Holistic oasis of compassion and excellence

What would young girls typically want ? Maybe the latest model of the cell phone, expensive clothes, having food at exotic restaurants or perhaps latest brands of perfumes, watches and, of course, fame, name, an excellent job and qualification. All of these would be the usual, and quite justifiable aspirations. We seldom come across someone, who is clear from a very young age that she wants to make a deep social impact, wanting to love and give all of her life for the cause of humanity.

I have been spending time at a little village of Baroda called Goraj, where I have been tasting , feeling, breathing and experiencing something amazing that has been desired intensely, designed and created by a young woman who devoted her entire life for this cause and breathed her last some years ago .

Young Anasuya, while she was just fourteen years old, had this clarity and inner calling that she wants to devote her entire life in the service of humanity. Originally hailing from Anjar in Kutch, she completed her vernacular final exam become a primary school teacher.

As an 18-year-old primary school teacher working in a Gandhian school primarily catering to nomadic tribes of the Nalkantha area, she had an intense desire to renounce everything.

She broached this topic to the enlightened Saint Munidas Maharaj, who had spent twelve years of his life in silence. However, he cautioned her that renouncing the world may just make her a parasite of society. He, instead, urged her to do something constructive for society.

Not knowing what to do, she moved until she hit upon a small piece of land in the village Goraj, about 36 km from Baroda. Pitching a small hut, she started a kindergarten which was meant to cater to the local children of the tribal communities living there. Slowly as the school started having more and more children, she realized that one important need of the local populace was medical care. So she started holding medical camps and started inviting interns from medical colleges to come and offer diagnostic and curative services there. As this continued over the years, the small modest ashram that she had set up started becoming a happening place for both for education and health.

Today, the Muni Seva Ashram set up diligently by her has a thriving, state-of-the-art hospital which is particularly focused and specializing in cancer care. Today, it treats as many as 7,000 new cancer patients annually. It has an annual OPD of about 1,08,000 patients, with 70% of these patients coming from Gujarat, with the other 30% coming from places as far as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and even other states of India. Very recently, they have set up an 18 MEV ( Million Electron Volt ) Cyclotron with 150 micro Ampere current. This is the first of its kind in Gujarat, and helps them produce radioisotopes which hitherto had to be brought all the way from Bombay. One of the most important isotopes that they are now producing is Fluoridated Deoxy-Glucose (FDG). Additionally they are also able to produce solid radioactive iodine-I23 and Iodine-I25 which is particularly useful for detecting and diagnosing diseases related to thyroid.

After visualising all of this, Anuben breathed her last nearly sixteen years ago. The institution today is led by Dr Vikrambhai Patel. A large community of donors, from India and abroad, and committed doctors and professionals are working here. Additionally, the humble kindergarten has metamorphosed into a huge banyan tree, housing an Eklavya model school, vocational institutions, daycare centres, a nursing school and a regular school, with nearly 1750 students here. WIth wholesome education, ranging from physical activities to bhajans, agriculture and cattle rearing, these students are getting chiselled right in the lap of nature, by the gurgling waters of the Dev River, with qualities of dedication, compassion and competence.

As one gathered from her followers, it was not brilliance or genius that propelled her, but her faith, devotion, charisma, compassion and perseverance is what created this great alchemy. It is a special, inspiring treat to bask in all the beautiful ecosystem that Anasuyaben so very diligently and patiently envisioned and sculpted here, with all her devotions, and best intention. Let's hope more and more young people create such holistic oases of excellence and compassion across the land.

The author is a Harvard-educated civil servant & writer, and has worked in the education sector 
jayanti.ravi.dna@gmail.com