gujarat Khadi Mandal organization, which is associated with Gandhi's ashram here in Ahmedabad. It employs many its workers from the slums adjacent to the ashram. This was, and always will be, part of Gandhi's vision- to empower people to sustain themselves and help the community.  This organization repurposes old bits of paper into beautiful gift bags and journals, among other things. Handmade journals, picture frames made of colorful handmade paper, handcrafted envelopes-- I may have to buy another suitcase just to haul all of the ornate purchases I made today. 

The day ended with some time with Arun Gandhi describing the various places we visited today. There are so many interesting details from his vision that he shares with all of us, and truly takes the time to personally get to know everyone he meets. One of the many ideas he shared with us was that "our physical appearance has been given to us by God, but our spiritual beauty is something we must cultivate in ourselves.  If we want peace, we have to live that peace.  It is not a destination.  It is how we live here and now and how we strive to respect and understand other people.  We put so many labels on ourselves and others that we forget that we are all human beings. Labels create walls; they don't really matter at all because in the end I will never be like you and you will never be like me but we can respect each other for who we are." 

Read that part again. It is a string of thoughts from this evening's talk and no matter who you are, it applies to you.