Kutch Tour 2010

Class tenth girl students of Jnana Prabodhini Prashala, Pune visit Kutch, Gujarat for cultural exchange tour,Jnana Prabodhini (JP) has always believed that if you want to work for your country you should know it first. This is why JP organises socio-cultural exchange and study tours to various states of India for JP students every year. This April the students of class tenth visited Kutch district in Gujarat. The aim of this visit was more than just sight seeing; the students were to present Maharashtrian culture there and understand Gujarati culture in turn. The tour began much earlier than the departure date. Right after the end of the board exams, the students were busy preparing for the tour - be it rehearsing the cultural programmes or managing departments like planning, finance, logistics etc – and thoroughly enjoying those days of hard work and learning.The tour officially began on April 12 with a team of 34 girls and 2 teachers. It was also a test of endurance in a way; what with the sweltering heat of Kutch and the vague amenities awaiting them. But as Jnana Prabodhini encourages its students to conquer difficulties and give their best, this was taken as a challenge and they determined to make the most of it. Though sight seeing was the secondary objective, the tour would have been incomplete without it. The majestic palaces, museums and the glorious temples that spoke of a land rich in history, culture and architecture gave a nice vision of Kutch. Swami Narayan temple, Vijay Vilas palace, The Rann of Kutch, Kandla Port and Aina Mahal were among the 33 places visited. They also interacted with Kutch embroidery workers and saw the lengthy process of fabric art. Important international voluntary institutes like Shrujan, Vivekananda Research and Training Institute, Vivekananda GramUdyog, Veerayatan Institute, etc also formed a part of the itinerary. These trips not only gave an insight into fields such as education, science and technology and self-employment but also presented the once in a lifetime opportunity of meeting the founders of the institutes. The students interacted with Shri Kantisen Shroff (VRTI) and Rolex award winner Chandakaki Shroff (Shrujan) and were also lucky enough to meet Army General Mahil, a fourth generation Indian army officer, Ex MLA of Mandvi, IPS officer Shri Bipin Ahire. These interactions with highly distinguished yet extremely humble people added to the value of the experience gained by the students.The students performed a programme depicting the culture of Maharashtra at three places. The programme at Mandvi was a huge success, where they had the good fortune of listening and interacting with accomplished classical musicians. The other two programmes at Bhuj and Gandhidham were also good experiences.Throughout their stay in Kutch the group noticed one thing that seemed characteristic of Kutchi people –their hospitality and polite words that won hearts at once. A special mention must be made of Mr Damodarbhai Sadhu (Ex Education Officer), the tour guide and a close friend of Jnana Prabodhini. Elderly and kind Mr. Sadhu accompanied the group everywhere and truly made the whole experience unforgettable. This tour will always remain in the students’ memory and beyond that their hearts for not only has the group woven a cultural bond with Kutch but also one of friendship and love. And so they do not declare the tour as officially ended but want to keep the exchange alive.