Dear Supporters,

Namaskar!

I hope you you are doing well. I am here again to share with you all another beautiful journey of Anubhuti, which I experienced with the girls of Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad last month in December. So, I was in the train and was going to Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad for Anubhūti’s next workshop with Ashram girls. I don’t know why I was feeling this, but since the beginning I was so positive about going to Ahmedabad. And after talking to Sanchi on a phone call for the very first time, I never felt like I am going to an unknown place, it felt like I am going from one home to another. The moment I spoke to Sanchi , it felt like a complete home. :)

And I experienced the same, it was a warm welcome by Ashram’s volunteers and I was feeling so comfortable among those people. I was excited to meet the girls in the evening. I started receiving their love from the day one onwards. It was so heartwarming to see all those girls (who belongs to a most vulnerable background) learning and exploring this beautiful classical dance form Kathak with so much sincerity and passion. They all were quite nervous and excited at the same time to learn it.

I found them little shy and hesitant in speaking or talking to me initially but as we started spending more time interacting with each other, they beautifully opened their heart and shared their love and care. One of the expression of their love was to take care of my small small requirements during my whole stay there. They often asked me in the morning class “Didi, did you have your tea? Or did you eat something?” and at times when I said “No, because I was getting late for the class, so I skipped my tea.” then one of the girl would run to the kitchen and prepare a tea for me and would ask me authoritatively “Didi, you should have your tea and we shall practice on our own till then.”
I found this a very beautiful expression of unconditional love which I was getting from these girls who were initially a little scared from me as one day they shared with me that “Didi, when you first came here we were thinking that you would be very strict in teaching, but you were not. You behaved like an elder sister and a friend to us.” I was staying with them in their hostel only, so other girls who were not a part of the workshop were also becoming a part of my journey in the Ashram.

There was another experience which touched my heart. I was having problem in sleeping at night because there was a big tube light just outside my room which disturbed me throughout the night as I need my room to be dark to be able to sleep and I couldn’t switched it off because the washroom and the stairs were close by and it was being used by the girls living upstairs. I discussed it with the hostel staff but it did not help. One day, a girl named Nikita came to my room and we talked around for half an hour, and while leaving she asked me with concern “didi, आपको कोई problem तो नहीं हो रही इधर?” I said very casually “हाँ यार, हो तो रही है, ये बाहर वाली light मुझे रात को सोने नहीं देती। इसका कुछ कर दो।” She replied “Hmmm.. okay didi, मैं ऊपर सबको बोल देती हूँ।” and she left. That night onwards I did not face any problem with the light outside as the girls had taken the responsibility कि जब भी कोई लड़की नीचे washroom use करने आएगी वह लाइट्सon करेगी और जाते वक़्त लाइट बंद करते हुए चली जाएगी। It was so overwhelming for me to see those girls taking efforts for my comfort. Nikita took lead in that and other girls supported in the best manner possible.

I had many experiences there where I was receiving their love. Our workshop was also going very smooth. I could clearly see the Spark and enthusiasm on their faces to give their best. Everyday they all were there in front of me with a fresh energy and a zeal to learn which was very inspiring for me to see. The best thing I learnt from those girls was their sincerity in attitude and also the way they joyfully were taking the efforts to learn.  And yes, the way they share their love with people around. :)

On the concluding day of the workshop, we all were in teary eyes and they were asking me to promise that I would pick up their phone calls whenever they call  specially during their festival of उत्तरायण. In a nutshell, I experienced a complete flow of love and care from everyone present there during my stay at Gandhi Ashram. Self confidence, leadership, team work, discipline and other soft skills were planted in them as a seed through the traditional classical dance form Kathak; I was able to see that they were becoming more open in sharing and speaking in front of their 200 peers and hostel staff. Moreover, they have nurtured the seed of Love and compassion in my heart!..
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Please watch this journey ​HERE​​​.
I am grateful for all your love and support. Thank you..  :)

With Love,
Annu

Dear Supporters,

Namaskar to all,

Sharing two more journeys of Anubhuti's with you all. One is from Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh which was held in the collaboration with 'Bharat Calling' in the month of September. We did an experiment this time and opened the space for all age groups where we worked mostly with the girls who belongs to a rural background from manual labor families. Kindly CLICK HERE to see the journey of Itarsi girls with Anubhuti.

Another one is just completed in Ganaur, Haryana in collaboration with Umang Pathshala with the 'Dacot Community'. Children of this community are helping hand for the family; they use to beg for oil on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Please SEE HERE our journey and reflections.

Thanks for being a part of this journey. :)

With Love,
Annu

Dear Supporters,

I hope everything is great at your end. Writing you all today after a very long time. I wanted to share my 'Anubhuti' journey with you all. I have successfully completed 2 more month long workshops after the Assam workshop and the experience of working with the kids was beautiful indeed and sometimes challenging too.

The first was held in Sukma, Chhattisgarh (a zone highly affected by naxalite) in collaboration with 'Shiksharth' between July-August. The kids I worked with there were the tribal girls and first generation learner. The kids were so shy, they do not talk to any unfamiliar person, they hesitate even to listen to that person, even if one cracks a joke the kids doesn't respond or they would not know how they can possibly respond; the only words that they know to give a response is either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. They live in a place where it is usual for children to witness violence whether its within their family or community, or between naxalites and police authorities, where children are not taught to resist or question anything that they are given, where they mostly live in a state of fear.

In this situation, it was becoming a great challenge for me to work with them as they did not respond on my things. But as the workshop moved forward they started opening up themselves. They were more disciplined in terms of coming to the class on time. They started taking initiatives in the class, conducted the Meditation, Yoga and Dance sessions, practised individually as well as in a team. And the best part was that they had developed the ability of Asking Questions to the facilitator. Please go through this link to see Anubhuti's journey with Sukma Girls. :) On the concluding day of the workshop, girls did really well and confidently anchored and spoke about their experiences in front of 600 peers, teachers and other guests. Please see here our final day snippets. :)

Thanks for your love and support.

- Annu