Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Gramya Manthan 2013 - Shortest EVER summary of those 10 best days of my life!

Gramya Manthan is about Rural Immersion and intends to give us a first hand experience of village life - people, resources, ecosystem, mindset, problems, and possible rays of hope!
It's entirely managed by youngsters, and the oldest person in the organizing team was 28 years old. Still the team did extraordinary work and the experience we 25 participants had was incredible beyond words can convey!

Initial days involved meeting up with role models-cum-mentors, which included Anshu Gupta and Ravi Gulati, along with networking amongst ourselves. This was the extraordinary part as all of us got to share so much about our lives. It was like the lifeline session exemplified multifold.

After being divided into three groups, each group was allotted a village according to their choice of interest - Education, Livelihood or Sanitation. Each member was to spend 1.5 days totally with a family in the village.
I was in Ganga Deen Nevada village for livelihood, where there is NO ELECTRICITY! Can't share how it feels to walk in total darkness amidst hefty buffaloes, gutter openings, mud and gobar everywhere! But the love and welcome by the family was incredible. Auntyji made me laugh and I felt like it's my second home.

Back to business, we spent the rest 5 days surveying for data, brainstorming on the possibilities, TALKING to people, sharing the possibilities with them, making them join hands and come together. It's one thing to WRITE all this here, and it's totally another to actually LIVE it out there. With villagers laughing at us, it was tough to stay strong and focused, but we became a part of the DEHAT and lived their pain with them.

I had tears in my eyes when I saw the photos on the last day. I had never been to a village, and when people asked me "Aap kis gaon ke hain?" I used to say that I've always lived in a city. But yesterday someone asked me the same question and I replied "Ganga Deen Nevada" :-)

Sunday, July 7, 2013

07/07/2013 - Andreana to Klarke

"Klarke

I do believe in miracles, and it is pure destiny that we met. But falling in love with you was not destiny or by chance, it was not coincidence. It was a story, it was a process, something that was created. Something that grew in my heart - the love for you. Oh love! The Andreana that you meet everyday, the smile that you see on her face, her contradictory innocence and mischief is something even she is discovering for the first time.
Because you bring her closer, closer to herself, like removing layers from her, layers from her soul. Laughing with you stops time and gives a joy which stirs the soul. The sound of your laughter tickles her from inside and makes her feel - "Is he for real?"
I fell for you because I love your laughter. It makes me optimistic. The way you gently look at me, with such acceptance! I just want to sleep on your lap, while you look at me - under your gaze, curled up with your arms. You make me feel so safe. I want to be like a child walking behind you holding your shirt, walking into the dark, fearlessly. I would follow everything you say without asking any questions.
I fell for you because you make me feel protected. Not because you are Macho and muscular (Okay maybe a little :P) but because you are responsible, intelligent and GOOD!
I fell for you because you are GOOD. You bring goodness as you glow with the GOOD.
I fell for your principles and your values. Because you 'think' before doing something. You are sensitive and not just random. You are fearless and strong.
The way that you touch me. I would give anything to fell your hands around my waist right now. My heart skips a beat every time! When you clutch my hands tightly, I want to feel you so strong so that my existence diminishes. To feel your presence so strong that it stays, becomes a part of me, by eroding a little of me to keep you. Kissing you, tasting you is like solving a mystery. Maybe I will know you; know your soul better if I am involved. And yes, celebration, as you said!
Sweetheart, I have fallen in love in these days, and would still keep falling deeper and deeper with time.
I don't want to be scared and don't want you to be scared from our relationship - from us, from me! Because that is what we both are really afraid of. And obviously the uncertainty of the future.
But I know nothing can go wrong between us. Nothing negative can evolve out of pure, pure love. Just trust.
So don't be scared. :-)

Andreana"