The day we reached Kausani we went for a short trek to a place called Laxmi Ashram...it's a trek of about 2 Km's from the pint sized market at Kausani. It is not a place that is popular with the tourists visiting Kausani, unfortunately so.
Laxmi Ashram is the place where Sarla Ben,a desciple of Mahatma Gandhi lived and did her bit for the betterment of the society and the enviorment.
Sarla Ben met Gandhi Ji when he visited Kausani during 1929...for just two days but was so enamoroed by the enviorns of Kausani that she decided to stay back.....all her life!! Sarla Ben (ben means sister in Gujarati).
Sarla ben worked for not just women empowerment but was also an ardent supporter of enviornment protection....she has authored several books on these topics....Sarla Ben died on the 8th of July 1982. But her legacu continues....there are more than 75 girls still call the ashram home sweet home.
The ashram provides them with food shelter and an excellent study enviornment.....infact the girls have the option of compeleting the masters degree.....and I must add that I personally found it very comendable....
The girls at he ashram are also given vocational training...and we also met the vocational training incharge...a pleasent lady by the name of Kalawati.
Ms.Kalawati who studied at the ashram herself and has been working here since 1984. Kalawati showed us the joss sticks, aweaters, caps etc...that the girls made. I ended up buying certain herbs and a packet of joss sticks from the ashram....while going back we also met another worker called Basanti.
(Kalawati and Me )
Ms. Basanti was involved with several projects meant for improving the ecological balance at places like Kausani, Bageshwar, Pinath etc....
Ms. Basanti was so happy to see us at the ashram that she gave us several basil (tulsi) saplings to plant....unfotunately by the time I reached Delhi...alll of them died.
(Ms. Basanti tending her garden)
Something which was quite evident when I visited Laxmi Ashram was that this place is definately not on Kausani tourist radar....it's both sad and dissapointing as it is places like these that need a lot of support both moral, emotional and economical from people like you and me....I have noticed this in India a lot we Indians don't mind travelling 30 K.m.'s to go to a bar...but to travel 3 k.m. to go to such a place does not cross our minds.....
Anyways as far as I am concerned I was deeply influenced by Sarla Ben's Work...a legacy that is now being propelled by the likes of Kalawati and Basanti...
As a bonus we were treated to an excellent panoramic view from Laxmi Ashram...it would be an underststement if I said that I was smitten by the natural bueaty that shines in all it's glory at Laxmi Ashram....
If you happen to visit Kausani ever please do visit the Ashram....i'm sure you would love it.
TC always,
Siddharth Tewari
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