Seva Mandir

I’m the kind of person that likes to be an active member of my community, wherever or for however long I find myself there. Engaging in community activities is a great way to get to know the place and the people where you live and to satisfy one’s sense of giving. My first few months at Seva Mandir had me working very long hours ensconced in collecting and crunching statistical data, so getting out and meeting my NGO neighbors in my free time also served to keep me sane.

I was surprised to find a plethora of organizations working here in Udaipur and it was not difficult to find a number of activities and projects to sink my free-time teeth into.

Feasting Ethically

In late November I had the privilege of participating in an Ethical Feast. Organized by a collective of local “back to the land” focused NGOs, the week-long series of events were centered on a celebration of local food traditions and an open investigation of food security. Limited by my work schedule, I was only able to join one of the week’s many events: an evening of feasting on traditional foods that were both grown exclusively within the host village, as well as prepared by village cooks.

The event opened with a special puja honoring the intention of the event and all those that made the meal possible (the local organizers, volunteers, farmers, and cooks) while blessing the coming year’s harvest. By night’s end, close to 600 people had strolled through the huge tent to eat a delicious meal, (prepared in enormous pit-fired pots and served on traditional leaf plates), and to enjoy a cultural program of play-acting, singing, and dancing. Those of us lucky enough to have beds under the tent that night were serenaded through the night by the spiritually musical expressions of the area’s sadhus.

The following day was packed with visits to a local organic farm, an organic farming education center, a local potter, lunch with Jhadol’s Maharana (former king of the region), and a gorgeous sunset at a newly built eco-tourism resort.

Creative Activism

Just down the street from my office and home is one of my favorite development organizations, Shikshantar, ‘The People’s Institute for Rethinking Education and Development’. Refusing to call themselves an NGO, Shikshantar is a collective of highly-motivated people from all walks of life who work together on a number of interesting projects. Together they focus on living simply; reducing and recycling waste; supporting local food systems and encouraging the production of traditional foods; healthy eating; alternative energy and transportation; and the like – all through a highly-participatory, bottom-up approach. The first time I met their Coordinator / Co-Founder (he would never give himself the title of ‘Director’ and likely prefers just to be called a Learning Activist), Manish Jain, he explained to me that Shikshantar only works on projects that people are interested in starting and running themselves, meaning that most of their work is essentially requested of them by the community rather than the organization identifying needs and consequently initiating projects.

Over the last five months, I have joined the folks at Shikshantar in a number of projects and events, most notably:

• A bicycle rally to raise awareness and interest in using bicycling as a more environmentally, healthy means of transportation: close to 100 of us biked around the city, stopping traffic every so often for street performances messaging the environment and healthy living alternatives.

A Green Theatre Festival: a week-long series of environmentally-focused performances of theatre, dance, music, and poetry held in 4 different residential neighborhoods throughout Udaipur. Good friends and fellow Seva volunteers even wrote and performed a half-Hindi/English song about their love and admiration for Mother Nature – they were a real hit with the kids!

• Various speakers: Sadly, upon my arrival to town I had just missed Helena Norberg-Hodge, Founder and Director of the International Society for Ecology and Culture whose best known, perhaps, for her work in Ladakh. I was, however, able to meet and interact with the L.A.-based Dervaes Family of the Homegrown Revolution fame; and the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Center for Ecoliteracy, Zenobia Barlow.
• And a few thought-provoking films: The Story of Stuff and Addicted to Plastic.

Dog Whispering

Like much of India, there is no shortage of street dogs in Udaipur – many of which have become my friends. This, as you can possibly imagine, comes at the unabashed shock and amusement of many a neighbor and passer-by. The crowd was especially large the day that I stopped in the street to love one of my (many) favorites who feeds on the community dumpster down my street. I had been energetically petting her when a motion in my periphery lifted my eyes in time to see not only 4 stranger dogs approaching for their turn, but also one of the dumpster cows! It never ceases to amaze me when dogs I have never met before come lovingly running up to me, somehow intuitively knowing that I’m just that kind of girl.

 

It didn’t take the animal lover in me long to hear about Animal Aid Unlimited, a much-needed animal hospital and shelter on the outskirts of Udaipur. The 8-year organization was started by two foreigners and is now operated by both Indians and foreigners, professionals and volunteers. It serves as the only such facility in a dense urban area with a severely-lacking garbage collection system, the ubiquitous cultural tolerance of street animals, and therefore a high ownerless animal population. Animal Aid’s purpose is to “both bring relief to suffering animals, and to awaken compassion among people” and they are refuge and healers to street dogs with any number of ailments, mistreated or injured donkeys, and cows, most of which suffer the gastro-effects of plastic-laced dumpster dining.

My first visit to Animal Aid’s facility was on the back of my motorcycle, carrying one of our street dogs who had turned up with a seemingly-overnight severe attack of mange (a disease caused by parasitic mites who eat away their host’s skin). We were able to find a space for him in the mange pens and after a few weeks of fabulous care, including mange shots and healthy meals, he happily returned home well on his way to recovery and clearly appreciative of being given the chance at survival.

During one of my visits, I had occasion to strike up a conversation with Julie, a Canadian volunteer of three years. The facility had decided to help their recent budget crunch by growing fields of high-nutrient grass for their donkeys and cows. Julie and her husband were disturbed to see the flood irrigation method in use by the facilities manager and thought there must be a better, more water-conscious method available. I was able to connect them with staff of our Natural Resources Development Unit of Seva Mandir (the unit in which I am based) who is now working with them to create a drip-irrigation plan that includes applying for federal assistance to offset some of the upfront costs. Considering the recent financial struggles of the organization, this is a welcomed, exciting relief.

That being said, if you happen to be an animal lover like me and are looking for a good, effective place to put up some good ‘ole tax deductible dollars (rupees, or any other currency of your choice) towards a reputable and effective organization – consider Animal Aid. I am extraordinarily impressed with their facility, care, and scope. You can be assured that your money will be put to excellent use and many an animal life would be saved. Thanks!

Jenny Becksted is based in Udaipur (Rajasthan) with Seva Mandir's Natural Resources Development Unit. As her role in a research project looking at the status and use of Common Lands in Rajasthan is currently on hold, she is excited to get back into clean water projects. She will also begin delving into the world of applied alternative energy technologies.