Am practising Interior designer for 23 years.Do not know much about handicrafts but because Baba asked to head this project and it was a subject that is close to my heart i went into it with full faith in Baba and his faith in me.Realised that he knows me more then I know myself.We call it a miracle project because things that we have not learnt and ideas that we do not know start to manifest in our heads and we come up with things that we also cannot believe we created. Shanti Hastkala has made me see life in a different perspective.Have realised the value of what all God has given us.There are villagers for whom it is difficult to get one full meal a day.Feel thankful to God for all that he has given us. Have seen that in spite of not having money and living in such poor conditions the villagers look happy and content.They are not greedy like the city people who are running the whole day for more and more and are still not content and happy. Want to become as simple and content with wanting just bear minimum to survive as have learnt that,that is the secret of happiness,to be content with what we have and go on giving and doing good for others and giving endless love as, what we give we get. Feel very thankful for the goodness that we all have discovered that was laying hidden within us.It has made us into better human beings and know that this project is doing great work for the ones who are involved in it as volunteers and the ones who are getting work from it. SATGURU NATH MAHARAJ KI JAY

Advantages of volunteering of the work of Shanti Hastkala. One of the greatest advantage of joining Shanti hastakala is that I have now got my own identity .I Really feel proud to be part of it. Very few people get opportunity to work for others and Gurudev has given me this opportunity so I'll be always thankful to him. I have been exposed to many new things after joining Shanti Hastakala as a volunteer . I got to learn a new line of making Handicrafts involving familiarization with different types of Paper and Cloth materials etc. I got to know how to deal with different types of people (Both in Village as well as during marketing the product in Mumbai), manage time etc. This experience has helped me to decide my career goals and now I have joined a course of Teacher's training . Working with Shanti Hastakala over some weekends really helps to boost my energy and understand what life is all about. I really wait for Saturday to come so that I can go to Magod be with the villagers and help them in their Handicrafts work. It is a great feeling to know some people are waiting for you and happy to see you. By doing this kind of service to the people and our Gurudev I feel really blessed I realized that I have been always saved from all the hurdles that come across in life. Whatever or whenever I need anything it is there before me. I really pray to God that the work that I continue to be associated with Shanti Hastkala forever even after marriage.

Advantages of volunteering of the work of Shanti Hastkala One of the greatest advantage of joining Shanti hastakala is that I have now got my own identity .I Really feel proud to be part of it. Very few people get opportunity to work for others and Gurudev has given me this opportunity so I'll be always thankful to him. I have been exposed to many new things after joining Shanti Hastakala as a volunteer. I got to learn a new line of making Handicrafts involving familiarization with different types of Paper and Cloth materials etc. I got to know how to deal with different types of people (Both in Village as well as during marketing the product in Mumbai), manage time etc. This experience has helped me to decide my career goals and now I have joined a course of Teacher's training . Working with Shanti Hastakala over some weekends really helps to boost my energy and understand what life is all about. I really wait for Saturday to come so that I can go to Magod be with the villagers and help them in their Handicrafts work. It is a great feeling to know some people are waiting for you and happy to see you. By doing this kind of service to the people and our Gurudev I feel really blessed I realized that I have been always saved from all the hurdles that come across in life. Whatever or whenever I need anything it is there before me. I really pray to God that the work that I continue to be associated with Shanti Hastkala forever even after marriage.

It was my good fortune that I joined the Shanti Hastkala team. It has been a beautiful experience ever since. It gave me an identity and boosted my confidence level. It gives me lots of satisfaction that little efforts on my part can make someone's life better in the villages where we work. Working with Shanti Hastkala not only teaches how to get Handicrafts made and then help sell them, It involves helps acquire knowledge of many fields associated with developing business skills better communication skills etc. We have learnt all this under the able guidance of Ms Chideshwari. Business skills involve , how to buy raw materials at good rates, calculating the cost price of the product and arriving at the selling price. We also learn practical aspects of accounts ie how to handle money. One of the most important things I have learnt is “How to deal with workers”. This is something I feel will really help my career in the long run.
Memorable incidents:
Working on these projects being different from our daily routine we surprisingly do not get tired. We normally gather every Wednesday at Mumbai to make samples of the product before giving to villagers to make. One of these days I was really tired and sleepy after a long day, but due to Guru's grace we had the determination to finish the samples. As we worked the samples kept on improving till we were satisfied. The work was so exiting that we did not realize it was very late at night. But the feeling after all this was really worth it.

The first and the best part of it is that I could use some of the things I learnt from my experience working in a garment company.
Second thing is I always felt God has not given me this & that but after joining Hastkala when I visited the villages and saw how they live & survive, I realised that God has given me lot many things and more than what I deserve. Its my good luck being part of Hasta kala. I realised how God is always with me at every moment of my life. I am very happy & lucky to be a part of such an auspicious organization.
I am grateful to all of you especially Chideshwari who always inspired me to join Hastakala.

It was love at first experience with Shanti Hastkala. Loved the colour, light and place in the heart where it comes from. Gurudev’s grace brings these things together and I am blessed to be a part of this. It can only grow... Love, peace, family and community keeping alive traditions and giving to those who appreciate this gift.

I am grateful Chideshwari asked me to help, and with this seed the idea of trying the market in Western Australia was germinated. I visited the Ashram for the first time in 2008 and bought lots of the clothes from Shanti Hastkala to take home. I really enjoy wearing them, get many comments. People seem to be nicer to you and good things happen when you wear SHK! So many bright colours, beautiful cloth and comfortable too!

I travelled another 3 times in that year to Magod, Shanti Mandir and was fortunate to visit the villagers who make SHK at home. This gave a sense of place to the clothing with the villagers all living together. One man Bipin living with his mother who creates wonderful Warli painting lived in one room earth floor and one bed. They all seemed so happy and yet had so little. It was inspiring to see this. It is also inspiring to see Chideshwari, Astha, Hiral, Devanshi, Jolly and all the team working happily together on what seems an enormous task. I have no experience in clothing so am always learning and feel good being able to help with a project which educates and provides a means for financial independence. Helping those who are not as privileged in life circumstances as myself is great.

We are hoping to work with an importer into Australia who works with Fairtrade. This is an exciting new direction with many possibilities.
Namaste
Vanya