How viable is Gandhi’s village today?

In a deeply troubled world, M.K. Gandhi's vision for the village may offer a viable alternative, but is it too idealistic a solution?

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THE world is in flux. Climate change-induced extreme weather events such as cyclones, forest fires, droughts, unseasonal heavy rains have increased in number and intensity. Old wars are becoming chronic and new ones are breaking out at a worrying pace. Inequality is becoming even more extreme, which is clearly visible.

The world is looking for an alternative. Could Gandhian thought provide a way out?

In this context, the Gramshilpi programme of Gujarat Vidyapith based on Gandhian thought is worth studying to understand whether a non-violent development path based on a bottom up approach can provide a viable alternative.

The author Neelam Gupta, a journalist by trade, was commissioned by Gujarat Vidyapith to study the programme and write about it. The book under review is the result of that effort.

Gandhi, in Hind Swaraj, calling Western Civilisation "evil", said that Indian civilisation could provide an alternative. He suggested that the alienating Western education system had to be replaced by 'nai talim' (new education).

He set up Gujarat Vidyapith in Ahmedabad in 1920 to teach an alternative curriculum, in tune with his conception of education. He believed that this could lead to more meaningful higher education in India. If it succeeded, it could be replicated and change India's education system.

Did he succeed?

In a world that is increasingly following the principles of marketisation that run contrary to Gandhian principles, the experiment has faced huge difficulties.

Between 1920 and 1965–70, around 100 youth who graduated from the Vidyapith went to remote and backward areas and lit the flame of new thinking. After 1965–70, even though the number of graduates increased, fewer and fewer of them went to the villages and, finally, the flow stopped.

Also read: Experiments with truth, Part 5: How is Gandhi relevant today?

The Vidyapith becoming a University Grants Commission (UGC) institution in the 1960s changed the composition of teachers as they had to be selected as per the UGC norms and often were not in tune with Gandhian ideas.

The emergence of foreign funded non-governmental organisations (NGOs) engaging in projects-based work changed the attitude of the students. They did not want to stay in the villages to bring about change through collective endeavours. Students from the villages who came to the cities did not want to go back. Even their parents did not want them to return to the villages.

Start of the programme

The triumvirate of Arun Dave, Sudershan Ayengar and Rajendra Khimani were in place in Vidyapith in 2005. They felt that an attempt should be made to change the thinking of the youth via appropriate training.

The result was the start of the Gramshilpi Yojana in 2007. The Centre for Environment Education was also roped in to the scheme since it had been working in the rural areas. The programme design evolved over the next five years to take its final shape.

The scheme had three important components. First, the gramshilpi (literally village sculptor, as in, shaper of the village) would stay in a village of his choice for the rest of life. Second, their expenses of stay would be borne by the village. Third, Gujarat Vidyapith would always stand by the gramshilpi. The goal of the scheme was to transform the village as per Gandhi's vision of gram swaraj.

Author's experience

The author has produced the book based on an extensive survey of the work of the Vidyapith and visits to the villages of the gramshilpis. The project started in 2018. She wanted to understand the motivation of these people who were foregoing a comfortable city life for one of struggle in a village.

She faced difficulties in assessing the impact of the work of gramshilpis since there was no primary or secondary data. The gramshilpis did not remember the details of the work done earlier and language was a barrier in talking with the villagers to get their perspective.

Also read: Experiments with truth, Part 4: Webinar on fact-finding— History, law and ethics

The Vidyapith assigned Praveen Dulera to travel with the author and help her. This to an extent helped overcome the language barrier. However, the villagers were often reluctant to talk or could not explain what they had in their mind.

Three to four days were spent in the village of each gramshilpi. The author felt this was inadequate to interview the gramshilpi, meet the villagers and the officials to get their feedback and perspective.

Achievements of the programme

Some of the achievements of the programme listed by the author are: 

a) Decrease in dropout rate of children

b) Higher retention by children

c) Change in the way teachers teach

d) Parents understanding the importance of education, especially for girls

e) Positive impact on the life of abandoned children

f) Reduction in poverty as a result of mixed cropping

g) Reduction in indebtedness and suicide among farmers

h) Improvement in the status of farmers as their income increased.

This is an impressive list of impact on the life of the villages where gramshilpis were working.

The gramshilpis and their work

Between 2007 and 2015, 52 people came to join the Gramshilpi programme, 37 took instructions but only 10 became gramshilpis. Most left within two to three years and a few were found to be unsuitable and asked to withdraw. Those who left did so since economic security was not assured and life would be one of struggle.

Most of the pages of the book describe the experiences of the gramshilpis. It emerged that there was no one model of development that the gramshilpis followed since the situation faced by each of them varied from village to village. So, the programme for each had to be tailor-made to the prevailing village conditions.

Work of nine of the gramshilpis is described in detail. Their personal challenges, the village situation and the challenges, and how they were met are well described.

So, who are these courageous and determined people?

Also read: Experiments with truth, Part 2: Truth and dare in Bhima Koregaon

Jaldeep Thakur and Dashrath Vaghela are based in North Gujarat in areas close to Rajasthan desert. These are poor and backward areas. Ashok Chaudhury, Ghanshyam Rana, Jettsi Rathor, Gautam Chaudhury, Neelam Patel and Mohan Mahala are based in South Gujarat which has plenty of rain and is hilly. This is also the area from where Gandhi emerged. Radha Krishna is based in Agra district of Uttar Pradesh.

Assessment of the programme

The author says that though the programme is only 13 years old, the period is long enough to assess it. The most important issue was, how much has the programme enhanced peoples' awareness? Especially, since the idea underlying the programme was to do social work via social involvement.

She finds that the inspiration to join the programme came from Gandhi's thought which the gramshilpis became aware of in the Vidyapeeth. The training turned the idea into a resolve to go to the villages. Broadly speaking the gramshilpis worked on two fronts— social and economic.

The emergence of foreign funded non-governmental organisations (NGOs) engaging in projects-based work changed the attitude of the students. They did not want to stay in the villages to bring about change through collective endeavours. 

Education of children was a major component of social activity. Not only did this impact the children but even the attitude of the parents changed. The educational programme was based on Gandhi's nai talim.

But the author rues that the education did not prepare the children to work in the forest and in agriculture and through that make a living.

Health and cleanliness was another important social issue. But the author says that consciousness about keeping the entire village clean could not be created. On the health front also there was limited success with women continuing to suffer and superstition (andhvishwas) persisting. Limited success was achieved in improving nutrition and reducing addiction to drinking and smoking.

The work on the economic front helped improve family incomes and the way work was traditionally done. For instance, farming changed to mixed cropping. Consequently, indebtedness decreased.

Adulteration of mustard oil decreased when one Radhakrishan set up a mill at home and sold the oil at a lower profit margin. Other suppliers changed their approach. A person named Jaldeep set up a women's milk cooperative which gave women self-confidence and this changed the attitude of the entire village. Violence towards women declined and in Gandhi's words, 'the mute got a voice'.

Also read: Experiments with truth, Part 3: The moral and political dilemmas of housing rights

Other economic activities included making pickles, producing organic manure, preparing youth for facing interviews for jobs, formation of youth self-help groups for farming and creation of minor irrigation facilities.

However, the author points out that while the farmers came together they did not get organised. Further due to rising expectations, marketisation, taking of loans and change in food habits increased.

Conservation of water could not be made a part of good practices. Rather than making people independent, many became dependent on the gramshilpis for help. Though in some villages the situation of women improved in totality they remained at the margins.

The author asks, "Gramshilpis have done great work but why are there deficiencies?"

She identifies several causes. Setting up of trusts by gramshilpis for their work made the villagers dependent on outside donations.

Next, she identifies several shortcomings in the training imparted to gramshilpis. First, they needed more hands-on experience in village life. Second, gramshilpis were not trained in self-assessment. They did not keep a diary of their work which could help them assess their progress and failures. Thus, they did not prepare an annual report. They did not often remember what they had done earlier. Third, they were not trained to become economically self-sufficient in the village. Finally, they did not develop a holistic perspective of village life.

Conservation of water could not be made a part of good practices. Rather than making people independent, many became dependent on the gramshilpis for help. Though in some villages the situation of women improved in totality they remained at the margins.

The author also points to the positives of the programme. First, the autonomy that the gramshilpis had in pursuing their goals. This helped in commitment, creativity, self-correction and leadership.

Second, the flexibility of the programme. Gujarat Vidyapith kept changing its view as difficulties arose. For instance, initially it had decided to support the gramshilpis for two years only but later as difficulties arose, this period was extended.

Also read: Search for alternative development path: Relevance of Gandhian thought

Third, guidance from Vidyapith was always available in case of difficulties. Three meetings of all gramshilpis are held annually to collectively exchange ideas and assess the difficulties.

The author says that at the end of the process, she could appreciate the importance of Gandhi's work. She also understood that with commitment and principles even in today's materialistic world, educated youth can work in the villages with the idea of service.

Further, if the basis of development is swavalamban and atmanirbharta, solutions to the country's and world's problems can be found.

The author offers constructive suggestions to improve the programme. These relate to improvements in training, arrangements for stay in the village, how to organise and create cooperatives, creation of leadership among women and how to improve marketing skills.

There are also suggestions regarding education, health, nutrition, protection of the environment and increase in local production.

The book is about the difficulties in the present day world in fulfilling Gandhi's idea of creating swaraj, due to the dominant process of marketisation. So, it is a must read for all those interested in alternatives to the present systems.