Sangharsh and Sarjan Yatra

28th Sep. was the day when we with a group of 40 youth headed towards the holy river Narmada. The trip was undertaken with an intention to see & observe two most important stages of evolution or revolution. We called this trip “Sangharsh & Sarjan Yatra.”
Sangarsh/struggle is a stage where a person or a group is in conflict with a person or a situation but the reason for the conflict is development. Similarly sarjan/creation is a process of adding values to the correct situation or resource that prevails. Development is the sole focus in it.
To understand a condition of struggle for societal development, ee visited Indravarna on 28th to understand & observe an ongoing movement against hysteric urbanization being undertaken on the name of development. KADA, Kevadia Area Development Authority has planned an amusement colony on the banks of Narmada by relocating the tribal citizens once again making them loose their land, occupation, security & above all their independence. We inspired by an activist Shri Lakhanbhai also wished to do our part by distributing various leaflets & making the tribal citizens aware of the upcoming hazard to their existence.

From Indravarna, we visited the Sardar Sarovar Dam which is a sight of delight during this season when the dam overflows. The sight was indeed thrilling as we watched the gigantic walls of the dam holding back the most ferocious element of nature i.e. water.

At Sardar Sarovar, we saw what everyone knows as development. Then we headed towards knowing & observing an initiative of Sarjan or creation at Dediapada, which is a small town mostly dense with tribal population. An AadiAushadhi Group about which, we have already mentioned in our previous issues has been functional in activities related to rural development & medicinal cultivation with an intention to facilitate the local “Bhagats” of Dediapada to become self-sustaining. The wonderful journey of Sangharsh & Sarjan made the youth realize the true sense of development. Their feedback were that “Being in sync with nature & thus living a life which is not necessarily wealthier but certainly healthier is the true essence of real development.” When asked about their experiences, they said “the gigantic Narmada dam that binds water was no where near to development compared to the ever flowing hearts of the tribal villagers of Dediapada whose house wall are made of soil & cow dung.”