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The Gurukula Experience
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The core family here consists of 6 humans, 11 cats, 3 cows, 1 dog, and numerous trees, lots of butterflies, lots of birds, snakes, mongooses and jackals. Vinay continues |
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Some incidents may be cited which may help understand the role of the
Gurukula today: Last year a young man and woman came to us. They were
from Kerala -- the man a Muslim, the woman a Christian. Both were from
educated, wealthy upper middle class families, and very much in love with
each other. The families were both very much against them having anything
to do with each other. The young couple had waited for a number of years,
hoping the families would come to better senses. Not only did that not
happen, the woman was locked up in her own house and frantic efforts were
on to get her married off to someone, anyone, as long as he was a Christian.
The man's family, not to be outdone, was threatening to murder him if
he did not give her up. Somehow they managed to run away together and
reached Bangalore where they had a few friends. They went to many churches,
mosques and temples, wanting to get married. They wanted a religious ceremony,
but nobody would get them married unless one or both of them were converted
to a particular religion. They did not want this; neither were they willing
to do with a registered (civil) marriage. Finally, some friends brought
them to us. After talking to them, we agreed to get them married. We had
a ceremony where prayers from the Koran, the Bible and the Vedas were
recited by all. We issued them a certificate as well, recognising their
love and devotion to each other. They are now living in their own hometown,
the families slowly becoming open to them.
More near, in a village 4 kms away from us, there is a young mother and
father with 2 sons. The father is an "untouchable" while the mother is
"high caste". We are very thrilled at such efforts, however minuscule
they may be, that show us that we need not give up home, that it is possible
to transform lives of individuals while we wait for 'total' or 'global'
revolutions to change the human but for the better.
I also remember receiving a postcard from someone who had visited us 12
years before. The card had only one line written on it. "The seed has
sprouted", which reminds me of the sower of seeds in the parable of Jesus.
These are a few examples cited in the hope that they will reflect some
aspects of the Gurukula. But they remain incomplete, as the whole way
of life, in each of its moments, days, is unique and different; may be
the only constant is the intensity of purpose to fulfil each moment. We
are also involved in organic/natural farming, reforestation efforts as
part of the spiritual discipline we try to live. Agriculture, thus practised
is an easy way of gaining insight into how all life is interdependent,
and grows together.
The numerous friends, who visit the Gurukula, from different parts of
the world, keep in touch regularly, making for an ever-growing network.
The Gurukula is also associating with Pipal Tree, an NGO in Bangalore
City on communal conflict resolution in holding training workshops and
other awareness programmes. The Gurukula is also in close contact with
some 20 villages around. We are invited for weddings and other community
events and often are able to raise some questions at least about their
age-old sustainable ways that are being mercilessly eroded by the all-pervasive
consumerist 'development' models.
We also seek to revitalise liberative elements in the spiritual traditions
of the people and are involved in translating into and from Kannada, Malayalam,
Sanskrit and English, different indigenous poetic expressions. A translation
of 200 poems of the 12th century Kannada poetess, Akka Mahadevi, is ready
for publication.
In the word Gurukula, kula means family. So the Gurukula is a wisdom family.
It excludes no one, no thing. Right now, the core family here consists
of 6 humans, 11 cats, 3 cows, 1 dog, and numerous trees, lots of butterflies,
lots of birds, snakes, mongooses and jackals. Talking of birds, I am reminded
of the beginning of a poem of wisdom, 2500 years old. The student asks
the teacher, "Is it through contemplation or through action that one attains
liberation?" The Guru answers, "Verily, my dear, just as a bird soars
up to the heavens on both its wings, it is through contemplation and action
together that one attains liberation".