Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru… The Journey of a soul!

January 19 - 24, 2015

Sitting in front of the television and watching the advertisement of Vibrant Gujarat often made me wonder what was so vibrant about the state. Every state in India is representa

tive of its own diverse culture and tradition.

But a study tour with our Foundation batch students changed my perspective of the state forever. Seldom have I come across a state so rooted in its tradition yet so modern in its outlook. 

A visit to the iconic National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, conceptualised by two great American Designers of the time, Charles and Ray Eames, set the pace of our trip. As we navigated the numerous alleys of the institute, we got a glimpse of young Indian designers at work. Needless to say, the flow of creativity oozing out from the corridors and classrooms of the NID mesmerised our own group of enthusiastic middle school students. If NID was an epitome of modern India, the pols of old Ahmedabad bore testimony to a rich cultural heritage moulded by a constant influx of people who settled in the city through the ages.

Our tryst with modernisation continued as we traversed through the roads of Ahmedabad. It was a treat for all of us to see the BRTS (Bus Rapid Transport System) so effectively being used in an Indian city. Technological advancement was also reflected in Asia’s largest Solar Power Park ‘Charanka’, which is expected to generate 600 KW of power in the near future.

Dholavira….a settlement from the ancient Harrapan civilization gave us a glimpse of the glorious past of Gujarat. The students were given a guided tour of the complex system of water storage, roads in grid patterns and a unique system of drainage so quintessential of the great civilization. If Dholavira satiated our thirst for History, lo and behold, the Great White Rann was a geologic masterpiece! Miles and miles of crystalline salt crunching under the feet was an experience our students will not forget in the years to come.

A truly vibrant moment for us came when we got an opportunity to discover the varied forms of traditional art and handicrafts of Gujarat. From the making of the Patola to the dyeing and printing of Ajrak, from the oil dipped Rogan art to the metallurgical spectacle of the copper bells, our students explored them all with much zeal and appreciation. The students were also exposed to the technique of salt cultivation and much enjoyed the company of the migratory pink pelicans and the Wild Asses in the Little Rann.

On the banks of river Sabarmati, in Ahmedabad, is the abode of India’s most loved citizen, the father of our Nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The walls of the Sabarmati Ashram reverated with the Ghandhiji’s eternal quest for truth and his ideology of non- violence which gave India its independence.

Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru………translated from Japanese as see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil resonated in our hearts as we left the portals of Gandhi Ashram.

Harsh climatic conditions and natural disasters have not dampened the spirits of the people of Guajart many of whom have migrated from far and wide and have craved out their own identity in state. Gujarat owes its vibrancy to its people who are proud of their rich heritage and are rooted in their culture even in this age of mechanization.

Geographical insight into Bengaluru!!

Friday, January 16, 2015

Field trips are an essential component for students to learn beyond the classroom and experience the interconnectedness of learning. The Grade 2 students are inquiring to understand 'how the geography of a place provides an insight into its history and the people that live there. To make the learning purposeful students went on a field trip around Bengaluru to understand the geography and history of the place they live in.

Our students went through a time travel machine, taking them way back to 1537, to the era of Kempe Gowda, the city's founder who planned his township around lakes. Standing on the bridge at Kempambudhi Lake at Gavipuram, students were enlightened with the odyssey of lakes, - Why Bengaluru is called the city of Lakes? The students being “Inquirers” questioned, “How / why did Kempegowda make so many lakes?” To find this the students walked to different heights at Gavipuram to see how the terrain is hilly, up and down and the valley formed is dammed to build lakes. They share that most of Bengaluru is hilly lending itself to building lakes. Right through the ages, Haider Ali, Tipu Sultan, the Wodeyars and the Britishers recognised this simple fact and accorded high importance to the preservation of the city's lakes. But in present day most lakes are being replaced by concrete jungle which effects the environment of the city.

The students travelling through time move into 1760, and headed toward Tipu Sultan’s Armoury passing by the Bangalore Fort to gather information on Tipu Sultan, a great ruler of Bengaluru. At this point the students asked, “Tipu build his summer palace in Bangalore because it is cooler than Srirangapatnam. But, why is Bengaluru cooler?” At this point our guides introduced the word “Plateau” and shared how the altitude of Bengaluru and the geographical condition makes it a cool and pleasant city. This has left our enthusiastic students wanting to know more about plateau and the climatic conditions of Bengaluru.

The last stop was at Holy Trinity Church, the time travel machine took the students further into 1850, the British era in Bengaluru. It was shared through maps and stories how the British extended the city further and built the cantonment. Most of the building was built in the Greco Roman style. The roads and building were named after the British army or their Officers. The British also preferred Bangalore to Mysore because of its weather.

This field trip was a great experience to understand where they are in place and time. It also helped them to make connection to the different time and how the time has brought about the changes in the place they live in. Moreover the field trip has left our 'Inquirers' curious and wanting to know more about the geography and the history of the place they live.

Historical Tour of Bangalore City

Thursday January 15, 2015

It was the morning of January 15^th, Thursday when students of Grade 2A gathered at Neev, KM with much enthusiasm to learn about the history of Bengaluru. We boarded the bus at 7.30 a.m. and reached Gavipuram at 8.00 a.m. Learning began at Kempambudhi Lake at Gavipuram where the founder of Bengaluru, Kempe Gowda created a man-made lake. Our guide took us through the whole history of the city with slides and stories that made the field-trip interesting. The students also went up to one of Kempe Gowda’s watch tower situated at the top of some rocks. We then headed to Tipu Sultan’s Armoury instead of the Bangalore Fort which had new information to gather on how Tipu Sultan had armories built in many places to store his weapons for battles. The last stop was at Holy Trinity Church, the second church that the British built in Bengaluru.

A large amount of Historical Empathy was observed in students during the field-trip. The history tour around Bengaluru exposed children to diversity of ideas, people, places and time periods. The broadening experience imparted greater appreciation and understanding. Students could appreciate what life was like for people who lived in a different place and time. This trip provided students with a clearer perspective about their own place and time. Students connected well into why people depend on, adapt to, are affected by, and change the natural environment. The physical landscape and human presence was modified to form an interaction between the two. This was evident at the Kempambudhi Lake.

The field-trip connected well with the Central Idea and the key concepts. It also enhanced their critical thinking skills and the whole big idea of the connection between history and geography.

Graffiti that kids made on Bangalore history after their visit