November 2008-Report from Vanya Cullen,
VANYA & CHIDESHWARI’S VISIT TO THE VILLAGES
The last time I visited Magod
ashram I had a tour of the Shanti Hasktkala operations at Shanti Mandir. There
are now two large rooms where approximately thirty women from surrounding
villages work on various orders from around the world.
The next day Chideshwari
and I travelled by car to visit the working hands of Shanti Hastkala at
home in their villages. As we travelled around the villages I asked
Chideshwari some questions.
How
many people from local villages near the ashram work for SHK?
We have sixty five villagers
working for us. At first we had to talk and coax them to come and work for SHK.
Now they come and ask for more work. Some villagers from far off villages such
as Dongri and Hariya cannot come to the ashram as there is no direct means of
transport for them to travel here. We travel to those villages once a week and
give approximately twenty five villagers some work.
Can you
tell me the story about Bipin?(pictured)
Bipin does warli painting for
us. He lives in a village called Hariya. One day we were roaming from one
village to the next. Upon reaching Hariya we decided to stop there to
demonstrate painting, paper craft and needle work to the villagers. Binpin
attended and proved to be extremely talented with warli painting. He very
quickly picked up the art. It was perfect for him as at that time he had no
work and needed to support and take care of his mother.
He has now found employment
and paints for SHK when he comes home from work. He has been warli painting
with us for two years. Bipin always looks happy when we see him. He hopes the
time will come when he can work for SHK full time.
Who
is the beautiful lady with the child we just met?(pictured)
Her name is Manisha and she
is from Hariya.
After a very difficult marriage Manisha moved back to her parent’s
house when she was seven months pregnant. Manisha had just given birth when we
first met her. She slowly started to work for us as she had no job. After
working with us for a year she has managed to find a job in a doctor’s clinic.
Now she works for SHK and at the doctor’s.
Manisha’s mother has started to work for SHK to help support her daughter and
grandchild. Both Manisha and her mother make kurtis and bags for us.
What
are your dreams for shk and the villagers?
My future vision is to see
neighbouring villagers walking to Shanti Mandir for work so they can receive a
regular income and prosper in life. I want all to look at Shanti Mandir for a
way of living a healthy lifestyle.
SADGURUNATH MAHARAJ KI JAY