‘Chalo Jalayen Deep Wahan Jahan Abhi Bhi Andhera Hai’
Over the last twenty years, Purvanchal
Kalyan Ashram has regularly organized ‘Vanjeevan’, a week long summer camp in
the core tribal areas for school going children from Kolkata. Most of these
children are now adults, busy with studies, office and household
responsibilities. Though they might be disconnected with the Vanvasi, they still
cherish the ‘good old days’ of fun and mischief, in their Vanjeevan camps. This
event ‘Arise & Awake’ was conceptualized to reconnect with them and ‘awaken’
their dormant thoughts.
Ultimately, 22nd
September, Sunday was chosen as the date for this historic event. Each guest lit
a Deepak and placed on the beautiful rangoli, near the registration desk. It
symbolized the motto of the Youth Wing – ‘Chalo Jalayen Deep Wahan Jahan Abhi
Bhi Andhera Hai’.
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| A Vanjeevan participant relives moments from her trip |
The event started with a flashback
of memories of old Vanjeevan camps and how Purvanchal Kalyan Ashram has evolved
over the years. The guests from the audience mostly youth who at some point of
their school life participated in a Vanjeevan also pitched in and shared their
experiences of the trips, some even dating back to 1990s. It was a wonderful
atmosphere as old Vanjeevan pals met each other after years and relived those Vanjeevan
moments!
This was followed by detailed
presentations on the main activities of the Youth Wing – Education Camp,
Medical Camp, Shishu Mela and Village Development. These presentations, small
video clips and case studies of some successful projects beautifully illustrated
the scope of the activities, their impact on the Vanvasi community and how interested
people can volunteer in them. Some interesting quizzes were also included in between
the presentations. The event ultimately concluded with a sumptuous lunch.
Overall, the event was a grand
success as the number of guests was close to 180, much more than anticipated! It
was the result of the hard work of the volunteers of the Youth Wing, who worked
tirelessly for nearly two months combing through old Vanjeevan records, sending
e-mails, messages, making hundreds of phone calls.
