The Untold and Unsaid Ralegan Siddhi- The model village!

I was on my way back to Pune city from Aurangabad with my 'Mama'. We crossed Ahmed Nagar quite swiftly, the drive was comfortable and enjoying till now(as I was driving) on SH 27. I just randomly saw a sign board showing direction to right as 'Ralegan Siddhi 5km'. Surprised! I always wanted to visit this village since 2005, when the RTI had passed because of the stir by Shri Kisan Baburao Hazare or Anna Hazare. But, We had to reach Pune asap so, couldn't turn the steering to the village. I felt a butterfly in the stomach from the instant I saw that sign board, ofcourse, because of the same reason what did Anna do to transform a BPL village into an ideal village and received 2 national honorary awards?? I very soon, after 2 days, got an assignment to Aurangabad and cropped-up the much awaited chance to visit Ralegan Siddhi.

           With joy occupying mind and travelling approx. 90km on SH 27 to Ahmed Nagar, saw the sign board pointing left 'Ralegan Siddhi 5km'. I turned the steering without any 2nd thought. Well, I expected a poorly maintained and crumbled-up approach road, but, for my surprise the road was as fine and smooth as the highway. There were proper road signals and proper Plantation(now trees) done on either side of the road, which protected us from the scorching rays in the noon of summers. I inquired or rather had a little talk with a villager for whereabouts. While talking to him I can see the old farmer's eyes were filled with pride, attitude was humble and there was a satisfaction in the smile...He was just another villager like other 2500 in the village. The confidence of being of one of the self-dependent farmer in India was terrific. He asked us to go straight to farmer's training center,I thanked him in marathi and moved-on. I stepped-in the office of Farmer's training center and was in Awe!! to see the office-persons were using broadband and internet services through wireless hub on sophisticated LCD screens. A person came and introduced himself quite politely , I told him my purpose of visit. He came-up with proper receipt of Rs.100 as touring fees with guide(So there is a guide for sight-seeing a village. Cool!).

Navalbhau Firodiya

Jit Gill Award

       He first took us to the Media Center where he gave us a presentation with over 500 pictures hanging on big walls and a few models for more than half and hour or so. We came to learn in detail how Anna and Shri Navalbhau Firodiya motivated people and executed the development works. It was great to learn the  very creative yet simple execution discipline or action plan with which they went up..In the end, the guide lead us to the trophies' hall, more than 550 trophies or awards received by Anna and Ralegan Siddhi in 25yrs including the national honorary padma shri and padma bhushan awards of which Anna returned padma shri back to govt. as an oppose against a corrupt minister.(I just had a random thought that this man has spent approximately one and half year only in receiving awards on an avg. 1 award per day!). One more award to mention here is, Anna received a major award 'Jit Gill Memorial' for Outstanding public service by world bank in 2008 with a blank cheque. The bank has given option to Hazare to fill the desired amount for further development of Ralegan and other villages. Anna politely returned it back to the officials stating "we have everything to survive happily" (Do you remember any person returning an official blank cheque of his/her desired amount??).The key factors on which Anna and team of Shri Navalbhau Firodiya worked-on are available in books and internet.

 Transformation of Ralegan Siddhi

• 3.1 Prohibition of alcohol
• 3.2 Grain Bank
• 3.3 Watershed development programme
• 3.4 Milk production
• 3.5 Education
• 3.6 Removal of untouchability
• 3.7 Collective marriages
• 3.8 Gram Sabha

vasatigruh

anti-earthquake homes

We came out of the Media-center and there is a double-storeyed structure named 'Vasatigruh'. We were told that, its the school for the people who dropped-out the education in middle for some or the other reasons or the failure students. Here, these people are trained specially by understanding their skills and abilities. This model of 'Vasatigruh' later adopted by several other villages in the state. They have more than 200 such students in it. The surprise here is the passing-out percentage of this special school is 100%. On our way to next stop, I saw a nice playground called 'Shanti Niketan kridangan' in front of a 2 storey building of village's school. The notifying information here is, the school building has been built completely by the village's Hindu Swaraj Trust fund only, not a single penny is taken from govt. Estimated cost approx. Rs.30Lakh. All sorts of developments challenges made by the govt. in villages seems to nowhere near the kind of policies are applied here.Great!

distant view of  playground

    Our next halt was at sacred temple of village,Padmavati temple. The temple has a nice welcome gate, a proper structure and also the living-quarters for service-men, just like any other trust-maintained urban temple with proper auto. parking space. The area around the main temple is beautifully maintained with several flowering plants and clay models of a few animals.The Wow! factor of this temple lies with the huge and very old tree of which big, fat outgrown stilt-roots touches the ground. Its a calm, quite and serene place with birds quivering around.At the back-side of the temple, villagers have developed a new kind of mini-dam sort of structure. In case of drought or flood or any water related calamity, they simply lift the small gates of this little reservoir. GREAT! Well, all the adjectives can be added to the spirit and hard-work of the people here.

A great concept for Unity!

        Next, we arrived at Yadav Baba temple. Anna 
resides here, of course,  when he is in village. This is a simple and sober temple with a medium sized hall and a couple of rooms, one of which Anna stays-in. In the neighboring areas there are living houses, farm-lands and a nice and beautiful primary school. Decorated with flowering plants and moral quotes around, the school was joyous to eyes. Farmers, Sarpanch and other near-by living elders spend time here by resting and discussing about the local and national issues(in our urban youth language  we call it 'Gyan ki baatien'). You are welcome in the discussion if you want. These people are so clear and focused in their thoughts and opinion that one can easily judge why how Ralegan Siddhi acquired the prestigious status. We moved-on after talking to them a few minutes. I insisted our guide to show us the hills around where water-harvesting is done.  He looked at me with smiling face "very few visitors ask us to show the hills around,where the actual hard-work is done, rest just come here to see Anna"(in marathi). He was filled with zeal to show the hills and canals (and my head went up a few more degrees to listen those words :-)). He gave us all the information he knew about the water-harvesting and canals that, how step-wise the plan was executed and small lakes and ponds were built only and only with the help of villagers. They named it 'Shram-daan'. A basic but great concept of becoming self-dependent.

children giving 'Shram-daan' for their school.

Shram-daan

  In the end, our guide lead us back to the training center,also open for all the farmers in the country, and showed us the different kind of techniques that are taught here to villagers of farming,irrigation, water shedding and harvesting, agricultural tools etc...I didn't understand much of the techniques here but loved to learn them. So, after spending approx 3 and a half hours, its time to leave. The guide politely shook hands with a nice grin, the sense of pride and satisfaction can also be seen in his eyes's also, in fact, in all the 2500 people in village.Well, they should.There is more to share and tell about the spirit of the people here, but, its worth paying a visit than being told. Wow! Anna and Thank You! This nation is fortunate to have u. Those were the last words circling my mind while leaving Ralegan...