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By:

Shoumojit Banerjee

27 August 2024 at 9:57:52 am

Classroom of Courage

In drought-scarred Maharashtra, a couple’s experiment in democratic schooling is turning child beggars into model citizens In the parched stretches of Maharashtra, from Solapur to the drought-hit villages of Marathwada, a modest social experiment has quietly unfolded for nearly two decades. It is neither a grand government scheme nor a corporate-backed charity. Since 2007, the Ajit Foundation, founded by Mahesh and Vinaya Nimbalkar, has worked with children living at the sharpest edges of...

Classroom of Courage

In drought-scarred Maharashtra, a couple’s experiment in democratic schooling is turning child beggars into model citizens In the parched stretches of Maharashtra, from Solapur to the drought-hit villages of Marathwada, a modest social experiment has quietly unfolded for nearly two decades. It is neither a grand government scheme nor a corporate-backed charity. Since 2007, the Ajit Foundation, founded by Mahesh and Vinaya Nimbalkar, has worked with children living at the sharpest edges of society in Maharashtra. The foundation has become a home for out-of-school children, those who have never enrolled, the children of migrant labourers and single parents, and those who scavenge at garbage dumps or drift between odd jobs. To call their foundation an “NGO” is to miss the point. Vinaya Nimbalkar describes it as a “democratic laboratory”, where education is not merely instruction but an initiation into citizenship. The couple were once government schoolteachers with the Solapur Zilla Parishad, leading stable lives. Yet what they witnessed unsettled them: children who had never held a pencil, begging at traffic signals or sorting refuse for a living. Prompted by this reality, the Nimbalkars resigned their jobs to work full-time for the education of such children. Leap of Faith They began modestly, teaching children in migrant settlements in Solapur and using their own salaries to pay small honorariums to activists. Funds soon ran dry, and volunteers drifted away. Forced out of their home because of their commitment to the cause, they started a one-room school where Vinaya, Mahesh, their infant son Srijan and forty children aged six to fourteen lived together as an unlikely family. The experiment later moved to Barshi in the Solapur district with support from Anandvan. Rural hardship, financial uncertainty and the pandemic repeatedly tested their resolve. At one stage, they assumed educational guardianship of nearly 200 children from families that survived by collecting scrap on the village outskirts. Eventually, the foundation relocated to Talegaon Dabhade near Pune, where it now runs a residential hostel. Twenty-five children currently live and study there. The numbers may seem modest, but the ambition is not. Democracy in Practice What distinguishes the Ajit Foundation is not only who it serves but also how it operates. Within its walls, democracy is practised through a Children’s Gram Panchayat and a miniature Municipal Council elected by the children themselves. Young candidates canvass, hold meetings and present their budgets. Children maintain accounts and share decisions about chores, activities and certain disciplinary matters. In a country where democratic culture is often reduced to voting, the foundation’s approach is quietly radical. It treats children from marginalised backgrounds as citizens in formation. The right to choose — whether to focus on sport, cooking, mathematics or cultural activities — is respected. “We try never to take away what is their own,” says Vinaya Nimbalkar. Rather than forcing every child into a uniform academic mould, individual abilities are encouraged. A boy skilled in daily calculations may not be pushed into hours of bookish study; a girl who excels in cooking may lead the kitchen team. For children who have known only precarity, standing for election, managing a budget or speaking at a meeting can be transformative. On International Women’s Day, the foundation seeks visibility not just for praise but for partnership. If you are inspired by their mission, consider supporting or collaborating—your involvement can help extend opportunities to more children in need.

Palghar beckons tourists with a host of wonders

Bouquet of history, hills, hidden beaches and religion

Mumbai: Barely a couple of hours to the north of Mumbai lies the state’s youngest district, Palghar, where natural beauty, ancient history, and religion blend seamlessly, attracting tourists from across the country.

 

Founded in August 2014, Palghar district is home to around 30 lakh people, including tribals, migrants from across Maharashtra, and nuclear families who have relocated from Thane, Mumbai, Nashik, Pune, and Raigad to take advantage of the low cost of living.

 

There is also a sprinkling of affluent families who have invested in spacious bungalows or sprawling farmhouses to soak in nature’s bounty, particularly during the monsoons and winters.

 

“Palghar is not just a place to visit; it is a living story of the state’s history and breathtaking scenery, a quiet place to relax and reflect, away from the hustle and bustle of urban life, whether for weekends or long-term,” said local tour curator and Director of KMC Holidays, Kiran Bhoir, during a whirlwind tour to mark World Tourism Day (September 27).

 

Since 2015, Bhoir has made it his mission to place Palghar firmly on the state tourism map. KMC Holidays offers specially crafted trips that showcase the district’s cultural, spiritual, natural, and marine treasures along the charming North Konkan coastal belt.

 

Among its attractions are vast, uncrowded beaches, ancient temples, forts, waterfalls, scalding hot springs, the famed Panju Island nestled in the Thane Creek, forests teeming with wildlife, plus fruit orchards and lush farmlands.

 

The highlight

The highlight is the 110-acre Vasai Fort, built in 1533 by Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat and later fortified by the Portuguese. The fort witnessed many battles as it guarded a critical trade route through the Nalasopara Port, which dates back more than 2,300 years, according to archaeological excavations. Today, Vasai Fort lies in skeletal ruins but still echoes the glory of its imposing past before it fell into neglect in the 20th century.

 

Other notable forts include Kelva-Mahim, Arnala, Shirgaon, Kaldur, Asheri, Tarapur, and Kohoj — each with its own unique history of invasions, valor, and bloodshed.

 

Away from the forts, several temples offer a spiritual escape where time seems to pause. These include the 2,500-year-old Buddhist Stupa at Nalasopara West, believed to have been inaugurated by Lord Gautam Buddha himself; the Jivdani Mata Temple, accessible via a grueling 1,465-step climb or a thrilling 10-second funicular railway ride; the Adi Shankaracharya Temple in Nirmal, Vasai, which he is said to have visited 2,500 years ago; the popular temples of Vajreshwari Devi and Tungareshwar, Mahalaxmi Devi Temple.

 

There is the Samadhi of Swami Nityananda; the Mallinath and Jinsharanam Tirth Jain temples; the dargahs of Pir Sadroddin Baba, Hazrat Dulheshah Baba, and Rahman Baba; and churches such as Velankanni Mata, St. Thomas, St. Peter’s, and St. James, among many more.

 

Bhoir added that Palghar offers more than just history and religion. The hill station of Jawhar, with its historic Jawhar Palace, monsoon-fed waterfalls dotting the district’s hills, and the permanent natural hot-water springs of Vajreshwari village - which attract even foreign visitors - all add to the region’s appeal.

 

The coastline further enhances Palghar’s charm, with the serene and sparsely crowded beaches of Dahanu, Arnala (Virar), and Kelwa, where numerous holiday resorts provide a unique experience almost rivaling Goa or Kerala. Ferry services also operate from Naigaon, Panju, and Arnala to nearby locations.

 

S. B. Uke, a Mumbai office executive who resides in Virar, remarked: “The moment the local train crosses Bhayander, I feel a sense of calm and serenity in the natural surroundings - despite the growing urbanisation of Palghar as it integrates into the larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).”

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