Karve Days 9: Participation in a street play on the Right to Information Act

✪ Street play- an effective medium for social awareness
✪ Joy of participation in a street play competition with friends
✪ Six sixes by Yuvaraj and "health for all!"
✪ Dialogue of field work guide with village women
✪ "Submission" days and race against time
✪ The hostel world!

December 2007! Around one and a half year completed in Karve Institute. Somewhere back of the mind, one feels that oh, now last six months remaining! And then it would be a tough time. In case work discussions, we were taught that conclusion of any partnership such as counseling should be done properly and in certain stages. It was the same feeling- Last six months. And then this- "कब कहाँ सब खो गई जितनी भी थी परछाइयाँ, उठ गए यारों की महफिल हो गई तन्हाइयाँ..." Of course, before that, there were plenty of things lined up. Many milestones were remaining. Slowly things started to become difficult. Submissions became slow. In a way, war fronts increased. As a result, along with the field work, research work also slowed down. 

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Karve Days 6: New assignments, new skills and new faces also!

✪ Second year- the major stage in the social work learning
✪ Best year in college times
✪ Beginning of field work related to rural development
✪ New interesting study topics
✪ Fun to submit the report till 9 am
✪ Student forum meetings and the coffee!
✪ Junior friends and group assignments

Beginning of the second year in "Karve Institute of Social Service"! July 2007! The first year was more generic- basic aspects of social work were taught. The second year was specialized. It was different for each specialization. More lectures belonged to the specialization topics. Common subjects and collective content got reduced. Henceforth, the specialized study, field work and research based on this process got pace. I was told to do field work with an agency working towards rural development. I started traveling to villages in Pune district. I came to know about new places and new dimensions of work. The field work days were hectic. Friends from other specialization got engaged in their own routine. The Community Development (URCD) Department's field work would take place on consecutive days- Monday- Tuesday. Others mostly would go on Tuesday and Friday. As a result, the Fridays would feel very lonely. We became seniors and now we had juniors.


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Karve Days 5: “I will be your field work guide!”

✪ Acceptance of all students: Principle of acceptance 
✪ Student- centred assessment and examination
✪ Bullying by close friends and warmth
✪ Those golden days!
✪ "हां यही रस्ता है तेरा!"
✪ Short cut to the campus- memorable trek!

The first year in "Karve Institute of Social Service" was about to end. Even after 20 years, things are crystal clear before the eyes. The time has flown. In those days, mobile phones were new. Coin boxes would be there everywhere. We would insert a 1 Rs coin and talk for three minutes! Internet was limited to netcafes. It was not available yet in the mobiles. While going for field work, we would need to interact a lot with the people for the address, directions etc. Teaching and learning was manual- one has to do every thing. 

The hostel was in the college campus. But for meals and breakfast, we had to go to Hingne Home colony. While returning to the college, there was a short cut path. It was a ascending trail. Later on even after trekking to many mountains and treks, that trek remains special! In the morning, we had to have a breakfast in a hurry and then reach the college till 9 am. For lunch also, we had the window of 1 to 2 pm and so had to rush. 



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Karve Days 1: Thrilling beginning of the 2- year journey!

Every year in July, at some point I recall "that day!" The scenes unfold like they are recent. Mind thinks it must have happened just the other day. But the intellect tells that it happened on 4th July 2006, twenty years ago! Sometimes I cannot believe it! Karve Institute of Social Service, Pune- Two years spent here for MSW (Masters in Social Work) was such an enriching and unique journey. Plenty of things to learn and also to unlearn. It moulded in many ways! That memorable journey had begun on 4th July 2006 with the Director’s address.

Still I can see it. The college on the hill in Karvenagar! Climbing road. Lush green campus. That Patel hall in the college! Everyone is reaching there in a hurry! All benches inside are occupied. Some are sitting on the small flat table near the back door. Some are late! Rain and clouds! Dr. Walokar sir’s address! And the orientation lectures after that! The faculties talking about various subjects. What is social work, psychology, equality, equity, framework of development, feminism! A two year learning ride started with this! Lecture by Nagmani Rao madam was most appealing.

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Slowly we realized how each and every thing was so meticulous. There were groups of students. Many things were to be done through the groups. Orientation visits were the next thing- We visited various organizations working in the social service sector. Some visits were memorable. Prism Foundation working with specially- abled children, Saint Crispin’s home near Nal stop and other organizations! We were going there together in our groups. One faculty member would accompany and talk about that organization. The persons from that organization would interact with us. Discussions. Then we would return back together! I can still see people coming for such visits! ‌On some Mondays, students from Mumbai would reach directly to such organizations! Some would miss the way. In those days, google was not there for us. It was only friends! Every group had some non- Marathi and non Hindi speaking students and also those who could speak Marathi and English. Going and coming together- it helped for flourishing of friendships. Also small incidents- after meal, who are cleaning and rearranging the place- such small incidents would stimulate gender sensitivity.

Today we understand that many things were taught in the class and in the formal settings, but beyond that also many things were taught in the co- learning and co-living. Various groups and group activities- small presentations, assignments, discussion- all this was also a group work. Boys and girls from various backgrounds and experiences were learning together. The subjects of the first year were also good- They were related to group work, public health, research, social work, case work, psychology etc. In those days, everyone would remember this song- “ये जीवन है, इस G1 का यही है रंग रूप!"

The faculties were (slightly ill-) famous! Also seniors would tell us, "Oh, she, she is so strict!" In fact, students were terrorized by some of them! But we also feel that this fame was to make the students more serious in their study. In a few days, we had good "ice breaking" with the professors and had "good rapport building" with them! Nagmani Rao madam, Geeta Rao madam, Sharmila Sahdeo madam, Mydeo madam, Ujwala Masdekar madam, Ruma Bawikar madam (associative learning taught by her also made us remember that puppy), Rajuskar madam, Anuradha Patil madam, Mahesh Thakur sir (everyone’s Shahrukh Khan and “Purani Jeans aur Guitar” fame), Karuna sir and others became familiar. Their discussions, debates, role plays, skill labs and research labs! It was pleasing to see that all of them treat us equal and respect us. Even the non- teaching staff- the librarian they also were friendly. Specialization lectures also started! My specialization was URCD (Community Development). A separate group study and a different co- education started. While writing this, the mind is filled with gratitude towards all.

Those days, even after 20 years, are clear before the eyes! Today for me and many, days in Karve were the days setting the way of life. I got many close friends and loving people there. I got a clear direction to my career. I gained confidence and clarity. Later on many persons moved to different fields and many of them even no longer work in the field of social work. But still, the upbringing that happened there continued to give them a unique direction.

The hostel days! It was my first such experience! I had some pressure. But the vibes there were so good that I developed good friendships with the hostel mates. Boys from all parts of Maharashtra and also some other states! And seniors were there for the first year to help us. I thoroughly enjoyed the hostel. In the class we were learning socialization, but the hostel friends did it practically! And the female friends helped to develop sensitivity towards womanhood and grow in that aspect. 

Through this series, I will pen down those wonderful memories, now 20 years down the line. In a way, I will relive those days. Despite all these good things, some stages in the journey were difficult! The hostel atmosphere on the eve of the “case work” and “research” papers was so tense! In the first year, being an introvert I was facing bullying of some strong friends! But this scene changed in a year! 

Nagmani Rao: The Sustained Inspiration

As an alumni of Karve Institute of Social Service, I shared this with fellow students. This is about one faculty of Karve Institute. This is written in the context of her retirement on 31st August 2016. 

Nagmani Rao: The Sustained Inspiration

Nagmani Rao! Those who have met her know her well, there is no need for any introduction! This is just a small attempt to recall her memories. This is a reflection regarding learning with her. This is based on what I saw of her, what I could understand and of course what I can recollect now. So this is just a random sampling and not complete in any way. In fact one should remember that sampling is always like a drop and the universe is like an ocean!

Days spent in Karve Institute- two years- are golden days for all of us. It was one of the initial days. The second interview during the admission! Mani madam was on the panel. I was under pressure and some questions were asked. Assertive questioning was there. But to my surprise, it was accompanied by attentive listening also. Mani Madam was not only asking many things, she was listening and basically she was recognizing what the student is saying. That must have helped many students like me to give that interview with confidence. 

 

Then the college started and the Director's address was given. Then in the rainy month of July 2006, lectures started. Already there were rumours that Mani madam is one of the most strict faculty… Her lecture in the orientation lectures stood out. The passion, the commitment and the simplified elaboration! In actual lectures, she was so different. She began with individual introduction. It was always one to one with her. She spent time to understand all of us and also helped us to understand her. She told us about her background, her experiences, her earlier movement around Sangli and what she likes to do in general. It was befitting that such a versatile personality was born in a town which was a railway junction, Manmad. When she had said, that she was too old, around fifty years old then, then we realized that she was going to be a different kind of teacher! She also shared her MSW days in TISS! One felt she was very close to the students and very informal also; despite this being a formal relation.

As the days passed, we had more interactions and slowly slowly she became one of my favourite teachers. And her concern for her students was visible. Despite of not being a natural Marathi speaker, she was speaking fluent Marathi and also Hindi. As a teacher, it must have been a lot of hard work for her not only to learn these languages, but also teach in them. But she was always committed to her students. Soon her lectures became very lively and interesting for the students. Because it was not just theory or just the subject matter, it was also her lively experience sharing and elaborations. She was teaching the subject of research. For most of the students it was a tough subject. But it was visible that she was taking every effort to make it simple for the students. Even in her research labs, she was taking every step to make the content available in the form which the students could understand. For this purpose, she ensured that every research lab group has someone who speaks Hindi and English and who can explain things to other group members. Being two extremities with a language barrier, she would care for the students from South India and also the students from the North East. This journey with Mani madam continued through the year, through the advanced orientation visits and many assignments! One thing is still clear before my eyes- the respect she has for the students, to their work and to their presentation! It is that respect which might have driven many students to do well in their study. Such respect and such acceptance for the students (who are mostly raw, undisciplined and careless)!

कर्वे: "वे" ऑफ लाईफ:

माझ्या आयुष्यात "कर्वे" (म्हणजे कर्वेनगर, कर्वे स्त्री शिक्षणसंस्था, कर्वे समाजसेवा संस्था, कर्वे पुतळा आदि) संबंधित गोष्टींचं स्थान फार विशेष आहे. इतकं, की "कर्वे"मध्ये येण्याआधीचं जीवन आणि नंतरचं जीवन असे दोन भाग करावे लागतील! गेल्या सुमारे चार वर्षांपासून जीवनचा मार्ग ("वे" ऑफ लाईफ) कर्वे झाला आहे. अनेक प्रकारे.....

सर्वांत पहिला कर्वे फॅक्टर म्हणजे कर्वेनगर. इथे आगमन आणि इथल्या वास्तव्याला सुरुवात कर्वे स्त्री शिक्षण संस्थेपासून झाली. त्यानंतर समाज सेवेमध्ये पदव्युत्तर शिक्षणासाठी महर्षी कर्वे समाज सेवा संस्था. हा सर्वांत मोठा कर्वे फॅक्टर; जणू अनेक कर्वे उपग्रह असलेला कर्वे गुरू ग्रह! शिक्षण, ज्ञान, मित्र, मैत्रिणी, नोकरी (आत्तापर्यंतच्या सर्व जॉब मिळण्यामध्ये कर्वे व्यक्तींचा वाटा होता), आत्मविश्वास, स्पष्टता, जीवनदिशा आणि जीवनसाथी ह्या काही जीवनावश्यक गोष्टी! ह्या सर्व गोष्टी कर्वे समाजसेवा संस्थेने नेहमीसाठी दिल्या! एका व्यक्तीसाठी म्हणून कर्वे संस्थेची ही केवढी महत्ता! इतकं भरभरून कोणाला कुठून मिळत असेल? जीवनाचा एक अत्यंत एंजॉयेबल भाग कर्वेमध्ये व्यतित झाला. अनेक आठवणी, प्रसंग, क्षण, "मंतरलेले दिवस" . . . . अनेक गोष्टी पहिल्यांदाच झाल्या आणि होतच राहिल्या....

आजही ही प्रक्रिया पुढे सुरू आहेच. कर्वे पुतळ्याजवळील वास्तव्य आणि तिथलाच ड्रायव्हिंग क्लास! आणि आता परत पी.एच.डी प्रवेशासाठीचे केंद्र म्हणून कर्वे समाजसेवा संस्थाच मिळाली! जणू जीवनाचा केंद्रबिंदू "कर्वे" आहे. सर्व जीवन त्याभोवती विणले जात आहे. ....

"कर्वे"आधीही जीवन होतंच आणि नंतरही आहेच. पण कधीकधी अशा गोष्टी घडतात की "आधी" आणि "नंतर" असा फरक करावा लागतो. उदा., दुसर्‍या महायुद्धाआधीचे जग आणि त्यानंतरचे जग. त्याप्रमाणे "कर्वे"चं स्थान अद्वितीय आहे. एकाकी किंवा दिशाहिन प्रवास करून आल्यानंतरचे जीवनामधील जणू एक जंक्शन; ज्यातून मिळालेल्या धारा जीवनधारा झाल्या; नेहमी सोबतीला आल्या. जीवनामध्ये जीवनधारा सोबत मिळण्याहून मोठी आनंदाची गोष्ट काय असेल?  समस्त "कर्वे" जगताला मानाचा मूजरा आणि पुढील वाटचालीसाठी मन:पूर्वक शुभेच्छा!