Growing up with Gandhi’s nai talim

Nestled amidst trees in a narrow bylane near Shraddhanand Mahilashram in King Circle is Shishuvan — a school untouched by western values and yet modern in its approach to education. At a time when international baccalaureate schools are on the rise, Shishuvan comes as a refreshing change with its Indian roots firmly intact.

Little wonder, it was probably the only school open on October 2, where children were proud to come in their khadi uniforms to celebrate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Followed by the screening of Richard Attenborough’s film Gandhi, clippings of events that led Gandhiji to formulate his ideas on swadeshi were shown to children.

“A day like this (October 2) is an opportunity for students to dwell on Gandhiji’s thoughts,” said Kavita Anand, executive director, Shishuvan. Ask a student about what he understood from the movie and he says, “When Gandhiji was thrown out of the train, it was the turning point in his life. It proved as a catalyst in opening a path for the freedom movement.”

Shishuvan is also proud of its khadi uniform. “It is an embodiment of Indian understanding of cloth. To our dismay, we found that 70% of the thread used in Khadi today is polyester. So we began research and decided to make it 70% cotton,” said Anand. The uniforms are made in Gondol village (Rajkot).

“The women making the uniforms have changed their loom settings for us to 70% khadi. We have developed a curriculum for the fifth grade, wherein our students spend time with them in Gondol. They realise how the women earn their livelihood and come back transformed,” said Anand.

Children in Shishuvan are taught to use the charkha. “When you’re making thread on a charkha it’s a meditative act. You do it angrily and the thread snaps. Our curriculum is in line with Gandhi’s nai talim, which inculcates respect for skilled labour and develops a meditative focus among students,” said Anand.