In the third week of August, 13 noble friends headed out to the Kutch district in Gujarat. Known for its white desert and gorgeous landscapes, we were hosted in the homes of the most beautiful homes of  Artisans and Migratory communities. Through the vibrant colours, generous hearts and and flowing love, we were given an opportunity to experience a collective shift over the five days. Here are some of the reflections:

Nimesh Shares:
Sangam
Where in the world do we get to take organic trips like this with noble friends, without any agenda except to grow, learn, share, give, have fun and just be. Buddha ji emphasized the importance of noble friends. And when you get a chance to go on pilgrimages like this with noble souls, the blessings are quite large. Have to keep stepping back to see this in the communities that we are blessed to be in.


Invisible Acts
As we made our way through each day, there were quite literally invisible hands serving us in various ways. The most visible invisible acts of love, were the women of the Kutch families in the villages that would be cooking us these amazing meals, but would not really spend to much time with us or in the case of the Muslim families (really even show their faces in public)…Just pure love for their guests.

Alignment of Compassion and Passion
Mia Hussein Ji, the Sarpanch (village mayor) of Dhordo town, near the Great Rann of Kuchchh -now this was an amazing soul. So grateful  to his village with roots of his father and grandparents having been so dedicated to their community and country. He has truly taken it upon himself to uplift his community from water and tourism, to education and agriculture. From solar-powered ATM’s, to allowing his muslim daughter attend college (which is unheard of the village areas where he’s from). From a dedicated ambulance for the village to hob-knobbing with the Chief Minister and Amitabh Bachchan when they came to his village. He’s really creating a model village, but probably better described as being a model leader for his people. We were floored by his hospitality and passion.

Selflessness without much stuff
Every family we interacted with was just full of love and giving, even though materially they did not have much.

Art and Concsiousness
It was amazing to see how much art influences the lives of our brothers and sisters in Kuchchh. It felt almost as if every lady was weaving and knitting some decorative piece, either tied to our NGO Gramshree or the local one Shrujan. From all the Bungas (local Kuchchee homes), to the clothing that all the females wear, from toddlers to grandmas, everything has such a vibrant color or intricate design sensibility. Amazing! And to see how such a progressive community has flourished in Kuchchh through various NGO’s, and great souls, to help sustain these forms of art and empower the Kuchchee people to stay connected and grow in their art form is inspiring. Felt a very similar vibration to our Ahmedabad family.

Khushmita Shares:
As 13 of us sat in a prayer circle at Safai Vidyalaya before leaving on a magical journey to Kutchh, none of us knew what truly lay ahead of us. Jayesh Bhai mischeviously smiled and christened the trip as Mauj and Masti :)
The way ahead for me was "learning at play'' or ''Action in Inaction'' or ''Water the roots and surrender the fruit'' The entire trip was one surprise after another, when we thought we had seen beauty at its peak, out would roll another surreal experience :)

From the beautiful, organised and large scale outreach of '''SHRUJAN'' to the intricate crafts and embroidery practiced in every home of Gandhi nu Gaam, Ludhia and other villages. It felt like every home had an artist, proud to display their life's work and skills with complete humility and love. A devastating earthquake in 2000 took away their homes, but these wonderful souls got back on their feet in no time with their sheer spirit and dedication to their culture. I felt my heart opening and my soul dancing as we witnessed a beautiful sunset at Kala dungar, the highest hill in Kutchh, watching the mesmerizing desert from afar..

In Banni village, meeting Mian Hussein energised us with his pro active approach to his people and his progressive thinking to ensure that his village is educated and abreast with the world, at the same time holding their values and traditions close to their hearts. His hospitality was impeccable as he spent two wonderful days regaling us with tales of the village, and shared how his father would host people home everyday and the day there were no guests at his place, his father would simply skip the meal and say he would eat when the next guest came!

A 100 year old tamarind tree in the desert taught us a lesson in humility as it stood tall and strong in structure, but its branches gracefully bowed almost touching the ground, offering its fruit to one and all.
The famous white desert in the Rann of Kutchh magically held us spellbound with its beauty and starkness. As we waded in ankle deep salt water which had filled the desert due to winds blowing from 70 kms away, we just walked in silence, each of us unraveling our own mysteries.

In between bouts of wisdom and inspiration from some amazing individuals working at grassroot levels to uplift the artisans and villagers of Kutchh, we had lots of Mauj and Masti courtesy Jayesh bhai who ensured we ate all the delicacies of Kutchh from Rotla, fresh butter, buttermilk and juice to fresh cows milk!

The entire journey was a huge lesson in humility, gratitude and a deeper understanding of acceptance and surrender to all that is happening around us.
Reminded me of a beautiful quote from The Alchemist, 

"We are travelers on a cosmic journey,stardust,swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.” 


Ellen Shares:
This trip was truly a one of a kind adventure.  We were wholeheartedly welcomed into the hearts, lives and homes of Muslim and Hindu artisan communities.  At times we were a mere 40 km from the Pakistan border.  We toured a university (in progress) for preserving, teaching and making the local craftsmanship to the younger generation of artisans, a toilet inauguration (500 outdoor toilets will be built in the Kuchchh villages where none have existed prior), a Bromine factory at the edge of the Great Rann Desert, and the king and queen's palace in Bhuj to name a few of the highlights. We viewed the sunset atop Black Mountain with a vast view of the Great Rann Desert and on another evening played in the salt water that seasonly flows into the Great Rann and out to the Arabian Sea.  We rested in village homes made of the local materials, a desert resort and a hotel in Bhuj.  One evening we had the extraordinary pleasure to be the recipients of Sufi (incl Kabir) songs played live by the local (amazing) musicians. 

The trip itself was a stitching of connection between people and place that will take time to digest and assimilate in order to garner a deeper understanding of these complex relationships as well as to see the weave in its entirety.  However, what I know is that a trip of this nature will inform and shape my thinking going forward and has given me an incredible gift of knowing Kuchchh from the inside.  â€‹

Siddharth Shares:
As we journeyed back to Ahmedabad, the words from a circle of sharing we held with Sushma Iyengar resounded deeply in my thoughts. Sushma and her husband Sandeep moved to the region more than 25 years ago. For 15 years, the worked tirelessly for the ‘economically challenged’ communities they came across, often amazed by the abundance with which they lived their lives in seemingly scarce environments. Over these years they founded and established close to 10 organizations to support various communities one of them was the 'Hunnarshala'

All of that changed drastically when the earthquake came in 2001. They observed that nature didn’t discriminate in her destruction. All around, they came across people who were in distress irrespective of their economic status. They also came across people who showed remarkable levels of empathy and compassion, irrespective of their economic status.

As they flowed effortlessly into serving those around them, they found that they looked at ‘Service’ in a new way. As an offering to those around them, irrespective of their societal status. Over the last year, through a self-imposed hiatus for inner reflection, they’ve come out renewed and inspired to serve. The last ten years have seen them learning constantly from the communities they earlier were looking to help. From the pastorals who have migrated constantly in a world that is constantly moving towards accumulations and perceived permanence, they saw how their homes, their food, language and clothing all reflect their faith in the transience of our existence. From the Artisans they saw how craft could be an expressions of beauty more than earning a living. And in the cultural divergence that exists all through the district they now saw communities connected to each other through ties of the heart, beyond economic transactions.

In this land that seemed desolate the outside, the vibrant colours, gentle eyes and generosity that overflowed everywhere, we were constantly reminded of Khalil Gibran's quote: "Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?" 

Lily (Laryssa) Shares the lyrics of the song that she spontaneously came up with on the journey back towards Ahmedabad. Audio version of the song coming soon :)
I Embarked on this journey not knowing who, when, or where
I'm grateful to the guiding light of fate that brought me here
My words can not express I don't have the eloquence to describe
Everything this has become and how its changing me inside

That first night I'll never forget under a desert moon
The night sky filled me with wonder 
The wind blowing through, My heart and my very soul
I believe that I did find
The eighth wonder of the world that sweet open night

But don't think that I've forgotten the most important part
It's you my friends, my newfound friends
And what comes from your hearts
Thank you for your kindness and all the love you have shown
I can't believe my luck this trip
Every place is home

These last four days have been a lifetime
Better than I could have wished
The second day the beauty of living in a village
Morning spent at the well, A drop of water so dear 
Mealtime magic of a generous feast in a land so bare

I must be in one of my precious fairy tales
That Evening Sun descended to dusk on the path it knows so well
We can promise you it made it safely for we stood and watched
On a mountain purified by wind, Om, shanti, holy spot

Uniquely blended beauty of land and companion
Eyes mesmerized by sky turn to your smiles mesmerized again
We were ankle deep in water, amazed to be in the desert
And walking hand in hand; in friendship though this pink sea at the third sunset

I love you my friends with the same love you showed me
So sincere
A love deeper than the water, deeper than the wind, deeper than any fear
And ways may part and it matters not
And we may come back again
Love survives always
It is an ever growing gem

Here are a few snapshots from the trip :)

 
 

Posted by Nimesh Patel on Aug 28, 2013 | permalink