Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram
Encyclopedia
The Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram is an organisation working for the socio-economic upliftment and development of India's indigenous tribes in the remote tribal areas of India. The Ashram has been undertaking a series of programs in remote tribal villages. It has branches all over the country. In its 2002 annual convention, held at Varanasi
, its national president informed the press that the organization has launched several welfare schemes for the development of the tribes at 8955 places in 312 districts of the country under the supervision of 1203 full-time workers. These schemes aim at development in agriculture, health, child education, sports, and culture. Most such districts have primary schools and in many places residential schools, hostels, libraries and health centers. Among the several annual events, the important ones include medical camps, traditional sports, and celebration of tribal festivals.
The Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram helps in formation of people's self-help groups and encourages small savings in post offices; provides training for scientific cultivation of cash crops; distributes seeds and seedlings; and helps people in well-deepening and in arranging local resources for irrigation. It also helps people get old-age and widow pensions. The Ashram also increases people's awareness by organizing occasional symposiums on current problems like 'Impact of Globalization and Liberalization on Tribal Life' and publishing books and periodicals dealing with socio-cultural aspects of day-to-day tribal life.
The Ashram by providing the basic amenities like health care, employment and education weans away the tribals from joining hands with disruptive forces that hamper their development. Their efforts are also directed at conflict resolution between the different tribes which indulge in clashes among themselves over petty issues and at fostering unity among different tribes. The ashram has been promoting the concept that all the tribal groups all belong to India and hence are one.
Limba Ram
, belonging to the tribal community in Rajasthan of Northern India and a product of the Ashram, has won many medals and has represented India in Olympics. Many other students from different schools of the Ashram across India have won medals at the state and the national level at games conducted by the Sports Authority of India.
It has centers across the country named "Kreeda Kendram" where basic infrastructure is provided to train them in archery and help them preserve the tribal games
and made victims of divide and rule policy of the British
. They were declared to be animists with no religion worth the name. The tribal regions were scaled off as "Protected Areas" to all except Christian missionaries. Now, the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram has begun working in those areas in a spirit of service, equal brotherhood and love. Samskara Kendras (Devanagari
: संस्कार केंद्र) for women and children, schools, hostels, reading rooms, free dispensaries, and village and cottage industries have been started in increasing numbers in all the provinces.
The Ashram helps the tribals protect their rich culture. It organises performances of traditional folk lore and dances like `Kolatam', `Chakka Bhajana' and `Dhimsa' dance. Among the several events, the important ones include medical camps, traditional sports, and celebration of tribal and major Hindu festivals (like Raksha Bandhan, Hanuman Jayanti, Ram Navami, Govardhan Puja
, Indal Pooja and Krishna Janmashtami).
The Ashram grew rapidly after the emergency was lifted, so much so that in 1977 it acquired the national status (expressed in its new name Bhāratiya Vanavāsi Kalyān Āshram). From 1978 to 1983, number of its full-time volunteers rose 44 to 264 (56 of whom were tribals). In Jashpur, it established a hospital, a hostel, schools and set up centers for apprenticeship in manual trades in 40 villages.
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, its national president informed the press that the organization has launched several welfare schemes for the development of the tribes at 8955 places in 312 districts of the country under the supervision of 1203 full-time workers. These schemes aim at development in agriculture, health, child education, sports, and culture. Most such districts have primary schools and in many places residential schools, hostels, libraries and health centers. Among the several annual events, the important ones include medical camps, traditional sports, and celebration of tribal festivals.
Tribal Emancipation
Economic development
The tribal communities in India suffer from lack of education and health care facilities. Poverty has also led the vested interests, to use them in carrying out disruptive activities. Vanavasi Ashram is helping the tribals in protecting their interests and assists them in solving their own problems.The Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram helps in formation of people's self-help groups and encourages small savings in post offices; provides training for scientific cultivation of cash crops; distributes seeds and seedlings; and helps people in well-deepening and in arranging local resources for irrigation. It also helps people get old-age and widow pensions. The Ashram also increases people's awareness by organizing occasional symposiums on current problems like 'Impact of Globalization and Liberalization on Tribal Life' and publishing books and periodicals dealing with socio-cultural aspects of day-to-day tribal life.
The Ashram by providing the basic amenities like health care, employment and education weans away the tribals from joining hands with disruptive forces that hamper their development. Their efforts are also directed at conflict resolution between the different tribes which indulge in clashes among themselves over petty issues and at fostering unity among different tribes. The ashram has been promoting the concept that all the tribal groups all belong to India and hence are one.
Education
The Ashram has a network of single teacher schools across the tribal areas where there are no government schools, based on Swami Vivekananda's saying "If the mountain does not come to Mohammad, Mohammad must go to the mountain. If the poor cannot come to education, education must reach them at the plough, in the factory, everywhere."Tribal sports
Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram has hundreds of sports facilities and centres across the tribal areas of the countries that promote tribal sports especially archery. The students from various schools and hostels run by the organisation have won laurels in archery at the national and the international level.Limba Ram
Limba Ram
Limba Ram is an Indian archer who represented India in international competitions including three Olympics. He equalled an archery world record in 1992 at the Asian Championships in Beijing...
, belonging to the tribal community in Rajasthan of Northern India and a product of the Ashram, has won many medals and has represented India in Olympics. Many other students from different schools of the Ashram across India have won medals at the state and the national level at games conducted by the Sports Authority of India.
It has centers across the country named "Kreeda Kendram" where basic infrastructure is provided to train them in archery and help them preserve the tribal games
Protecting Culture
The Vanavāsis (Tribals) were called AboriginalsIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
and made victims of divide and rule policy of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. They were declared to be animists with no religion worth the name. The tribal regions were scaled off as "Protected Areas" to all except Christian missionaries. Now, the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram has begun working in those areas in a spirit of service, equal brotherhood and love. Samskara Kendras (Devanagari
Devanagari
Devanagari |deva]]" and "nāgarī" ), also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
: संस्कार केंद्र) for women and children, schools, hostels, reading rooms, free dispensaries, and village and cottage industries have been started in increasing numbers in all the provinces.
The Ashram helps the tribals protect their rich culture. It organises performances of traditional folk lore and dances like `Kolatam', `Chakka Bhajana' and `Dhimsa' dance. Among the several events, the important ones include medical camps, traditional sports, and celebration of tribal and major Hindu festivals (like Raksha Bandhan, Hanuman Jayanti, Ram Navami, Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut , is celebrated as the day Krishna defeated Indra. Lord Krishna taught people to worship nature, as mountains bring rains to earth and to stop worshiping the God of Rains, Lord Indra. His was the message that we should take care of our nature...
, Indal Pooja and Krishna Janmashtami).
History
The Ashram was founded in 1952 by Ramakant Keshav Deshpande with the help of state government and RSS. Based in Jashpur (214 KM from Raigarh) it established schools in Raigarh and Surguja districts, an area with a large tribal population. R K Deshpande worked from 1948 to 1957 with the Department of Tribal Welfare of the state.The Ashram grew rapidly after the emergency was lifted, so much so that in 1977 it acquired the national status (expressed in its new name Bhāratiya Vanavāsi Kalyān Āshram). From 1978 to 1983, number of its full-time volunteers rose 44 to 264 (56 of whom were tribals). In Jashpur, it established a hospital, a hostel, schools and set up centers for apprenticeship in manual trades in 40 villages.