October, 2012

THE

An English Quarterly Magazine

VOL-2, ISSUE-4

October,2012

CHIEF EDITOR V. Thiruppugazh MANAGING EDITOR Arvind Patel Dy. CHIEF EDITOR Pulak Trivedi Greetings ! TEAM 'THE GUJARAT' Mihir Shah Nitasha Nair Madhurima Mallik Sahit Chirutapudi Abhishek Shandilya Apan Singhal Pranjal Srivastava Sahil Jhingon Dhaval Parmar Kruthika Rao Lenin Samuel DESIGN & LAYOUT Grey Orange Brand Pvt. Ltd. DISTRIBUTION Sharad Bumbadiya Jayesh Dave
______________________ Letters should be addressed to Commissionerate of Information Floor no 2, Block no 7, Old Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India- 382010 All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this publication's contents, in whole or in part, without written permission, is prohibited. The Gujarat does not necessarily agree with the views of the writers/contributors. ______________________
PUBLISHER SHRI V. THIRUPPUGAZH AND PRINTER SHRI DHAVAL K. DAVE ON BEHALF OF OWNER COMMISIONERATE OF INFORMATION, GOVT. OF GUJARAT, GANDHINAGAR, PRINTED AT GUJARAT OFFSET PVT. LTD., OFFSET HOUSE, STATION ROAD, VATVA, AHMEDABAD-382440 (GUJARAT) PUBLISHED FROM 7/2, DR JEEVRAJ MEHTA BHAVAN, GANDHINAGAR (GUJARAT) ON 27/09/2012. EDITOR: SHRI V. THIRUPPUGHAZH

Message from the CM

With the eighth issue releasing this quarter I am pleased to inform you about the unique initiatives taken by the government for its citizens which are both inclusive and pro- development in nature . The cover story of this issue focuses on 'Tribal Development' and I would like to tell you that our vision of Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth has been instrumental in shaping the lives of our tribal citizens. It gives me immense pleasure to share with you how good and transparent governance can reach every sphere of the society and ensure their growth and secured future. Our sustained efforts in education, health, power supply, agriculture and many other sectors in the tribal areas have brought them into the mainstream culture and have set a true example of social inclusion. We have also included a special section on revisiting 'Mission Mangalam', a program which empowers women by providing them financial independence. This issue covers the success of this novel initiative and the positive change it has brought in the lives of the women of Gujarat. Inclusive growth demands participation from even the marginalised sections of society and good governance binds them together with leaders, government machinery and civil society. I also need to tell you about the launch of innovative healthcare services for the people of Gujarat. With the Mukhyamantri Amrutam Yojana BPL families in the state will be provided with medical care for critical diseases free of cost. I have always believed that pro active measures help in anticipating events that can affect the interests of people in the long . Hence the challenge lies in creating a sustainable future with advanced planning and preventive action, our recent visit to Japan has enforced this vision of having a consistent policy which ensures confidence, growth and pride to the citizens of Gujarat. I hope you will find this edition an informative and enjoyable read and will experience a flavor of developments taking place in the state

Jai Jai Garvi Gujarat Narendra Modi Chief Minister, Gujarat

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E-mail: thegujaratmagazine@gmail.com

Index

October, 2012

October, 2012

Quick Bites

Table of Contents
3 Quick Bites Gujarat this Quarter Government Initiatives 6 The Canopy Plantation Livelihood Enhancement with Forest Conservation 10 Security for the Urban Poor Housing Initiatives 14 Mukhyamantri Amrutam (MA) Making healthcare affordable Business 16 Business this Quarter A snapshot of business news from across Gujarat Book Review Sector Analysis 18 Education The key to Gujarats Development Cover Story 20 Tribal Development Paving the way for Social Inclusion Special Feature 32 Fulfilling Ambitions On Eklavyas Path In Focus 34 Nari Adalats Redefining Social Justice 36 Independence Day 37 Strengthening Relations CM visits Japan At a Glance 48 Upcoming Events Arts & Culture 46 The Stage of Bhavai The elegant art of theatre On a lighter note 31 Gujarat Luminaries Jhaverchand Meghani Travel 44 Patan-The Lost Capital Rediscovering Anhilpur 30 Dholavira In Conversation with 42 Sunita Avani Amin On Dhrupads Depths Success Story 26 Mission Mangalam Tracing success

Gujarat this quarter

Model schools in every district In a programme held in Gandhinagar as a part of Teacher's Day celebrations on September 5, 22 teachers of the state were felicitated and prizes were distributed. The Chief Minister also interacted with around 1.5 crore students and teachers of the schools across the state via satellite broadcast. On the occasion, the setting up of two 'smart schools', one eco-friendly 'green school' and one 'sports school' in every district as models was announced Keeping in view the 125th birth

Tribal Development
Environment

(Page 20 - 25)

40 Blackbuck National Park Model for Wildlife Conservation

Fodder Cultivation Encouraged A state cabinet meet held recently reviewed the plans for fodder distribution and management in the Saurashtra, Kutch and north Gujarat regions. Various schemes offering incentives for farmers and NGOs with a view to encourage fodder cultivation were approved. It was decided to give `25 per animal per day to every Gaushala and cattle feeding houses managed by NGOs/trusts. According to spokespersons, at present fodder is being distributed through 91 fodder depots at the concessional rate of rupees two per kilogram. So far, about 11 lakh kilograms fodder has already been distributed to cattle-breeders. Considering the need for more number of fodder depots the government will form village clusters at the radius of 15 kms. and will start new fodder depots there. Emphasis on Reading The Chief Minister announced a 30-day celebration of 'Vivekanand Reading Festival' in the primary schools of the state from September 11. According to him, the weak link among the children of primary schools is the lack of reading habit. The Vivekananda Reading Festival was held on September 11th 2012 to encourage reading among children.

Benefits for Gujarati Cotton Farmers The Government announced a slew of initiatives under the policy that would largely benefit the textile industry with special focus on the cotton farmers. The new policy ensures that the Gujarati cotton farmers get better valuation at the national and international markets. It has also made provisions for development through financial assistance, tax concessions and infrastructural support. The new Textile Policy is expected to attract investment of over `20,000 crore, creating new employment opportunities for over 25 lakh people, 50 per cent of them being rural women, over a period of the next five years. This

anniversary of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishanan next year the Chief Minister called upon the teachers to deliberate upon the ways to bring about all-round qualitative changes in the primary education. He asked teachers to take the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Radhakrishnan as an opportunity to strengthen the education system starting from this September 5, to September 5, 2013. Encouragement to Gujarat's Homeguards The allowance of 50,000 Men and Women homeguards contributing to

Call of the Wild

(Page 40 - 41)

38 Photo Feature

will also increase the state's revenue and growth rate along with growth of the textile industry.

Quick Bites
Vivekananda's 150th birth anniversary, the Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) o r g a n i s e d a Wo m e n C h e s s championship in which women players from across the state participated. Nearly 3,500 women chess players including 1,250 differently-abled players gathered at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar for a day-long Swami Vivekanand Mahila Chess Mahotsav on Monday. Saurashtra Narmada Avataran Yojana The Gujarat government has launched a major Rs 10,000 crore scheme to divert surplus Narmada river water into Saurashtra's 115 dams. Known as the Sauni Scheme (Saurashtra Narmada Avataran Yojana), it will be used to supply more than 1 million acre feet of surplus Narmada water to fill up the dams located in Saurashtra's seven districts. This initiative was taken with the intention of dynamically changing the status of irrigation led projects in the Saurashtra area. The Chief Minister also used the opportunity to encourage the use of drip irrigation and desilting of irrigation dams which at present are not in use.

October, 2012

October, 2012

Quick Bites
students of biotechnology actively participated and benefited from the event. Call of the monsoons Satpura Festival The Satpura Monsoon Festival was held to celebrate the beauty of Satpura, called the Hill Station of Gujarat, during the monsoon season. The lush greens along the river Ambika attracted quite a number of visitors. Some of the events that were the part of the festival were: Water sports, adventurous activities, laser show, photography exhibition, heritage walk, cultural evenings, food festival, contests, etc.

Van Mahotsav of Environment, Culture and People This year Gujarats Van Mahotsav celebrations were unique with the Chief Minister Narendra Modi announcing that the state would celebrate the Centenary of the tribal reformist Govind Guru's freedom movement against the British Rule in 1913 AD. This time, the Van Mahotsav celebrated not just the environment and forests, but also the cultural heritage associated with these. With the celebration of

Govind Guru, the martyrdom of the heroes of the movement would be remembered by the generations. UK review lauds Gujarat's PPP projects A two-year review of the Indian infrastructure sector conducted by London's financial district lauds the state's performance in implementing public-private partnership (PPP) projects. It also gave credit to the thriving investment environment and emphasised that the state is 'fiscally credible'. "In terms of financing, Gujarat is in a strong position, having emerged as a top investment destination in India; the government is also fiscally credible, meaning that payment risk is considered very low," it said. National Biotechnology Symposium National Biotechnology Symposium was organised at AMA's J.B. Auditorium Hall in Ahmedabad on 1st of September 2012. A galaxy of eminent speakers from industry, academia & regulatory bodies dwelt on the theme of the Seminar - Innovations in Biotechnology: From Education to Industry. Over 500 delegates mainly

maintenance of law & order in the state has been increased by upto 400%. Previously the daily allowance was `80, has now been increased to `200. Additionally, the homeguards are now eligible for a training allowance of `200 per day and a mess allowance of `100 per day. VivekanandMahila Chess Mahotsav Organised On the occasion of Swami

Healthy Gujarat
GutkhaMuktiAbhiyaan Gujarat fights cancer Gujarat imposed a comprehensive ban on Gutkha consumption across the state from September 11th 2012 in a bid to fight oral cancer. It was on the same day in 1893 when Swami Vivekananda gave a soul stirring speech at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Gutkha consumption has led to many deaths due to oral cancer and the state

government decided to completely ban the substance. The government

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on

requested support from all sections of the society to support it in creating awareness about the ill effects of Gutkha. Healthcare Schemes Launched The government launched important healthcare schemes this quarter Gujarat Medical Services Corporation was inaugurated and would now be providing quality life-saving drugs, at affordable rates 569 life saving drugs are being provided free of cost. The corporation would also provide good quality medical equipement in a timely and effective manner.

Mukhyamantri Amratum (MA) launched to provide poor patients with health protection cover of upto `2 lakh for the treatment of critical diseases. Khilkhilat is an unique initiative to promote institutional deliveries in the state. The Khilkhilat van would be providing free of cost transport to the mother and the new born from Government Hospital to home after 48 hours of delivery. Also, the transport would be provided for sick babies for 30 days after the birth. Along with this, proper counseling will be given to the mother for proper care of herself and the baby. This is seen in the light to

reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and

promote institutional deliveries.

Government Initiative

October, 2012

October, 2012

Government Initiative
cooperative and entrepreneurial spirit and bring them to the sustainable level of holistic human development. First implemented in the Dangs in 2010-11, the scheme was envisaged to be expanded in phases. It was implemented in two new forest divisions- Narmada and Valsad North in 2011-12. This year (2012-13), the programme has been taken up in Valsad South, Dahod, Vadodara and the Panchmahals.

The Canopy Plantation Programme

Integrating Livelihood Enhancement with Forest Conservation
by Sohnee Harshey & Siddharth Gadvi
JFM, Communication Co-ordinators Forests and Environment Department

Canopy plantations are essentially plantations under which all plant forms such as trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers are grown together to give a forest with more species and product diversity. It represents a symbiotically integrated multi-canopy forest capable of providing socioeconomic security to local people along with achieving the objectives of bio-diversity augmentation and ecological conservation.

he existence of forest dependent tribal communities is often inseparable from their surroundings and their relationship with the forest is one of nurturing and being nurtured. The forest where they have historically dwelled fulfills their everyday requirements-fuel wood, food, fibre as well as a means of livelihood.

The nation awoke to the gifts of the hitherto unknown and unexplored forests around the beginning of the last century. With this discovery also came the exploitation of forest resources at the hands of different agencies. The tribals, the original children of the forest, could not cope up with this rapid change. In order to combat these conditions and to revive the model of self-reliance which was the essence of the tribal existence, the State Forest Department launched the Canopy Plantation Programme. Conceptualised in 2009, the programme seeks to promote bio diversity, ensure climate proofing, promote disease resistance in plant species and restore forest cover. At the same time, it is also expected to act as a socio economic umbrella over the forest dependent tribals who can then utilise the produce from the plantations for income generation. The canopy thus acts as a source of economic security for the dependent population. It is expected to provide multiplier benefits especially to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) tribal population in the state of Gujarat. The programme in its entirety nourishes basic tenets of democracy, wherein citizens are instrumental in ushering positive change in their own lives. The idea is to catalyse their latent

Steps of the process Since the expected results include reduced drop-out rate of children from schools and reduced migration, the Canopy Plantation Programme will definitely prove advantageous to the community in the long run. Evoking ownership for the Programme among the tribal community was thus a prerequisite in the nascent stage. To achieve this, interaction between the Presidents of few Joint Forest Management Committees (legally constituted village level bodies functioning in sync with the forest department for protection and regeneration of forests) and the local tribal leaders was encouraged, which helped in acquainting the tribal population with the idea of Canopy Plantation. In preparation for smooth execution, meetings of officials of the forest department were held and suggestions from various stakeholders were incorporated. The scheme was implemented in few pockets of the Dangs District in 2010. In 2011, a third party review of the scheme was undertaken, after which it was gradually expanded to Valsad, Narmada and other districts with predominantly forests dependent populations.

Government Initiative

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Government Initiative

Division-wise data of income generated from Canopy Plantation Scheme

Forest Division Dangs North Dangs South Narmada Valsad North TOTAL Number of villages covered 13 12 55 11 91 Area (ha.) 470 355 (200+289.80*) 489.80 190 1504.8 Number of beneficiary families 223 186 341 459 4279 Total Income generated over five month period in 2011-12 (`) 9,22,260 6,63,969 12,85,33,302 2,47,200 3,03,66,731

Forest Regeneration Change in mindset alongwith reduced dependence on forests

Increased production of Medicinal plants and fruit tress

Development of Communities

Increased Income

* 289.80 ha. of non forest private lands covered by the programme in Narmada district.

Canopy Plantation a holistic approach to blend conservation and economic development

the programme is highly replicable and yields good results irrespective of the area. The tailor-made programme which promotes indigenous species also ensures that the local population is not alienated from the gains of the plantation. Moreover, the plantation has already been successfully implemented both on forest land as well as on private lands. Since 2010-11, the programme's outreach has expanded from 3 to 10 Forest Divisions and 426 to 1337 hectares this year (2012-13). Forward market linkages are being Forest Department giving leverage to the local people to sell their products at competitive prices. Once the plantations attain maturity, it is planned that these plantation will be tied up to larger firms willing to purchase fruits, vegetables and other products in bulk wherein, the local population will be interacting directly with the market and pricing their products suitably. In addition to this, certain processes are already underway to brand these forest products with the help of specialists. The Canopy Plantation Programme also marks a paradigm shift from the usual afforestation works taken up by the Forest Department in the way of integrating normal territorial forestry with social forestry. The success of the programme is based on convergence with various other government schemes and programmes for employment guarantee, afforestation, watershed etc. The Programme stimulates the feeling of community participation and community development. Through canopy plantations, people are helped to acquire capabilities for living their life with minimum deprivation. The growth and environmental protection have to go hand in hand. Increasingly, we shall understand that, with smart public policies, governments can grow their economies, alleviate poverty, create decent jobs and accelerate social progress in a way that respects and conserves the earth's finite natural resources.

Within the first 6 months of its implementation the project proved to be a winner, largely due to its ingenious design. Approximately 1500 hectare of land under canopy plantation in 91 villages in the state has become a source of income for the local population. Income to the tune of over `3 crore has

been generated so far. The table below shows the division-wise income generated through Canopy Plantation in four divisions-Dangs North and South, Narmada and Valsad North. Since the nature of the plantation is uniform in implementation and yet localized in terms of choice of 'canopy',

Planting Hope : Tribal women taking part in Canopy plantation

We must begin to create a model for a 21st century economy that rejects the myth that there must be a zero-sum trade-off between growth and the environment

- Ban Ki Moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations

Approximately 1500 hectare of land under canopy plantation in 91 villages in the state has become a source of income for the local population generating income of over ` 3 crores
established for the products too. Marketing of the products is done through existing local channels with the

Canopy Plantation Programme recognises the plural nature of deprivation, and therefore attempts to provide a solution that is integrated and plural in nature. Another remarkable aspect of this programme is that it addresses both the ecological as well as economic concerns of society. As Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations has said, we must begin to create a model for a 21st century economy that rejects the myth that there must be a zero-sum trade-off between growth and the environment, meaning

Government Initiative

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Government Initiative
LAND RESERVED FOR URBAN POOR
Municipal Corporation 1 Land available for development Preliminary Town Planning Schemes (TPS) Final TPS Total 2 Land in TPS which are under approval 3 Grand Total Development Authority Total (in Ha) 216.63 72.10 82.42 154.52 464.47 26.05 36.06 62.11 103.33 567.80

Security for the Urban Poor

Housing and other initiatives taken by the state

by Mona Kandhar I.A.S

Secretary Department of Urban Development and Urban Housing

ffordable Housing is a basic human need, and thus an important responsibility of a welfare State. Several Government initiatives have focused on integrating affordable housing into the growth process. The housing sector is vital since it is one of the major boosters of the overall economy leading to multiple

Challenges
Land in urban areas are expensive and not easily available A lot of slum is located on private land There are serious issues of cost overrun which ULBs (Urban Local Body) find difficult to tackle. There is not enough interest among developers contractors.
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benefits, especially improvement of the Human Development Index (HDI). As per 2001 census, Gujarat is the seventh largest state in area and the tenth largest in population. It has witnessed a growth rate of 33% in urbanization as compared to 21% in the entire country during 1991-2001. Nearly 77 % of the fast growing SGDP (State Gross Domestic Product) is contributed by urban areas where there is a growing demand for housing, housing finance, and supporting infrastructure. On account of rapid pace of urbanization, Gujarat is facing a challenge of checking haphazard growth of slums and ensuring that the rising population in cities has access to affordable housing. The rapid urbanization has also brought a significant shift in the occupational and lifestyle profiles of the people residing an urban area. In order to tackle these challenges, effective steps have been taken. To begin with, 2.5 lakh houses have been approved during 11th five year plan for the urban poor in Gujarat. Also, Town Planning (TP) schemes have reserved up to 10 percent for socially and economically weaker section (SEWS) housing. Further, the Government of Gujarat framed the Regulations for Rehabilitation and Redevelopment of Slums 2010 policy in order to provide slum dwellers clean and pucca houses and to rehabilitate slums by incentivising private developers. Seven slum sites in

Ahmedabad have been approved for construction of 2,650 dwelling units located at Ambawadi, Khokhara , Vasna and Amriwadi. According to the provisions of the Regulations for Residential Townships 2009. 5% land is to be reserved for the economically weaker section housing and additional 5% of the consumed FSI (Floor Space Index)is to be reserved for the service provider class such as drivers , domestic helps etc. Additional support is provided for the construction of dwelling units for slum dwellers under centrally sponsored schemes. A total of 79,750 dwelling units and 3,800 units have been constructed out of the approved 1,13,488 under BSUP (Basic Services to the Urban Poor) in mission cities and 27,859 under IHSDP (Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme) in small and medium town respectively In addition to providing housing to slum dwellers the State Government has also felt the need for creating an affordable housing stock (a number of residential units). Therefore, the Gujarat housing board has been given the mandate of providing two lakh housing units in all categories ranging

618.99

165.44

784.43

from the economically weaker section to HIG (Higher Income Group) in the 12th five year plan (2012 to 2017). Technical Innovation Innovative technologies are being adopted in construction of housing

Garib Kalyan Mela : Realising dreams of unprivileged

stock which is also cost effective due to ease of construction, and low maintenance cost resulting from the UD (Urban Development) & UH (Urban Housing) Departments' decision to issue technology neutral tenders for the economically weaker section housing projects. Monolithic construction (construction with concrete with everything cast in the same time) technique in prefabricated technology with framed structure has been used widely for construction of affordable housing stock. For ex: AMC (Ahmedabad municipal corporation) has used the low maintenance and easy to use Aluminium foam based mascon technology while precast units used by the waffle technology is utilised by Anand Municipality. Initiatives for Urban poor Gujarat has witnessed steady economic growth during the 10th five year plan (2002 to 2007) in almost all s e c t o r s o f t h e e c o n o m y. T h e overwhelming response seen in the Vibrant Gujarat Global investors has reaffirmed the growing confidence of private sector investors. Various towns and cities have attracted nearly 70% of
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Government Initiative
State Initiatives Land reservation in T P schemes & Residential Township 2009 for EWS

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Government Initiative

Slum Networking Project is implemented in Ahmedabad & Baroda fro infrastructure up gradation Encouraging PPP by granting array of incentives in regulation for the slum rehabilitation & redevelopment 2010 and regulation for Residential Township 2009 Raised state assistance from 10,000 to 45,000 for IHSDP project

needs. The market scan is a detailed understanding of the requirements at the local level through interactions with leaders and heads of industry. The State Government has planned to establish UMEED centers in each Municipality. SJSSRY (Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojna) This scheme aims at alleviating urban poverty by providing employment to the urban unemployed by encouraging them to set up self-employment ventures. Also, it plans to empower community in tackling the issue of urban poverty by promoting selfmanaged community structures like Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs), Neighbourhood Committees (NHCs), Community Development Society (CDS), etc. The main components of this scheme are : Urban Self Employment Program (USEP) Urban Women Self Employment Program (UWSP) Urban Women Self Help Program (UWSP) Urban wage Employment Programme (UWE)

the investment in and around them. Urbanization in Gujarat is well above the national average at 42.6% and is estimated that it would reach 50% by the end of the year 2021. This would create a higher demand on existing available basic infrastructure facilities, and basic services which even presently requires further augmentation and integration It is in this context the Government mandated a 20% reservation in all funds and grants to the urban local bodies for the purpose of enhancing urban basic infrastructure in the slum areas. The Government of Gujarat has decided to implement Garib Samrudhi Yojana across concerned departments in an

integrated manner from 2007 The scheme envisages a holistic approach for providing better standard of living at par with urban populace, by coordinating and integrating various programmes undertaken by different Departments. The scheme is aimed at the overall development of urban poor, by providing opportunities for permanent employment, by upgrading employment generation skills, ensuring better health and proper nutrition, providing shelters and adequate basic infrastructure facilities for up gradation of shelter like roads and electricity and other essential amenities with a strong focus on empowering women

Highlights of the schemes for the Urban Poor UMEED (Motivation, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Development for Urban Poor) UMEED is an innovative idea of skill development through training of urban poor youth keeping in mind the need of the market in a particular area, so that employment of youth can be ensured. It aims at providing a platform where employable youth can be trained. Young men and women aged between eighteen and thirty five, from poor and vulnerable families can become part of UMEED Programme. UMEED training is completely based on market

A Home Full of Happiness : Taking care of the poor

Nirmal Gujrat Fully funded by the State Government, this scheme aims at constructing community and individual toilets for poor families. A subsidy of `4,500 is provided to the beneficiary for the construction of such toilets. During the 11th year plan (2007-2012) `167.18 crore were allocated towards the construction of 3,79,887 units. While in the 12th five year plan allocation of `191.25 crore has been proposed.

Building Dreams
My daughters can play freely here said Nileshbhai, a mild mannered driver, who works for a private firm. Previously a resident of a shanty by the Sabarmati River now is a proud owner of a house. Many like Nileshbhai, who used to reside in slums, have been given a new lease of life, thanks to Shaheri Gareeb Awaas Yojana. One of the housing complexes under the Shaheri Gareeb Awaas Yojana is located in Ahmedabad. The complex has 32, four storeyed

buildings, neatly divided by lanes. Nileshbhai's house is on the top floor. On entering his house, one sees a clean and smartly furnished house. A colour T.V adorns the wall next to the door and a midsized couch has been positioned right in front of it. Pretty little wall hangings and drawing made by Nileshbhai's younger daughter Pari hang on the walls. This family of four seems quite comfortable in their new 1BHK home. His wife walked in to the hall and gave us a bottle of cool water from a fridge hidden from our sight. The sight is more or less the same in most of the other houses. It becomes hard to believe that these families at one time lived in Slums. Environment changes the way

people think explained a young man, who works as a welder, whose balcony has over half a dozen tulsi plant pots. The atmosphere is very different when you stay in a shanty, here people understand that they can become better and have a good life he added with a smile. Any residential complex is incomplete without an educational institution. Right in the heart of the complex is a kindergarten school. Pramilaben, a cheerful lady with a ready smile is the teacher, who looks after the facility and the students. I teach them to read and write and our facility also doubles up as an Anganwadi she said. Two of the students were Nileshbhai's daughters,

Payal and Pari, who flashed a huge smile, the moment they spotted us. Right next to the school is a small, but a busy clinic run by Manishbhai, a health worker from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. The clinic is also visited by a doctor thrice a week. Along with providing health care, I also supervise the hygiene and living conditions in the complex he added. He recently had sent a sample of drinking water, which was severely contaminated to AMC, resulting in prompt action from the corporation. Many of the resident youths have been able to secure good jobs and bank loans based on the residence proof that they now possess. Many talk about increased self esteem and better social

relationships. Just few days ago, Nileshbahi's boss visited his house, such an event might have embarrassed him earlier, but now as he gave his boss a cup of chai, he felt a sense of growing dignity he admitted. On our way back we again bumped into Payal and Pari who were playing Hopscotchunder the watchful eye of many elders sitting outside by the pavement, as the sun set behind them . Earlier it was difficult to send my daughters out to play till late, but I now know that they are safe, he said with a smile.

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Government Initiative

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Government Initiative

MUKHYAMANTRI AMRUTAM (MA) Making healthcare affordable

P.K. Taneja I.A.S

Principal Secretary and Commissioner Health and Medical Services and Education

ealthcare services are one of the most fundamental requirements of a society, but they remain largely beyond the reach of the masses due to sheer affordability factors. A large number of households are pushed into poverty as a result of the expenditure incurred on health care. The situation is worsened in case of BPL (Below Poverty Line) families. To address this vulnerability faced by the BPL population in the state, the Government of Gujarat launched a medical care scheme Mukhyamantri Amrutum (MA) which will provide free treatment and cover medical care targeted at the BPL population. The Scheme will improve access to healthcare for BPL families. BPL families will now be able to avail quality medical and surgical care for treatment of identified diseases involving hospitalisation, surgeries and therapies through an empaneled network of health care providers. The scheme meets expenses of hospitalisation and surgical procedures of the beneficiary members up to `2 lakh per family of five members per year. The benefit on family will be on floater basis i.e. the total reimbursement of `2 lakh can be availed individually or collectively by

members of the family. Further, the scheme also includes a provision for transport allowance that will amount to `300 per visit subjected to an annual ceiling of ` 3,000. The transport allowance is also part of the total

coverage of `2,00,000 per family. The Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Gujarat will select private hospitals which will offer services as part of this scheme and they will be referred to as

the Network Hospitals. The state government has tied up with 47 private hospitals till now and the network is yet to expand. The beneficiaries of the scheme are BPL Families of the 26 districts of Gujarat. According to a recent enumeration made by the Rural and Urban Development Department, there are approximately 39 lakh BPL families in all the districts of the State. According to the guidelines of the scheme a BPL family consists of the head of the family, spouse, and up to three dependents. The dependents will include such members as listed as part of the family in the beneficiary database provided by the Rural and Urban Development Department, Gandhinagar. An enrolled BPL beneficiary will

Inclusive healthcare : Medical cover of `2 lakh for poor families

have to go to any Network Hospital with a Bar Coded Plastic Card and can avail free services for the procedures covered under the Scheme which include cardiovascular surgeries, neurosurgeries, cancer, neo-natal diseases etc. In addition, any illnesses existing prior to the inception of the scheme will also be covered. A State Nodal Cell has also been set up by the Government of Gujarat, for the implementation of this panGujarat scheme. This cell will implement, establish, provide, administer, modify and supervise the Mukhyamantri Amrutum (MA), thus ensuring effective delivery to the beneficiaries.

The Scheme will improve access to healthcare for BPL families. BPL families will now be able to avail quality medical and surgical care

Health care services launched in the state

On the fourth of September, the state government launched three healthcare schemes at an event held at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. Mukhyamantri Amrutam Yojana, Khilkhilahat Yojana and the Gujarat Medical Services Corporation (GMSC), mentioned in the 2012 State Budget were officially announced by the Chief Minister. Mukhya Mantri Amrutam Yojana is a `200 crore project aimed at providing free medical treatment upto `2 lakh to BPL families. Khilkhilahat Yojana is to ensure safe transport for new-borns and their mothers post-delivery and the GMSC is to ensure distribution and availability of life-saving drugs throughout the state.

20 Khilkhilahat vans were flagged on the occasion. Like the 108 ambulances these new service-vans too have been launched in collaboration with GVK EMRI (a non-profit organisation). It has been planned that 124 of them will be launched in a phased manner to cover the state. Also, GMSC will start four depots at Gandhinagar, Patan, Amreli, Surat and Jamnagar, now under the jurisdiction of the Central Medical Store Organisation (CMSO), thus decentralizing the system of drug-delivery. The state government plans to set up one depot between two districts and add 7 more depots under the corporation. These depots will supply allopathic as well as ayurvedic medicines. Speaking on the occasion the Health Minister said, The present State government has allocated three times more budget for expanding the reach of health services. Even as the lifesaving drugs are easily available in government dispensaries, the setting up of Gujarat Medical Service Corporation will add impetus in providing wider availability of medicines

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Business

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Business
during the next five years period. This will also increase the state's revenue and growth rate along with growth of the textile industry.

Gujarat allocates `400 crore for tourism promotion Gujarat has allocated `400 crore for promotion of tourism in the state for the current fiscal year. The amount includes `120 crore as grant which has been approved by the Planning Commission for the year 2012-13. According to Mr Sanjay Kaul, IAS, Commissioner and Managing Director, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd, the funds will be utilised to develop and improve infrastructure in several key tourist locations. The Planning Commission has approved `1,200 crore for Gujarat tourism to promote coastal tourism in the current Plan period till 2017. We have drawn up major plans to promote tourism in the state and the grant will help us achieve our goals, he told newspersons at a road show organised to promote tourism. Gujarat Gas gets nod for pipeline project Gujarat Gas Company Ltd had received authorisation for its HaziraAnkleshwar natural gas pipeline from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board. The provisional system capacity and extra capacity for this pipeline shall be equal to 5.06 mmscmd (million metric standard cubic metre per day) and 1.265 mmscmd, respectively, the company said in a filing with the stock exchanges. Gujarat tops in Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects under operation Gujarat has garnered the maximum share of about 36% in the total number of completed projects put to service delivery under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, according to a study undertaken by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
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BUSINESS NEWS

Dahej features again among top 50 SEZs Contributing around `900 crores to exports and employing around 27,000 people Gujarat's Dahej is the 26th top global free zone according to a survey conducted by fDi magazine (Financial Times). Last year Dahej was 25th on the list. The other free zones included in the list are located in 24 different countries, with Dahej being the only one in India. The 1732 hectare multi-project SEZ at Dahej has been set up by the Gujarat government arm of GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation) in collaboration with ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Government of India). As many as 68 units have been allotted plots in Dahej. 26 MoUs signed between industries and ITIs At the Industry Responsive Skills Convention held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar recently; 26 new MoUs over the existing 119 were signed between the ITIs and industries. This among others is a major step taken towards employment generation in the state. It was stressed that imparting skill development training through a publicprivate-partnership (PPP) model is one of the highest priorities of the state in the quest of eliminating unemployment from Gujarat. The state government has already taken major initiatives such as up gradation of ITIs, setting up of 20 superior technology training centres, introducing about 1074 skill development and training courses and a new skill generation training centre network under the PPP model. The convention, meant to be a precursor to the Global Investors' Summit 2013, was jointly organised by the state's Industries Department, iNDEXTb and the Industries Association.

Of the 227 PPP projects worth over `68,000 crore under operation in India as of December 2011, Gujarat accounted for about 31 completed PPP projects worth over `24,000 crore. The study was titled 'Inclusive Growth through PPP Policy Imperatives' and was released by ASSOCHAM Gujarat State Council. Two towers of GIFT City to be launched The construction of first two towers (each having 30 storeys) at Gujarat International Financial Tech-City (GIFT City) is likely to get completed soon and the government is planning to offer spaces to occupants in the towers as soon as it is completed. The construction is in full swing at the

site and developers are constructing one floor every week. 25 floors have been completed already and it is hoped that the opening would happen soon. The two towers are located in the nonSEZ area or domestic service area of GIFT City. However, the government envisages setting up an International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) within the GIFT SEZ. The SEZ Board of Approval (BoA) had approved the proposal of GIFT SEZ Ltd - in November 2011, for setting up of an IFSC in the notified SEZ near Gandhinagar. Scottish firms plan to invest in Gujarat A large number of Scottish companies will be making a beeline for Gujarat to

tap the investment potential and forge business partnerships with prospective firms even as setting up a permanent trade office at Ahmedabad is emerging as a strong possibility. Scottish Development International (SDI), a government organisation met 120 representatives of leading companies based out of Gujarat like Torrent Group, L&T, Equilibrium, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University etc to check whether there are business opportunities around multiple sectors for Scottish companies in Gujarat. A high level business delegation visit of 20 members from Scotland to Gujarat is expected towards the end of the year Substantial investments and partnerships are expected to take shape

during this visit. Gujarat Launches new Textile Policy, 2012 The Government announced a slew of initiatives under the new policy that would largely benefit the textile industry with special focus on the cotton farmers. The new policy ensures that the Gujarati cotton farmers get better valuation at the national and international markets. It has also made provisions for development through financial assistance, tax concessions and infrastructural support. The new Textile Policy is expected to attract investment of over `20,000 crore, creating new employment opportunities for over 25 lakh people, 50 per cent of them being rural women,

( Source : iNDEXTb, September 2012)

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Sector Analysis

October, 2012

October, 2012

Sector Analysis
engineering has also significantly risen. Staying ahead of the demand, the Government has also increased seats for degree and diploma engineering in Government Engineering Colleges. Total seats in professional colleges have increased from 22,475 to 1,38,740, while the seats available in Government and Grant-in-aid colleges have also gone up from 13,470 to 33,955 in the last decade. In the Government and grant-in-aid colleges students can study by paying just nominal fees. Students belonging to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) avail 5 per cent reservation in engineering and pharmacy courses. While students whose family annual income is less than `2.5 lakh or who are handicapped and have secured admission in a technical course through merit the tuition fee is waived. Over 24,700 students have been provided free education under this scheme. To address matters of employment the state government organises job fairs and vocational training courses. Close to 1,86,000 youth have received vocational training through these initiatives. Also to increase the knowledge of the English language among Gujarati youth, the state government has started SCOPE (The Society for Creation of Opportunity through Proficiency in English) programs. Over two lakh students have acquired proficiency in English so far through this initiative. To sum up, these initiatives by the state government in the education sector clearly indicate that students are provided support at every step in their academic endeavours. From school enrollment incentives to providing training to teachers on the latest pedagogical practices, discussions on curriculum to enhance the quality of education to job fairs and English speaking courses- the state takes care of every requirement of a Gujarati student.

Education
The key to Gujarat's development story
By Dr Hasmukh Adhia I.A.S
Principal Secretary Department of Education

ne has to concede to the point that education has played a key role in Gujarat's success in every field in the past decade. The education sector in Gujarat has seen a sea change with the literacy rate increasing from 69.14 % in 2001 to 79.31% in 2011. The female literacy rate in the last decade has gone up by 12.93%, a figure of achievement which is one and a half times more than the achievement of the previous decade. The schemes initiated by the education department have truly led to a complete turnaround in the way the importance of education is perceived in the state.

education has been introduced to standard six and seven students and over 22,000 primary schools have been provided with computers. The state government has invested `1,000 crore in computer infrastructure and provided one 42 inch LCD screen in all secondary schools and 21,000 upper primary schools. The infrastructure upgradation has been supported by massive enrollment drives through programmes like the Kanya Kelavani Rathyatra and Shaala Praveshotsav (for the support of girl child enrollment). These programmes have reduced primary school drop-out rates from 38.92 per cent in 2001 to 7.56 per cent in 2011. Also to encourage girl child enrollment into schools the Vidhyalakshmi Bonds were introduced in 2003, according to which, bonds worth `2000 are given for every BPL

Focus on Primary Education Gujarat has over 32,700 panchayat and grant-aid primary schools. Around 80,750 new classrooms have been constructed over the past ten years with the aim of ensuring one classroom each for every teacher. The state can now boast of 100 per cent drinking water facilities in primary schools. Nearly 62,000 new toilet blocks have also been constructed and 18,513 primary schools now have compound walls to ensure safety. Another major step taken by the government is the electrification of primary schools. Gujarat now has 100 per cent electrification in all government schools with the expenditure on power being borne by the state government. Computer
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The education sector in Gujarat has seen a sea change with literacy rate increasing from 69.14 % in 2001 to 79.31 % in 2011; female literacy rate in the last decade has gone up by 12.93%
(Below Poverty Line) girl child enrolled into school. On completion of standard seven, the bond money along with interest is handed over as an incentive to pursue secondary education. Funds amounting to `115.48 crore have already been distributed under this scheme to 11,84,655 girl beneficiaries.

The increase in the number of students also leads to the need for qualified teachers. By adopting a transparent, merit-based, on-line recruitment procedure, 86,823 new primary teachers were employed in the last decade. Also a new cadre of primary school headmasters was created and 5,000 such headmasters were appointed. Fifty per cent of them were appointed through the government approved teacher's aptitude test and the remaining 50 per cent through promotions. The state government has also created the Indian Institute of Teacher Education (IITE) with the aim of preparing high quality teachers. IITE has started with initial intake capacity of 100 students per year and offers a 4 year B.Ed program to the teachers of tomorrow. The state Government has started a new initiative called 'Gunotsav to evaluate the quality of primary schools. In this annual exercise, the entire bureaucracy, i.e. officers of all the Government departments are involved. A group of 3,000 class 2 (and above) officers and all ministers visit schools and spend one full day in a school to examine teaching conditions, creating enormous accountability. Secondary Education Reforms In Gujarat most of the schools used to be in the grant-in-aid sector, Governments run schools were few. But in the last decade, the number of government secondary schools from a mere 140 in 2001 has increased to 744 in 2011. Some of the major initiatives for quality enhancement in secondary level are: introduction of semester system from class 9, introduction of

comprehensive and continuous evaluation, change in pattern of Board examination etc. Incidentally Gujarat has chosen not to abolish Board exams in Std 10, but has made this exam rotefree, to test students' understanding of the subject. Another key initiative for students, who have taken the unconventional route to higher secondary school, is the state government's decision to allow diploma students from Industrial Training Institutes (I.T.I) to seek admissions in any of the graduate degree courses. The Government has announced a major policy of declaring equivalence of ITI with SSC and HSC. Higher and Technical Education The number of Universities in the state has increased from 11 in 2001 to around 45 in 2011.Over 9 lakh students are pursuing college education now as opposed to nearly half that number a decade ago. Number of students applying for technical courses like

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Cover Story

October, 2012

October, 2012

Cover Story

Tribal Development
Paving the way for Social Inclusion

by Lenin Samuel

evelopment has always been a sterile term when looked from the point of view of mere numbers and statistics. Real development can only be seen when it reflects in people's lives. Gujarat's, tribal population reflects such a change. A conversation with any tribal clearly highlights the progress they are undergoing. Talk to an old school principal and he will introduce you to teachers who were formerly students from the same school, meet a bike rider and he will start chatting about his new found knowledge about bike engines. Wherever one travels through the tribal belt, one can meet people talking about a change. Change that is just not random boon of development, but a change that is the result of state's focused action. It is seen in the life of a qualified archery coach, who did all his schooling in an ashramshala; in the life of a father, whose son is a doctor; in the life of a woman, who has become the medium of change in her village. Such are the many stories. Behind all these stories is the major steptaken by the government. Every tarmac road, bridge, school is a sign of
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the massive machinery of development. `15,000 crores is the amount that the Gujarat government had allocated under the Tribal Sub plan during the Eleventh Five year plan, against this an aggregate of over `17,000 crores has already been spent. To keep the momentum on, the government has sanctioned a plan to allocate a further `40,000 crores for the next five years. The highest amount ever allocated prior to this was `4997 crores in the Tenth Five year plan. Implemented on a mission mode, the task that the government has taken up is in its fundamental nature a task to radically uplift the standard of living of the tribal community. The Special Purpose Vehicle- DSAG Innovation has been a constant buzz word in this programme. In order to reduce decision making time, the government setup an autonomous body,

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Cover Story

October, 2012

October, 2012

Cover Story
operation in the state including the tribal belt, the declining trend of ground water level has been considerably arrested. All these effective steps have led to a sea change in the water supply scenario in the tribal belt. At present the state can boast of providing direct to home water supply service to over 41% tribal families, as compared to 4%, a decade ago. Roads and Transport A seemingly ordinary trip from Godhra to Dahod turned out to be pleasant surprise, when my vehicle smoothly accelerated to 70 km per hour on the newly built concrete road. The 70 km stretch from the two cities is picturesque and forms a very important stretch in the tribal belt. I travelled from Vadodra to Godhra, then from Godhra to Chiloda and the sight remained consistent. Either we found roads being upgraded and bridges being built or I was cruising. Raghusingh, principal of an Ashramshala has seen his village change. Gharbada which is more than 10 kms from Dahod, recently got its tarmac roads. Since then the economy of his village has changed he says. Connectivity brought jobs, wealth and education. You might not notice that bike rider who passed by because you are from the city, but for us it is a testimony of progress he said. Such changes can be brought about only due to government's heavy investment in this sector. An amount of `710 crores has been allocated by the Gujarat government for roads and bridges under the tribal sub plan to improve the tribal infrastructure. The total tribal area is over 32,000 sq kms and the overall length of roads in the tribal area as of January 2012 was around 17,000 kms, making it to be about 53 km for every 100 sq km area, compared to the non-tribal area where the average is around 35 km. In total 99% villages have been connected through roads. One gets a very positive perspective, when one realises that the tribal area constitutes of only 18% of the state area, but has 23% of overall roads in the state. To ease the burden of transportation, 6 new bus stations have been constructed and about 882 new vehicles have been added to the existing fleet.

Realising Sauno Sath : Bringing tribals into mainstream

which was given the responsibility of identifying projects for the programme, timely disbursal of funds and selection of implementing partners. Equipped with qualified and efficient personnels, D-SAG (Development Support Agency of Gujarat) has spearheaded many of Vanbhandhu Kalyan Yojana's core activities: modernisation of agriculture, skill development and education. D-SAG is the reason for speedy implementation and informed improvisation of the projects as per the need on the field. Water supply Reliable Water supply throughout the year has been a problem in the Tribal belt due to its hilly topography. Even though it receives the highest amount of rainfall in the state, the terrain does not serve to the purpose of saving water either by increasing the ground water level or creating perennial rivers. During the monsoon, large swollen rivers with strong currents are a norm, only to disappear by summer. The Situation was rather grave, with cases of severe drudgery and lack of good quality drinking water. The 2001 census indicates that about 50% of rural tribal households relied on hand pumps and as per a survey conducted by the water department in the year 2002 only 4% of households had tap connections within their house. Drudgery was a nagging problem; the 2001 census states that 70% households had the nearest water source at around a distance of 500 m, while 25% of the households had to labour for miles before they reached their source of water. The concept of providing piped water becomes more challenging when one comes face to face with the unique manner in which a tribal settlement is structured. Rarely does one find a cluster of houses; instead we have sparsely populated hamlets where houses are generally 500-700 meters apart In order to tackle this situation the government came up with an array of

plans and implemented them successfully. At present around 1,47,000 hand pumps have been installed in the 12 tribal dominated districts, with the highest number being in Dahod, followed by Valsad. The government has seen to it that there is one pump for every 50 tribal citizens. At spots where the habitation had low and scattered population the government introduced a more advanced UNICEF approved India Mark II level handpump has revolutionised water supply and storage in the tribal belt. With the capacity to discharge water upto 6 meters above the ground level it has facilitated water storage in tanks. A handpump has the ability to fill up an 800 litre tank in around 1 hr. Earlier handpumps were plagued with the problem of sick bore wells. They were borewells which went dry and hence had to be recharged. In order to resolve this issue, the government has invested heavily in bore well recharging techniques. As of now 5,500 sick borewells have been recharged. This technique has made sustenance of the available water supply system extremely easy. The approach towards the idea of providing sustainable water supply has been grounded on downright pragmatism and innovation. The government involved its main stakeholders, i.e the tribal communities in the decision making process. The celebrated Pani Samitis were formed as bodies of the Gram Panchayat to look after the planning and implementation of the village water supply system. Out of the 5,164 tribal villages, Pani Samitis have been formed in 5,012 and have efficiently shouldered responsibilities of the water system. An important quality of good governance is its ability to accept unique conditions and respond to it. In sync with the states progressive power policy, the government has installed about 290 solar pumps. These pumps are effective at remote tribal habitations where the task of electrification is challenging. Besides being environment

An amount of `710 crores has been allocated by the Gujarat government for roads and bridges under the tribal sub plan to improve the Tribal infrastructure - 99% villages have been connected through roads
friendly, these pumps are also low on maintenance and are reliable. The award winning WASMO (Water and Sanitation Management Organisation) was brought in the year 2002 to fast track the implementation of drinking water facilities within villages. This innovative model has brought governance to a new level altogether by creating community led water management programmes. By 2011, over 17,000 village water and sanitation committees were formed to actively decentralise water resources and delivery systems. The enormity of the states action can be seen in its efforts. With over 1.5 lakh check dams, 2.5 lakh farm ponds and 1.25 lakh Boribunds in

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Education Education is a major foundation on which sustained development resides. Had it not been for my school, I couldn't have possibly become what I am now said an experienced archery coach, who at present is the third archer in the state to have graduated from Kolkata's prestigious Sports Authority of India school ( SAI). I owe my confidence and my independent nature to my Ashramshala, he said with a beaming smile. At present the state looks after 452 Ashram Shalas and 97 Secondary Ashram Shalas. Such testimonies are not exactly rare and unjustified either. The education system focussed on the tribal belt has gone on a major overhaul recently, with the state machinery actively investing in replenishing and upgrading the system. All in all 28 technical institutes have been started for higher education, while the successful Eklavya Model Residential School has been implemented at 55 different places. A remarkable 93% result of 10th (SSC) Exams was achieved by the Ekalavya Model Residential Schools which is far above the state average of 61% in the year 2009-10. At present the government spends ` 42,000 per student per annum. An ambitious project has been initiated to cater to the higher aspirations of tribal students. Under this vision, five agriculture polytechnic colleges, three engineering colleges and a Physiotherapy college have been set up in tribal districts. With a desire to strengthen the body as much as the mind, Doodh Sanjivani Yojana has been implemented in 252 primary schools belonging to 7 tribal talukas. About 200 ml of fortified flavoured double toned pasteurized milk is distributed to students under the project. Every morning during my trip I was greeted with a beautiful sight of students going to school early in the morning, dressed splendidly in their uniforms. The government provided over 9,83,000 students with brand new uniforms for a cost of `20 crores and also increased uniform assistance from `200 to `300. All taluka's in Gujarat have a single ITI (Industrial Training Institutes) based in it. The year 2012 saw the formation of 33 new ITI in the state. The state has also gone ahead and proposed to start 30 new KVKs (Kaushalya Vardhan Kendra) in tribal talukas. These Kendras impart skills based on the WISH concept (Woman oriented, Industry related, Soft skills, Hardcore traditional courses) The government has also taken extremely encouraging steps in terms of fueling the ambition of tribal students seeking to excel in their careers.

October, 2012

October, 2012

Cover Story
108- Ambulance services This is 108 said Zafar ali, Gharbodiya ( Vadodra) taluka's project manager for 108 emergency services. Instead of a big ambulance, I was introduced to a baby, who was barely a few months old. In answer to my surprised look, 108's mother Sumitaben explained how she delivered her son in the ambulance and in gratitude she decided to name him after the Ambulance services. Surprised as I was, it also gave me an insight to the amount of good will this service has earned. From the day of its inception it has drastically changed the way health services are availed by tribal communities. One area of medical emergencies that has seen a profound change since the time the white ambulance started patrolling the roads of the tribal districts, is in pregnancy

The government has come up with an interesting Scheme which provides interest assistance of 6% on loans of upto `50 lakhs to M.B.B.S. Doctors belonging to the Scheduled Tribal section . This will certainly promote establishment of dispensaries in the tribal area. At present the government has also provided assistance to 88 students, who desired to pursue higher education abroad. Over `8 crore were provided in loan. One area where tribal students pursuing higher education had repeatedly opted for is in the Aviation sector. As of now over `1.3 crores has been provided as loans to 15 commercial pilots

Health initiatives The office of the state health department is always in a flurry of a c t i v i t y. T h e d e p a r t m e n t h a s undertaken massive programmes to check health problems that generally affect the tribal belt. The tribal region is our priority said Dr. Dinkar Rawal, a Senior Health official. It would not be boastful, if one is to mention that the state is committed in providing quality health services to the tribal belt. As of now 31% of the Primary Health centres and over 22% of the Community Health centres are located in the tribal belt. This is quite interesting, if one considers the fact that the state's tribal population is only around 15%. Along with providing the foundation for a robust health infrastructure, major programmes (Sickle cell anaemia, Leptospirosis) have also been launched to enhance the health services provided to the tribal belt. First detected in the year 1994, Leptospirosis has considerably risen to become a big threat said a senior health department officer. Leptospirosis, a Zoonotic disease, which spreads to humans from animals, at times has been fatal to the infected. Rodents are generally blamed to be major carriers of this disease. Cases were largely detected during the Monsoons in Surat, Valsad, Navsari and Vapi, which are tribal dominated districts. To counter this problem, the health department took extensive steps. ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist)workers were trained to identify early symptoms and local diagnostic centres were set up in the affected districts. The government medical college in Surat was developed into an advanced testing laboratory to confirm diagnosis. The department got over two and half lakh pamphlets distributed and T.V and Radio advertisements were aired to create awareness. All these efforts proved fruitful, for it considerably brought down the viciousness of the disease. In the year 2007, over 621 cases were reported, while in the year 2012 the number came down to 89.

Another major initiative was the winner of the Prime Minister's Civil Services Award (2011), the sickle cell anaemia project. Sickle Cell Anaemia which is a hereditary disease is predominantly found among the tribal population in India. According to one of the hypothesis, it is a natural mutation in Haemoglobin molecule to protect RBCs from malarial parasites. Consequently Sickle Cell gene is mainly present amongst tribal groups only, who originated from malaria endemic forest areas. The programme was launched on

the first week of August this year and within the first month itself a total of 1,46,315 tribal population were screened. The aim is to screen around 15 lakh tribals every year. Post the screening the individuals are presented with a colour coded card. Where a white card indicates absence of sickle cell, while a half yellow card suggests the possibility of the trait and an entirely yellow card confirms the presence of the disease. After distributing the cards, adolescents are advised to avoid marriages between two yellow card holders. In all 2,11,211 Sickle Cell Trait gene carriers were provided counselling about their status.

related cases. 2007, the year of commencement saw only 36 cases being reported, but the growth in awareness has been phenomenal since then. In all the 108 services has attended to 4 lakh pregnancy cases in the tribal area. The figures speak for themselves. The need had always been for a wholesome strategy to usher in development in the tribal belt. As much as improving human society requires will and economy, it also requires compassion and patience. The government in this case has been able to steadily turn the tide of backwardness and bring in a revolutionary change in every tribal household.

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Success Story

October, 2012

October, 2012

Success Story
Dubai. The shipping charges are borne by the customer. In UK packs of 200 gms are sold for 70 -80 pennies which is almost double the price at which we sell it to them said an executive from a Khakra company of Rajkot that procures the Khakras from these women. Shraddha Sakhi Mandal, under the umbrella of which these women came together five and a half year ago took up the Khakra making enterprise five months back. I used to work in a factory where we made Khakras, almost all these women worked there. I managed everything from buying the flour to making the dough and getting it packed. It was then that I realized that, we were getting paid very less for our work and could make more money if we started out on our own, said Maya Ben the head of the Sakhi Mandal and the manager of the whole unit. Maya Ben along with a close friend Damayanti Ben started this enterprise by utilising the revolving fund of `5,000 available to them through the Sakhi Mandal enlisted in the Mission Mangalam program of the State Government. All the work is done at Maya Ben's place and she provides all the necessary infrastructure like gas stove, pans, dough, oil and wooden flatteners to the women. Maya Behan also gets `50 per month as commission for every woman she employs. The most important part of the exercise which is kneading the dough and adding appropriate quantity of flavour and salt is done by her too. The women on their part have welcomed the change. Since I have a small child, I can't go to any other factory. Here he sits with me all day, said Bhavana Ben with a four-year-old Vivek by her side. Women working at the unit also claimed that the work atmosphere here was better than in the factory and they felt a sense of belonging and camaraderie with the other women. The women claim that the only thing cutting down their profits is the lack of a machine to pack the Khakras in an air-tight manner.We still don't have a vacuum machine to pack our produce and hence have to sell it for a lower price. We are trying to obtain a loan for it through the State Government's Mission Mangalam programme, said Maya Ben. Trupti Raval, Lodhika Taluka Livelihood Manager when asked about the status of the loan, said, All the procedural formalities have been done and the bank has also come and inspected the site. Bank authorities have assured us that the loan amount of `1 lakh will be sanctioned soon.

Mission Mangalam - Tracing success

t has been nearly two years since the Gujarat Government launched the Mission Mangalam Programme. This poverty alleviation programme aims at empowering Gujarat's women by creating Sakhi Mandals and integrating them into the corporate value chain has come a long way since then. In this issue, we look at four cases in different regions of Gujarat, where the Mission Mangalam Programme has truly made a difference in the lives of rural women. We begin our journey with a Masala Making unit in Mahua Taluka (Surat District) where one woman's initiative to transform traditional cooking knowledge to a business enterprise has proven to be a source of income for others in the community. Then we move on to Paardi, a village in Lodhika Taluka (Rajkot District), where one woman's entrepreneurial vision has led to the inception of a Khakra making unit. From Paardi, we go to Indrapastha village of the Anjar Taluka (Kutch District), where a stitching unit is providing a steady source of income to the women of this region. Our last story is set in Asai in Himmatnagar taluka (Sabarkantha District) where a vermicompost unit has proved to be an economical as well as eco-friendly initiative.

II
by Kruthika Rao

I
by Lenin Samuel

Masala Maker

he Masala store is at the end of a line of Stores. To reach Pavitraben's shop, one has to walk all the way to the end of the line. One thing that stands out is that almost all the other shops are either housing a Garage or are spare parts vendors. I approached a rugged looking mechanic and inquired about the masala shop and immediately his hard face melted into a big grin, Oh, you are looking for Parvatiben? just keep walking straight and you will find her shop. Behind him stood five others, who joined him in wildly gesturing us in the right direction. A board welcomed us to the shop. Seated behind the counter was a confident Parvatiben and behind her were the all women crew of the Masala Making unit. The Jai Bajranbali Mahila Mandal started the Unit eight years back. Today they have earned the respect of all their neighbours. As soon as the neighbours realised that Parvatiben got visitors, couple of chairs came hurrying from a garage and firmly lodged themselves outside the masala shop.
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The veteran Mahila mandal's venture recently plateaued, when they were unable to find more oppurtunities. That is when Mission Mangalam's Taluka level Manager Yogesh Parmar met the mandal. He came up with an elaborate branding and packaging strategy. It started with a simple, but very vital task of printing the unit's name on the package and methods of quality standardisation. Thereafter he introduced them to new market option, when he helped them gain a stall at a local Valvada Haat (Sunday market) and to put up a stall during the successful Gareeb kalian mela, which

gave them a much needed exposure. In order to increase their efficiency, Mission Mangalam also came handy in providing market linkages. They identified on the unit's behalf possible vendors who would be interested by procuring their finished product. At present the masala unit's products are also sold in Surat city. Expansion in their market coverage has encouraged them to move into new products, at present they have also started selling freshly packed tea packets.

n Paardi, a village in the Lodhika taluk of Rajkot district, a small house is abuzz with conversations. Amidst the chaos, around 12-15 women are seen making Khakras at a frantic pace. While some are seen stooped over a line of stoves flattening the dough for any moisture with wooden bases, others are seen making round chappatis out of the dough and supplying it to the women sitting by the stove. A little boy is seen sitting next to his mother, playing with the dough, as his mother flattens the dough and cuts it into shape and tosses it into a plate. The plate when full is passed on to the women by the stove, who fries them in a low simmer until all the moisture is removed from them and stacks them in a neat pile next to her. For every 1.5 kilo of dough, a woman gets `8 for flattening the dough into circular chappatis or `16, if she is frying them. Blue plastic chips stuck on every 1.5 kilo of dough, kept safely with the woman flattening the dough are a measure of her day's work. The chips at the end of the day decide her wage for the day. Each Woman makes up to `3,000 per month. From morning 8 to 5:30 in the evening, except an hour lunch break in between, the women in this small house in Paardi are either in front of a stove or bent over a bailan. These women are part of the small household industry that supplies Khakras to a local industrialist in Rajkot, who vacuum packs them and exports them all over the world. The Khakras made in six flavours are sold to the industrialist for `85 per Kg, who in turn vacuum packs them and sells them at `200 per Kg. Our main clientele is in UK, USA and

l a n io t a n r e t In o G s a r k a h K

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Success Story

October, 2012

October, 2012

Success Story
Project Manager, Marketing Rural Cottage Services, Mission Mangalam, explains With funds through convergence of various schemes like, SGSY, NREGA, TSC these units were set up around two years ago. Under the first phase of Mission Mangalam, we talked the members of erstwhile SHGs into being a part of this project. Though initially reluctant, once these women saw organic fertilizer's efficiency and the high returns, they agreed. Their farmer husbands also encouraged them. Consequently, we now have 42 such functional units in Sabarkantha alone. Talking on the marketing aspect, Mr. Joseph Fernandes, District Level livelihood manager, Mission Mangalam elaborates , The main roles of Mission Mangalam are to stimulate community involvement and to create market linkages. For the Vermicompost units, an internal market was already present within the network of Sakhi Mandals working in the Agriculture sector. To further expand the markets, the Mission Mangalam team planned to publish an advertisement in a popular regional daily. The inflated prices of Urea and DAP in the last quarter were a great boon. A demand for 15 lakh kilos from this unit alone is what followed. Gujarati farmers have now realized that not only is this product more efficient, but also way cheaper. Conversations over hot tea in the portico of Jassi Ben's newly constructed pink yellow house (a result of the convergence of Indira Awas Yojana and Mission Mangalam) reveal that this constant source of livelihood has unleashed a new wave of selfconfidence in these women. So much so, that they smartly handled a troublesome bank official creating problems for years over minor transactions related to their Sakhi Mandal account. We told him we would have to take legal action. Soon enough the man mended his ways, chuckles Jassi Ben with a sense of achievement. Discussing what the future holds, the women dreamily say, We want our market to expand and we plan to grow into an autonomous producer company shortly.

III
by Kruthika Rao

Stitching a Seamless Enterprise

IV
by Madhurima Mallik

ramila Mewada's day begins at nine-thirty every morning, where she heads out of home towards the 'Sri Sakhi Swarnim Talim Kendra', a stitching unit in Indraprastha Navi Dudhai village of Anjar taluk in Kutchchh district. Pramila's day ends at five thirty in the evening and she manages to earn close to `5,000 a month, far higher than her income previously when she ran a beauty parlour in the village. Her husband, a carpenter, who works on a contract basis earns `200 per day. The work at the stitching unit is a steady source of income for women like Pramila, who vouch for the change this enterprise has brought in their lives. The stitching unit in Indraprastha village is one of two in Anjar taluk and was conceptualised in 2010 under the Mission Mangalam project. The first project was started in Varsamedi in July 2010 and the next one in Indraprastha followed a year later in September 2011. It is one of the few projects where collaboration between government, industry and the NGO sector has resulted in providing livelihood opportunities to women. At Indraprastha, Jan Shiksha Sanstha, an NGO was already actively involved in vocational training programmes and was looking for a way to ensure a secure source of income for the women they worked with. Welspun on the other hand had corporate social responsibility initiatives near a village in Varsamedi where they had trained women to stitch and were providing raw material to them to stitch bedhseets, pillow covers and other Welspun products. The finished goods were bought by Welspun on a piecewise basis. The Government of Gujarat sensing a secure livelihood option in
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these enterprises for the local populace approached both parties and offered to bear the expenditure of the infrastructure needed to set up a stitching unit. Under the technical guidance of Wellspun 25 sewing machines were bought by the Department of Rural Development at a cost `22,500 per machine. Ten out of the 25 machines are in Varsamedi while the remaining 15 are at Indraprastha. At Indraprastha, the sewing machines are housed in a community hall provided by JSS, while in Varsamedi the machines are housed in a building provided by the gram panchayat. A month long training is provided by Welspun and a trainer is appointed by them at each unit. The women who show promise are then trained and taken into production where they stitch Welspun products with the raw material made available to them by the company. Around 35 women work at the Indraprastha unit, while 25 of them take turn in the machines, the remaining 10 women are involved in ironing and

finishing work. Each woman on an average works for 2-3 hours and earns on an average `3,000-`5,000 per month. Initially when I worked as construction labourer I had to leave home at seven in the morning. Sometimes I was forced to take my five year old son because there was no one to look after him. Now I just leave at nine in the morning. I earn close to `3,000 per month by doing thread work and finishing, said Paru Ben Maheshwari, from the Indraprastha unit. According to the women, the stitching unit provides a homely atmosphere as compared to the stifling atmosphere in a factory floor. Because of the cultural background of these women they cannot work in a factory like atmosphere. It was conceived keeping that in mind and the women now feel it is their second home, added Sharada Chhangani, the Welspun, CSR co-coordinator for Anjar Taluk.

narrow path snakes its way down into a valley checkered with lush green fields where a single storehouse structure stands out. Gram Lakshmi Sammohik Vermicompost Unit reads a bright green board outside the structure. Inside are 40 rectangular beds in rows of 20 on each side separated by an aisle in between. Each bed is numbered and allotted to the women of the Jai Maldari Mahila Mandal of the picturesque Asai village in the Sabarkantha District. 10 Rabbari (a dairy-farming community) women, members of the Mahila Mandal demonstrate the procedure involved in the production of Vermicompost, an organic fertilizer, proven to have given far better results as compared to its chemical counterparts. All kinds of organic solid wastes are brought and dumped into the respective beds allotted to them, each with a capacity of around 2500 kgs. A bed is then fed with 20 kgs of worms which turn the waste into organic compost. Each vermicomposting cycle takes 45 days for completion. After which the product is packed in 25 kg bags sold at the rate of `5/kg. The worms reared in the compost beds are also sold at `125 per kg. Therefore, the Mahila Mandal earns around `12, 500 from one bed every two months. We have already got orders for 15 lakh kilos of organic compost from contractors in Rajkot, Petlad etc. We have even tried the product in our castor crops and have witnessed a remarkable 40% increase in the produce, not to mention the better quality says Leelaben Desai, a proud-owner of 4 buffaloes, a farm and a member of the SHG. Standing next to her, a smartly dressed Tushar Rathore, Assistant

Harnessing Organic Wealth

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Book Review

October, 2012

October, 2012

On a Lighter Note

a harappan metropolis
intelligent and mysterious civilisations. Dholavira a harappan metropolis by Varun Maira introduces us to the ancient city of Dholavira in present day Gujarat and tries to explain the impact Dholavira's discovery had on our understanding of this ancient civilisation. Dholavira, located in the Kachch district of Gujarat is among the largest and most significant sites of this civilisation. The first major excavation of Dholavira began in the 90s and this book summarises the discoveries made by archaeologists at this site, and also proposes some theories that could explain their way of life and the administration structure followed by this civilisation. Apart from explaining the discoveries at this site, Varun Maira helps us visualise the same through sketches and pictures of this site. Beginning with an introduction to the civilisation, the book transports the reader to Dholavira, explaining the city design, its people, its relics and other discoveries unique to this site. The impact on the lifestyle of this civilization. His detailed analysis of the water storage, distribution and drainage facilities present at Dholavira would be extremely helpful to first time visitors of the site. Discoveries like the world's oldest signboard and seals with inscriptions and figurines of unicorns at this site, have further intensified the mystery of this age and to those curious about learning more about Dholavira, this book would be the right place to start. This book also lays down various theories explaining the rise and fall of this great civilisation, the different phases of its development and also outlines the kind of trading that used to take place between this civilisation and others. Dholavira's strategic location between Lothal and the other major towns of this civilisation meant that it enjoyed an important sphere of influence in that age which is reflected on its size and its level of planning. Dholavira a harappan metropolis is an easy-to-read, clear and curiosity inducing piece of literature and is a must-read for all amateur history enthusiasts who have a special interest in this ancient civilisation. A lot of questions about this civilisation are still unanswered. We still do not know what language was spoken and have not yet deciphered their ancient script, nor do we know if the civilization had a king or a democratic system and what exactly happened to it. But this is exactly the kind of challenge archaeologists and historians around the world relish. So, if you want to join this journey of discovery which promises to be full of surprises, Dholavira would be a very interesting place to start indeed.

by Nirmish Thaker

Sahit Chirutapudi

Jhaverchand Meghani
Mahatma Gandhi called him the Rashtreeya Shayar (national poet). Journalist , singer, freedom fighter, a man who donned multiple hats, Jhaverchand Meghani, till date remains one of the most celebrated names in Gujarati literature. Born (August 1896) in the quaint religious town of Chotila, Gujarat, Jhaverchand was among the noted few who were instrumental in shaping the linguistic identity of Gujarati language. The beautifully chronicled intriguing oral traditions of Saurashtra, which were named A Ruby Shattered, can be accredited to him. He even lent his unique voice to some of these renditions. He authored around 100 works of literature in a short span of 25 years ranging from plays to poetry and from biographies to folksongs. He even served two years in prison for writing Sindhudo, which allegedly contained seditious material that inflamed the youth against the British rule. This great man breathed his last at the age of 50, on 9th March, 1947 in Botad Gujarat. His sudden death came as a shock to everyone including Sardar Vallabhai Patel, who aptly said, It is the greatest loss to Gujarati literature.

he civilisation known as the Indus Valley Civilisation or the Harappan Civilisation is one of the most ancient and most mysterious civilisations in the world. Almost 5,000 years old, archaeologists have found sites of this civilisation just about 100 years back along the Indus River. Harappa and Mohenjodaro, the most popular sites of this civilisation and probably the largest, have answered a lot of questions about this civilisation, but there are still hundreds of questions that are left to be answered Who were these people? Are we their descendants? What happened to them? How did they manage to build such well planned towns and cities? Who did they trade with? What language did they use? With more sites being discovered over the last 100 years, from Iran in the west to Meerut in the east, and from Afghanistan in the north to Maharashtra in the south, archaeologists from around the world are slowly finding answers to all these questions about this large,

A stadium, an excellent drainage system and the worlds oldest signboard: Dholaviras unique story is captured in this truly fascinating book
sketches of relics found in the site are truly useful to understand the ingenuity of this race and also, induces curiosity to learn more about the civilisation. The best feature about this book is Varun Maira's detailed explanation of every discovery made at this site and its

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Special Feature

October, 2012

October, 2012

Special Feature

Fulfilling Ambitions
On Eklavya's path

by Dhaval Parmar

Bows and arrows are the things we understand. Archery is a skill we took up for our security and livelihood. Now we are honing it to gain recognition. Our immediate goal is the 2016 Olympics. It's high time we make our community, state and country proud, said a 20year-old national level archer from a tiny town called Naswadi in Gujarat with confidence. Archery is an ancient sport and Indian history is replete with stories of heroic tribal archers. Be it the legendary Eklavya or the great Indian freedom fighter Birsa Munda, tribals are synonymous with archery. Though it was mainly used for hunting and during combat in ancient times, today archery has become a precision sport. It is now gaining popularity among the people of Gujarat too, especially in the tribal belt where it has received great acceptance as a modern sport. Based in the hilly tribal village of Naswadi, 200 km south of Ahmedabad, Eklavya Archery Academy is working hard to provide a platform for Gujarati archers. Dinesh Bhil, a two-time national champion is the founder and the coach of the academy. The 35-year-old archer is a diploma holder in archery from Kolkata's SAI school (Sports Authority of India). He was trained in the sport
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along with prominent archers like Limbaram, Shyamal and Mangal Shingh. Bhil, who dropped his dream of participating in international competitions for the sake of coaching young budding talent said, "Traditionally it is not difficult to provide training to the adivasi youth but we require latest equipments to compete internationally. Luckily, compared to other states, Gujarat is blessed with better talent. After recent successes at the national level, we are now working overtime with an ambition to participate in the 2016 Olympics.

Archery is a skill we took up for our security and livelihood. Now we are honing it to gain recognition. Our immediate goal is the 2016 Olympics

- Dinesh Bhil
Currently 20 students coming from remote areas in and around the district are being trained at the academy hostel. These include three female archers who are preparing for national competitions. The daily routine of the students involves yoga, prayanam, meditation and other exercises which optimize their archery performance. Care is also taken that besides archery, the students get the best of education under sports quota in nearby schools and colleges.

Most of the archery students have already bagged medals at the national level. One of the trainees and a national level medalist, Magan Sunghadiya, aged 20, said, It is my dream to participate in the 2016 Olympics. To attain this goal, I practice every day for about 4 to 5 hours and make every arrow count. I am confident that archers from Gujarat will win a ticket to the Olympics this time. Archery is a sport entirely based on three qualities: concentration, patience and balance. Most people have a common perception that the more you concentrate, better the results. But professional archers disagree. Along with concentration an archer requires balance, the skill to release an arrow at the right time and a great deal of patience. These three steps can be learnt, but it demands a lot of practice and hard work to master this skill. More importantly, a conducive environment to train is needed. Devgadh Baria is another small town that is rapidly emerging as a hub of young talented archers. At the centre of all the action is the town's District Sports Complex that houses a total of 15 archers including 4 girl trainees. Quality coaching complemented with immense practice has already resulted in 12 archers winning medals at the state level and 3 at the national level. Not surprisingly then, the state government has recently provided financial aid to the sport and given clearance to building a hostel with all necessary amenities like study rooms, a gymnasium, modern equipments etc. The archers have also been provided with modern imported equipment worth `1.5 lakh each. Rohit Baria, senior coach at the complex said, Modern equipment has helped in training and boosted trainee's enthusiasm. We are also keeping a check on their diet. Along with yoga, pranayam and exercise, good diet is also important for the players. Further, he added, State level sporting events like Khel Mahakumbh and Gramin Olympics encourage young sporting talent and help discover the best

Aiming at the future : Dinesh Bhil with the Chief Minister

athletes in the state. Archers from Gujarat's tribal areas have shown tremendous potential and promise in recent years. Most of them look forward to performing well at the National Archery Championships and the National Games. Next up for them would be challenging international archers at The Asian Games 2013, The World Cup and The Commonwealth Games. However, the ultimate dream for all of them is playing for national honour at Olympics 2016. The Gujarat government is increasingly working towards providing budding archers especially from the tribal belt with quality training, access to amenities and platforms to showcase talent. Mr. S. P. Sama, chief coach of the Sports Authority of Gujarat added, Our aim is to enhance and develop the sporting spirit of the local indigenous inhabitants of the state. The state archers are doing really well now and our job is to pave the way for them. Under the Centre of Excellence (COE) scheme, the state government provides need based assistance. The archers are provided insurance cover by the government. We have high hopes from the archers of the tribal belt. With raw talent, quality training and the determination of young archers, the future for the sport in Gujarat does look bright.

Archery is an ancient sport and Indian history is replete with stories of heroic tribal archers. It is now gaining popularity among the people of Gujarat too, especially in the tribal belt where it has received great acceptance as a modern sport

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In Focus

October, 2012

October, 2012

In Focus

Nari Adalats
Redefining social justice
by Madhurima Mallik
headlines and have been easily forgotten after evoking momentary sympathy. In modern times while laws have striven for an egalitarian society, gender equality remains difficult to achieve. This might be contested, by stating that more and more women are standing up for their rights. But such cases are rare restricted only to the educated. However, while sifting through documents for scripting an advertisement, I came across a news story on Nari Adalats and how their remarkable success in Gujarat is being lauded nationwide. As I read on I realized that Gujarat is leading the nation in women's emancipation too. It has been continuously taking proactive steps to ensure social and legal justice for women throughout the state. Modeled on the Lok Adalat concept, Nari Adalats are block level autonomous tribunals of women operated by them for addressing their grievances. These bodies are supported by Mahila Samakhyas of each district. 42 of them have been sanctioned throughout the state with the oldest ones in Vadodara district which started in 1995. Eager to witness the process of law reaching out to a common woman, I met the District Project Co-ordinator, Parulben Pandya, of the Mahila Samakya in Vadodara district. She told me, Earlier, the Mahila Samakyas had representatives (CRPs- Cluster Resource Persons) visiting each village interacting with the women and discussing their problems. They motivated 5 women from each village to form a sangh and these sanghs from all the villages in a block came together to form a federation which started conducting the Nari Adalats. The sangh members were given three months of legal training towards this. Loaded with this much information and accompanied by a CRP (Ketalben) and a camera person, I reached the Waghodia Taluka Panchayat, to attend its weekly 12 to 4 Nari Adalat hearing. On the first floor of the old building, huddled together in a circle were around 30 women of all age groups including 2 infants. Sighting the familiar Ketalben the group erupted into cheerful cries of greeting and queries about the new person, that being me. A register was quickly pulled out to record my attendance and other necessary details. A loud and confident

ot very long ago, our cook Rekha used to come accompanied by a shy, pretty teenage girl, her niece Kajal. While helping her aunt with the kitchen chores she would take an occasional peep at the television, evidently enamoured by the shiny sari clad bejeweled protagonists of our daily soaps. It wasn't hard to tell that she harboured sweet dreams of marital bliss, of escape from the rigours of the monotonous domestic work she part took in. One day, Rekha broke the news of Kajal's grand wedding to us. She couldn't stop singing paeans of the doting husband Kajal had found for herself. Less than two months later, grimfaced, she asked my mother for a day off saying that she had to pay a visit to Kajal's in-laws. She brought the girl back home. Kajal had been subjected to acute physical and mental torture for dowry. Our history is replete with incidents where women have suffered in silence. Sadly, such stories have never made the

voice asked me for an introduction assuring they would let me participate in the proceedings which would follow later. The first case was a fresh one I was told. A young girl with a wailing infant stepped in. Rashmi, was a Rajput girl from Jambuwada. She was married early because of an ailing mother and financial troubles. Soon after the wedding her husband started threatening to kill her. He sold her streedhan(belongings she had brought with her from her parental house) and has been absconding for three days with their one year old daughter. The adalat members comforted the weeping Rashmi and decided to issue a notice to her husband. I was curious about what would happen if he chose to ignore it. Some of us will go to his house and ask him to appear at the Adalat. If he still refuses the police will co-ordinate with us. was the united reply. In any case if the second party refuses to respond after repeated reminders, some members of the Adalat go with policemen from the local thana to make sure that both the parties are heard. Accordingly, they arrive at a consensus, I was informed. The second case was, to my surprise an appeal by a man Mukeshbhai, for child custody. The seemingly flustered man showed pictures of his four year old daughter in his wallet. He said his ex-wife was refusing to let him meet his daughter for the last 7 months. They had got a divorce on the condition that the mother would let the father meet his child every two months, failing which the custody could be contested. The Adalat members listened with rapt attention almost sympathizing with the man's story. Suddenly, one of them sitting close to the petitioner pointed out, Are you sure you can take care of a 4 year old with your meager income? The enraged man went on the defensive, now hurling abuses at the estranged wife and saying, What I do with my child is my business alone, I do not want to educate her beyond primary school as she would follow in her mother's footsteps. I would make her

Realising good governance : Empowering women with justice

look after my aging parents; you just get me my daughter. I shifted at my spot feeling uncomfortable with the tension in the air. To my utter delight, far from being intimidated, the women around me did not as much as flinch. Their composure was comforting. They simply said, Start an account for your daughter with the federation and deposit a monthly sum of `1,000, if you agree we take your case further. Your time is up for today. By this time I wanted to pay a visit to the police station having spotted it in the same campus before. A couple of Adalats have taken up the onus. said ASI Pandav, full of admiration for these gritty women. Back at the adalat, the members had by then, successfully counseled a couple into reconciliation. I asked if they would keep a tab and check if the matter was fully resolved. They told me each case was allotted a follow-up period of two years and the members personally went and checked if all was well. I further asked what if that was not the case and the matter had worsened in the meantime. We are not here to give out punishments. If a matter needs more than discussion and counseling, we hand it over to the court of law I was told. The best part is that the contesting parties pay a nominal amount of `251 (only if they can afford to), while filing a case and that is all they have to pay. This money goes to the Nari Adalat fund and is used to sponsor the trips the members need during follow-ups. All this while I was so engrossed in the proceedings, I did not feel time pass by. Amidst hugs, farewell and invites to visit again, I left the building premises overwhelmed by this simple mechanism of empowerment. A striking example of the innate ability of women to manage kitchen to court with equal lan, I pondered. Watching these champions of social equality, I was confident that justice could finally be brought to Kajal.

Crime against women has reduced by more than 50% in the locality ever since the behens of Nari Adalats have taken up the onus

- I.S. Pandav
Assistant Sub-Inspector,

members enthusiastically escorted me. At the station the Assistant SubInspector, I.S. Pandav, greeted us warmly. They have shouldered half of our burden; crime against women has reduced by more than 50% in the locality ever since the behens of Nari

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In Focus

October, 2012

October, 2012

In Focus

Independence Day Celebrations

by Pranjal Srivastava
ndia's 66th Independence Day was celebrated at the Police Parade Ground in Junagadh. On the occasion the national flag was hoisted by the Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The colourful celebration was called Gauravgadh Junagadh. A trend has been set in Gujarat, where each year a lesser known place, other than the capital is chosen to host the Independence Day festival. During the course of the celebrations, the state government announces development incentives for the host district. Thus, Gujarat has set yet another new precedence of turning a national festival into a celebration of development. At the function, a special grant of `1 crore for each, the Junagadh Municipal Corporation, and the Junagadh District Rural and Urban Development was announced. Junagadh will soon get a medical college. A rise in the sum of cash awards given to villages based on their performance in local governance was declared too. The prize money was raised from `2-lakhs to `5-lakhs. In his address to the gathering the Chief Minister spoke about the mantra of Surajya (a land with good governance) calling it the need of the

hour. He further said that Gujarat's Propeople Proactive Good Governance (P2G2) was a model for the nation to follow. The steady growth of Gujarat was attributed to the success of the Panch Shaktis ( Jal Shakti, Jan Shakti, Gyan Shakti, Urja Shakti, Raksha Shakti) and the fact that Gujarat has achieved a 100% enrolment rate with a mere 2% drop out rate was rejoiced. Freedom fighters like Kanak Upadhyay, Labhshankar Dave,

Chhelbhai Pathak, Nathuji Rathod, Manu Joshi, Pratap Pathak and Chandu Dave were felicitated by the Chief Minister for their roles in achieving independence. The state government also launched a series of developmental schemes that resonated with Gujarat's development trajectory. Along with the felicitation of freedom fighters the monthly pension of freedom fighters was increased by `1000 per month. They will now be receiving `6000 per month. Twenty six thousand Scheduled Caste students are expected to benefit with the construction of 66 hostels in 36 towns. A significant announcement on Independence Day was the complete ban on Gutkha in the state from September 11 to rid the Gujarati society of the health hazards caused due to this addiction. The event saw huge participation and ended on an optimistic note and it was followed by a tree plantation drive throughout the state.

by Abhishek Shandilya

Japan and India have had a deep cultural bond and historic relations both believe in a liberal society and democratic governance For Asia to be the Global Hub of 21st century, Japan and India both are going to play major roles. The Chief Minister's historic visit to Japan, aimed at strengthening the ties between Gujarat and Japan, echoed such spirited sentiments. In his four day Japan tour, the Chief Minister called for a stronger collaboration between Japan and Gujarat, which he believes has the potential to change the world. The visit, scheduled from July 23rd to July 27th, started with CM Narendra Modi's address to the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO). The CM, in his speech, emphasised on the positive developments that have happened between the two regions since 2007. He termed the exchanges between Gujarat and Japan a 'regular affair' and said that the people of the two places have learnt a lot from each other and he hoped that this exchange will lead to major global possibilities. That these cultural exchanges of ideas are not new, and have continued since early days of Buddhism the relation between the two nations is indeed a historic as well as contemporary reality. On day -2 the Chief Minister met Japan's Dy. PM H.E. Mr. Katsuya Okada and many top level business executives and reiterated that Gujarat is one place where global businesses can look up to for investing in plants and manufacturing their products in the highly investment friendly atmosphere in Gujarat. The biggest enabler of this strength is the futuristic infrastructure which the State has created. In recent years, there is further focus on building world class infrastructure. They include the Special Investment Regions (SIRs), Industrial parks and Logistics parks. Indeed, a lot of prolific projects are coming up in Gujarat in collaboration

Strengthening Relations
CM s visit to Japan
with Japan, especially DMIC (Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor) and DFC (Dedicated Freight Corridor) projects that are being jointly developed by both the countries. Gujarat Government is committed towards creating conducive business environment for Japanese industry and thus has planned to set-up companies' preparations for its plant in Gujarat. He also met the Indian Engineers posted there. Later he received a warm reception from Hamamatsu Chamber of Commerce. On the 4th day, the Chief Minister visited Nagoya, Osaka and Kobe and met top leaders including a delegation from Toyota car makers and Mr. Hideaki Ohmura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture province in Nagoya who said that there are many similarities between Aichi and Gujarat. The Japan visit concluded on a very positive and high note with Chief Minister stating that, With this visit to Japan begins a new chapter of mutual trust. In all, the government delegation, lead by the Chief Minister, met 2000 key personnel, including 7 ministers and top businessmen and industrialists at 66 functions organised in his welcome. With such warmth and positivity emanating out of the tour, it surely gives hope that the west-most corner of India has a solid friend in the east of the world.

With this visit to Japan begins a new chapter of mutual trust

- Narendra Modi

two Japanese townships and eco-city projects. The Government of Gujarat is committed towards strong input of investment and has planned a Special Investment Region, at Dholera and Special Economic Zone at Dahej. On Day-3, the government prepared grounds for partnering with atleast 100 Japanese which shall put automobile units in the state. The Chief Minister also visited the Suzuki motor plant and had discussions with Suzuki Chairman Osamu Suzuki and sought the

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Photo Feature

October, 2012

October, 2012

Photo Feature

th

Independence Day
Celebrations at Junagadh

Tarnetar
Fair
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Environment

October, 2012

October, 2012

Environment

Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar

A Model for Wildlife Conservation

by Kruthika Rao

ong green grass stretched across a landscape as flat as the hardbound cover of a notebook; the air, thick with moisture, indicating the ongoing monsoon season. Amidst the lingering smell of wet mud and dew-laden grass are hundreds of pairs of black twisted horns. The slightest noise and the horns rise to display fully grown male Blackbucks majestically overlooking their territory. The Blackbuck National Park at Velavadhar in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat is one of the few sites in the country where Blackbucks are found in such large numbers. Merely a three hour drive from Gandhinager, this park allows a wildlife enthusiast to observe the Blackbucks in their natural habitat. Historically, the Bhal flatlands have primarily been the habitat of the Blackbucks. Reports of the forest department claim that during the preindependence era when Bhavnagar was

a princely state, the population of Blackbucks was close to 8,000 in this region. However, with hunting and habitat loss their population reduced to as low as 200 in 1966.

The Blackbuck National Pa r k a t Ve l a v a d h a r i n Bhavnagar district of Gujarat is one of the few sites in the country where Blackbucks are found in such large numbers.
It was then with the intervention of the Government of Gujarat that the area was declared a Sanctuary in 1969. The area under the purview of the Sanctuary was further enhanced in 1976 and the status upgraded to that of a National Park. There are close to 1,500-2,000 Blackbucks in the park currently, a number that has constantly risen over the years due to suitable conditions in the park, added K J Parmar, the assistant conservator of forest and the park incharge.

This unique landscape is also colonised by the shrub Prosopis Julifora (Ganda Babul). Although,Ganda Babul also provides cover to large predators like wolfs , jungle cats and Hyena that are among the other animals found in the park, the shrub tends to spread rapidly. The forest department has been instrumental in checking the overgrowth of Ganda Babul by timely eradication of the shrub. Watering holes in the park also attract a large variety of migratory birds. The Lesser Florican is one such endangered bird of the Bustard family that is found at the park between June to September. The Lesser Florican is known for its elaborate courting display and comes to the grasslands mainly to breed. The black male Florican performs a ritualistic display where it shoots up to over two meters in air, rotating along its head to delicately land inside the tall grass. It performs this courting display every five to eight minutes to woo the more coveted brown feathered female Florican, which is usually difficult to spot. The Floricans are very sensitive

birds and the protection that the park provides them has resulted in a gradual increase in their numbers over the years. According a recent census conducted by the forest department the number of territorial male Floricans is around 46. Another migratory bird found in the park between September to March is the Harrier. Harriers are birds of prey that come and roost in large numbers in the park. Mainly three species of Harriers Pale Harrier, Montague Harrier and the Marsh Harrier are seen in the park. They are a boon to the cotton growing farmers of the area as they consume rodents and insects that are harmful to the cotton crop. Velavadar is the largest communal roosting site of the Harriers in the world, their numbers reaching up to 1,500 in the month of December. When they arrive it is like a dark cloud moving towards you. The sky is completely covered by them like the arrival of dark clouds during monsoon, said Harpal Singh, a beat guard in the park. Apart from a lot to offer to birding enthusiasts, one animal which is a constant fixture in the park is the Striped Hyena. A vulnerable cub and a female Hyena came under the glare of the headlights of our pick-up truck during our rounds around the park. The Hyenas, mainly scavengers and considered conniving due to their depiction in popular culture are an alluring sight in the wild. Hyenas confronting wolves and wild boars during disputes over food make for an exhilarating experience to view. The rich bio-diversity at the Black

Call of the Wild : A striped hyena with its hunt

Buck National Park at Velavadhar can largely be attributed to the symbiotic relationship between the park management staff and the local community. Seven beat guards patrol areas within the park as well as outside it. The forest officials also have informants, who are villagers from nearby villages and inform the authorities in case of plans by miscreants to trespass park land. We haven't had a single case of poaching in the past ten years. The local community is mainly vegetarian and don't indulge in such activities. Night patrols have also curbed over grazing of the grasslands added K.J Parmar, the ACF of the Park. Ample protection for the animals due to initiatives by the park authorities and local support from the villagers have led to a successful conservation program at Velavadar, making it a haven for endangered species like the Blackbucks and the Lesser Floricans.

The rich bio-diversity at the Black Buck National Park at Velavadhar can largely be attributed to the symbiotic relationship between the park management staff and the local community.

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In Conversation With

October, 2012

October, 2012

In Conversation With

On Dhrupad's Depths...
In conversation with Sunita Avani Amin

that I was best suited for Dhrupad. I was also informed that you conduct classes in musicology? Can you explain about that field for our readers' benefit? I taught Introduction to Musicology at BITS, Pilani, Rajasthan for a semester. Musicology involves the study of various streams of thought on Music. Comparative studies between Western Classical Music and Indian Classical Music. A simplified understanding of the fundamentals of Indian classical music were also covered. What are the various streams of thought in music? What are the theories regarding the origin of Indian Classical Music? The Greek philosolphers had extensive theories on music from its origin to its effect on humans and even animals.The root of Indian Classical Music is believed to be the Sama Veda, from which originated the Prabandha gayaki. Raja Man Singh Tomar formalized the music in his court. The Mughal influence gave rise to Khayal while simultaneously all over India the Prabandh Gayaki evolved into the various forms that exist today. Since Dhrupad is a combination of the rest, does it make it more complex? Yes, it is complex but so is Carnatic Music. It is complex because it is orthodox in its practice, Riyaz. Riyaz entails getting up in the Brahma Kala and practicing a single note until dawn. Followed by the practice of overlapping scales and followed by a morning raga, some tans in the afternoon and another raga in the evening, a total of 6 to 8 hours a day. It is also complex in its use of laya (Tempo) and layakari (Rythm). Six to eight hours of practice would mean a lot of discipline. What keeps you going? I am a perfectionist and that is what motivates me. I also have a natural drive that pushes me, although the

Gitam, vadyam tatha nitryam, trayam sangeetam ucchate " quoted from the Natya Shastra and later again in the Sangeet Ratnakar best describes Sunita Avani Amin's wholistic training and personality. She first learnt Bharatanatyam and then went on to learn Dhrupad from Bahauddin Dagar, a Rudra Veena exponent and then from Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar. Sunita, trained in the Dagar tradition of Dhrupad has won hearts all over the country with her precise and soulful renditions. Dhrupad in the 'Dagarvani' tradition is one of the oldest forms of classical music which is still practiced. It is highly meditative in nature and considered a spiritual experience both for the singer as well as the listener. Kruthika Rao has a candid chat with the young musician about Dhrupad music and all that it has to offer in the current times. When did your tryst with Dhrupad begin? I started learning from Baha-ud'din Dagar in Bangalore and at his request I learnt under Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar at Dhrupad Sansar, IIT, Mumbai. The last three years I have been continuing my learning by visiting Dhrupad Gurukul at Palaspe, Panvel. The latter was set up by Baha-ud'din Dagar's father, Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. Learning from my guru's veena has been a precious gift. You are a trained Bharatanatyam dancer too. Why choose to pursue Dhrupad? As you may know I had done my Arangetram (dance initiation) under Guru Smt. Padmini Rao and my degree in dance from Oberlin College, but I had never learnt an art form that completely captured me from day one prior to Dhrupad of course. Besides I am a North Indian and language constitutes a major part of your culture and personality. Therefore, I concluded

"

Master at play : Enamouring the audience - Sunita Avani Amin (left)

ocean is so vast that nothing seems to be enough. It is ingrained in Gujarati culture, it seeks the best in everything from food to art to business! There is a lot of attention to detail. This is that backbone of our culture. It governs everything we do. Gujaratis are perfectionists...baddhu perfect joye! (she laughs) What is your advice to students of Dhrupad? Any form of Art requires practice along with the guidance of a guru. Rigorous riyaz should only be attempted after one has an understanding of Sur, Laya and Tala. Very often students are in a hurry to make it big and are impatient and compromise on one of these aspects. Mastery over Vilambit Laya involves an enormous amount of practice. Besides, because of the "fast" culture that we have adopted: fast food, fast cars, fast money making methods etc, we are losing the amount of patience that our forefathers had. In ancient times Carnatic singers used to sing 64 kalas between 2 beats! This is only sung by musicians such as R. Vedavalli in Chennai now. The younger generation needs to inculcate patience. Where have you received maximum appreciation for your art? In the Hall of Harmony across Shri. Aurobindo's Samadhi in Pondicherry. Also recently in Patiala. Music as therapy is being popularised in many places? How do you think music can be used for the same? Good music has vibrations that affect the soul of human and animals. It is not just pleasure that one feels but an upliftment of the self. Music has the ability to change the nature of a person and I am a true example of that. Where do you derive support from to continue your musical journey? My mother-in-law and Grand mother-in-law, very wise women, made me promise that I will never leave music come what may. My gurus' training has also been along these lines.

Dhrupad in the 'Dagarvani' tradition is one of the oldest forms of classical music which is s t i l l i n p ra c t i c e . H i g h l y meditative in nature, it is considered as a spiritual experience both for the singer as well as the listener

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Travel

October, 2012

October, 2012

Travel
well has four compartmental pillared pavilions with a draw well at the end. Five out of the seven storeys have been restored so you cannot descend all the way to the underground tank. Every wall of the well is embellished with stunning sculptures. Out of the original 800 sculptures, 400 have survived the test of time and today testify to the ageless beauty of the Solanki era. Other places to see: Trikam Barot ni Vav, Sahstraling Sarovar, Anand Sarovar (Gungadi Talav), Khan Sarovar, Old Kalka Mandir, Panchmukhi Hanuman, Jasma Odan ni Deri, old Mahalaxmi Mandir, Sindhavai Mata nu Mandir, Hingaraj Mandir, Panchasar Derasar and Sheikh Farid no Rojo. Also do not forget to visit the Mashru weavers, though not unique to Patan as Patola, Mashru weaving is an age old tradition in India influenced by the Persian style. This vibrant and attractive fabric is a must-have for your bridal trousseau.

Patan - The Lost Capital

Rediscovering Anhilpur
by Madhurima Mallik
age of no measurements and no invention to design cloth. Earlier, the Maharaja would acquire it from the Jalana king of Maharashtra who would send him used fabric. When the news reached the Maharaja, he ordered to move 200 families of weavers from Mahashtra to Patan.. None of them continued with the craft he trailed off. Patola is only one of the numerous remnants of a bygone era that Patan stands guard to. It is best to set aside four to five hours for a leisurely exploration of its bustling streets, the majestic step-well (Rani ki Vav) and a

s we wander along the narrow lanes sewn through the colour splashed stone houses of the medieval capital of Gujarat, Patan, a running commentary on its glorious past blends with the clunk from the stone carver's chisel and the metallic sounds from the silversmith's shanty. Munching on the succulent red Kutchi dates that are heaped on the carts of the numerous fruit vendors lining the lanes; we go looking for the Salvi household located in an area famous as Salvivad in the Old city. The Salvis are one of the only two remaining families that have preserved the ancient skill of Patola weaving. Amitabh Bachchan was here recently said Bharat Salvi, unfurling an exquisite red and gold fabric with a flourish. He does not take his eyes off the loom he is working on as he points to the wall opposite him covered with testimonials from celebrated people across the world. The workshop is a tiny part of the house where a bare silk thread is tied, naturally dyed and woven into a Patola (the legendary Patan ni Patola). Two men, one from the family Jayesh Salvi and another assistant Ibad ( a driver by profession) are all the manpower he has. Breaking into an anecdote Bharat Salvi says, Around thousand years ago, our clan was brought to Patan by Maharaja Kumar Pal, a connoisseur of the craft. It was an

A glimpse into Patan's past A fortified town on the bed of the mythical river Saraswati , Anhilpur Patan (historical name) was founded by Vanraj Chawda (of the Chawda Dynasty (746942 AD), predecessors of the Solankis) in 745 AD. Historian Tertius Chandler estimates that it was the tenth-largest city in the world in the year 1000, with a population of approximately 100,000.It remained the capital of Gujarat until Sultan Ahmed Shah shifted the capital to Ahmedabad in 1411. It is said that the famous Bhadra fort of Ahmedabad was named after Patan's old fort.

plethora of Jain and Hindu temples amidst a few mosques, dargahs and rojas acting as a reminder of its cultural significance. Beautiful havelis intersperse with small stone houses where beedi makers work industriously sitting at the doorsteps. They are happy to indulge the visitor's who want to try their hand at rolling the tendu leaves into beedis. Walking on the overlooking cramped streets you may chance upon open a humble looking Jain Bhojanalaya. Stop by for large and delicious vegetarian satvik meals available at a mere `20. There is so much to see in the vicinity that the food which is known to induces lethargy only energizes you for the journey ahead. The modern Patan is the seat of Hemchandraacharya North Gujarat Universty. Also, a medical center and a marketplace for farmers. The two kilometer journey from here to Rani ki Vav takes you through the busy marketplaces of the New city with flashing colourful bangdis (bangles) and clay toys. Lush manicured lawns welcome you as you enter the ASI site that houses the queen of all step-wells in India, the magnificent Rani Ki Vav. Near the entrance an iron board displays snippets of historical facts. The Vav is said to have been constructed by Rani Udayamati in the honour of her husband, the Solanki ruler Bhimdeva I (1022-1063). It is oriented in the eastwest direction and is 64 m long and 20 m wide. The depth of its shaft is 27 m. As we approach the well, the stretch of grass suddenly ends at the mouth of a vast trench dug into the earth. The massiveness surprises you and as you alight the steps (woven in between long corridors) of this intricately carved seven storey structure which goes beneath the ground level, you are transported to a world of extravagance and architectural splendour. Calling it the highest watermark of Solanki architecture is no exaggeration. You should hire an ASI certified guide for better understanding of the sculptures which have mythological bearings. The

Weaving History : The clad of traditional patan ni patola

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Art and Culture

October, 2012

October, 2012

Art and Culture

The Stage of Bhavai

The elegant art of theatre
by Abhishek Shandilya
prominent. The historical importance of Bhavai is established from the fact that it is said to have originated out of a major political event of the time. Bhavai was started in the 14th Century by Asaait, a scholar in dance and music, with the help of his three sons. The aim of the theatre was to educate people and society while entertaining them. It thus concentrated more on the plots (called Vesh) that were 'popular' and appended a social message to them. Some of the most popular Veshas included the Ram Leela, based on the mythology of Ramanaya and Kaan-Gopi (based on stories of Lord Krishna). Primarily, Bhavai was dedicated to the Goddess Amba and even today, during the Navratri festival, it is performed at the famous Amba temple near Mount Abu. The connection with the Goddess is in the name 'Bhavai' itself. Etymologically, it contains two Sanskrit words Bhav meaning Universe and Aai meaning mother; and together meaning, Mother of the Universe Amba. However, it is also said that Bhavai is called so because it is performed through Bhav -Sanskrit word for 'Expression'. It is said that Asaait produced 360 Veshas, out which, only 60 have survived. The artists are known as

ndia is a country known for her rich of art forms. Literature, Music, Dance and Theatre being the foremost forms of artistic traditions combine to form a source of rich story-telling. These art forms were of prime importance to the society as they exhibited not just the people's religious faith but also depicted the ill effects of social stigmas. Gujarat, a land of immense cultural importance, has its own dance theatres, of which Bhavai is one of the most

Bhavaiyaasand Naayaks. Bhavai more or less retained its original purpose, but one of the branches is said to have off shot to a more contemporary form which focused mainly on entertainment and lost its sheen subsequently. One of the most interesting facts of Bhavai is that it is performed only by males even the female parts. The women are only spectators. The Bhavai artists travel and perform for eight months in a year. The villagers recognise the group when it enters the village and eagerly wait for the sounds of Bhungal (a longer form of Bugle) which signals the start of the performance. Bhavai is an extremely simple form of theatre when considered in terms of production requirements. It is not dependent on heavy stage, lights and theatrical assistances and is performed in the available open space. Historically, it didn't have rules as such, but with time, certain practices have become common to it. For example, the portrayal of famous historical personalities has become a cult. Thus the Naayaks do not build the characters in the plot as they are recognised by their dresses and props. The only musical instruments used are Drums, cymbals and Sarangi. Thus, it can be said that the brilliance of this art form

Colours of expression : A bhavai artist

can be attributed to its sheer focus on acting, which obviously requires tremendous energy on part of the actors. Through humour, the dance form conveys special social messages, reflecting on social injustice, caste stigmas, etc. The Naayak is the chief protagonist and he is assisted by a Jester. The main humour comes from Ranglo or Ranglee who lights up the audience through his hilarious acts. Bhavai became popular in the courts of feudal lords and nawabs of the time. During this time, the Naayak Bhavaiyaas prospered. But with the onset of advanced contemporary theatre, slowly but gradually, Bhavai lost its prime place. The new theatres however owe many of their hit performances to it. It is important to mention here that the Government of Gujarat, recognising the importance of Bhavai as a key cultural tradition, has announced an assistance of `90 lakh for its benefit. Bhavai is to be seen and not just read about. It is to be understood through its artistic representations. Any amount of writing shall not do justice to its beauty. The very history it originated from, the dedication of Naayaks, and their connect with the folks the heritage it represents now, shows the strong will of the Bhavaiyyas who have preserved it for over 600 years no amount of oral or written material can fully represent what Bhavai is, but Bhavai itself.

Ramlo : Tickling the audience

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At a Glance

October, 2012

Upcoming Events
Navratri (October 15-October 24)
Gujarat dances to the catchy beats of folk music during the nine days of Navratri, literally meaning nine nights. This is the time of the year when every Gujarati village and city pulsates with people performing the raas garba until dawn. Garba or garbo is the legendary folk dance of the state performed to the melodious tune of the flute and beats of various percussions. The word originated from 'Garbhdeep'-meaning an earthen pot with holes and a lamp lit inside, symbolic of the human body and the divine soul within. Accordingly an earthen pot is placed in the centre of the circles that are formed while performing the dance. Possibly the world's largest Dance festival ever, it is celebrated with fervour all over India, but one can watch it in its most passionate form only in Gujarat. October 15th to 24th are the scheduled dates and the world is welcome to join in.

Rann Utsav (December 15-January 31)

Come December, we will see the Carnival of Rann Utsav being celebrated in all its grandiose. This year, the annual, month and half long event will begin from the 15th of December and go on till 31st January. The festival saw 8,000 international visitors last year and more are expected this year to drown themselves in the magical and unique experience that only Kutch can provide. The festival echoes with folk music and it's a podium exhibiting folk dance art and handicrafts. Adding to it, are the three days leading to the full moon day, which in the Kutch's otherworldly landscape give an enormity and breathtaking beauty to the moon. At the Rann Utsav, the stage is set for anybody willing to experience the union of a harsh, picturesque landscape and an equally vivid culture that it surprisingly supports.

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