"Success lies in the ability to share both your achievements and your sorrow with a “family” of people who care,” says Acharya Vinod (Vinod Ji). Vinod Ji illustrates with a story about an elderly lady who sends a telegram to her wealthy son telling him that she is unwell and needs him to come home immediately. The son calls and tells his mother that he is busy in his work and with his children’s exams, but not to worry: she should visit the best of doctors and he will cover the expenses. To the youth group in Deoghar (Jharkhand), the story’s point is clear: Wealth does not bring happiness; success lies in human connections and the feeling of togetherness.
Vinod Ji, currently the mantri (executive director) of the Sewagram Gandhi Ashram (Wardha Maharashtra), founded the Vivekananda Yuva Chatrakul in 1991 in his hometown of Deoghar, Jharkhand. For almost two decades, Vinod Ji nurtured dozens of youth in the likeness of Ramashankar (currently a corporal in the Indian Air Force) and Harendra (a lecturer at the Hindi Vidhyapeeth and an official for the local NREGA office). Vinod Ji’s goal was to create a peer-driven family environment with a strong foundation of human values and personal responsibility for nation-building.
In the early days, the Chatrakul focused on building individual leadership qualities (time management, public speaking, general knowledge, etc.) and on strengthening youth’s understanding of India and her root culture. On Sundays, the Chatrakul youth would meet for an all-religion prarthna and informal discussions where the youth could share their opinions on topics of national interest such as women’s rights, the value of education, imperialism/colonialism, the poverty line, etc. On Tuesdays, the Chatrakul would host competitive general knowledge quizzes. On Thursdays, the Chatrakul would organize competitive debates. Vinod Ji and the Chatrakul had a regular following of 20-25 youth (both boys and girls) who could impress even the most seasoned veteran with the youth’s sense of responsibility, depth of understanding, and ability to articulate their thoughts.
In the late 1990s, the Chatrakul also celebrated local festivals and Independence Day in their full regalia (based on the true meaning of the holiday). For example, the Chatrakul youth celebrated Raksha Bandan to build a larger fraternity amongst youth to honor, support, and protect each other in their endeavors. Independence Day included a “prabhat feri” (morning round of greetings), village clean-up, and discussions about the importance of freedom.
To build community with nearby villages (radius of 20 kilometers), Vinod Ji and the Chatrakul youth would set out on day-long bicycle yatras – cycling to a village in the morning; visiting homes and getting a fistful of grains from each household; making khichidi (porridge); inviting the villagers they met to sing songs, play games and eat together; and finally cleaning-up and heading home before nightfall. Chatrakul youth would also take field trips as far away as Orissa and Kanyakumari.
In addition, Vinod Ji’s younger brother – Pramod Kumar Premji (affectionately called “Khakho Bhai” for short) – led a “theatre for change” program at the Chatrakul until 2005. Khakho Bhai is an actor and stand-up comedian. Khakho Bhai, Nirmala Didi (Vinod Ji’s aunt who runs a local school), and other family elders are often present at the Chatrakul to provide guidance and support.
In 2003, Vinod Ji became the national chairman for “Yuva Bharat” and began to travel around the country to inspire youth leadership for the nation. The Chatrakul continued its activities in the able hands of Chaitali Swaroop, one of the original Chatrakul members. In 2008, Vinod Ji shifted his main residence to the Sewagram Ashram; in 2009, Chaitali got married and joined her husband in Seuri, West Bengal.
The Chatrakul continues with limited activities including its Sunday discussions and an annual camp. Regular attendance has dropped to approximately 10-12 youth. While the numbers have diminished, the spirit remains strong under Vinod Ji’s offsite guidance. Chatrakul alumni – such as Ramashankar currently stationed at Port Blair – remain in close touch and assist with the annual camp and other activities where possible.
Need for Project:
Few look to Jharkhand for national leadership; however, there is tremendous potential in the Chatrakul youth from Deoghar. As many of the youth from the Chatrakul have graduated and moved on in their own lives, there is a growing need to build new youth leadership as well as to rekindle old sparks in Chatrakul alumni. The new generation of Chatrakul youth leaders need to understand both the Chatrakul mission and how to move the message forward with their peers. Themes such as personal responsibility for the nation and understanding self have limited appeal in an era of on-demand comforts and competitive earnings. However, there remains a strong values-based foundation in Deoghar and a sense of community that can support such leadership.
As an August 2010 Indicorps Fellow, you will build a new cadre of youth leadership at the Chatrakul.
As a part of the Chatrakul team, you will support budding Chatrakul youth leaders in ways that help deepen their understanding of service, enhance their critical thinking ability, and tackle relevant social issues. You may revive street plays, cycle yatras, or competitive debates. You may also invite speakers and/or provide additional prompts to frame the weekly Sunday discussions. You can help create a regular newsletter with stories, drawings, and poems from the Chatrakul members. You should involve the Chatrakul youth in all aspects of the process, including writing articles, editing, publishing, distributing, etc.
You should begin by understanding the mission and activities of the Chatrakul. You should participate as an active listener in the Sunday discussions. You should participate in the daily routine of regular Chatrakul participants. You should find ways to understand the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of these youth. You should also attempt to understand what drives them to care about goals bigger than self and what constraints they face in committing to a life of service.
You should also meet their families: (1) as a means to understanding social, economic, and cultural backgrounds; (2) to build their buy-in and support for Chatrakul activities; and (3) to help build an atmosphere that engenders pride in what these youth (especially girls) are achieving. You should pay particular attention to restrictions the youth face due to larger social pressures and community gossip and be ready to help overcome community apprehensions.
You should communicate with Chatrakul alumni and find ways to rejoin them to the larger mission. You can elicit their help in planning the annual camp held 28-31 December, engaging in mentorship activities, and/or participating in/planning outings for additional leadership building.
Overall, however, you should make sure that the Chatrakul youth have an understanding and ability to carry the program forward. You should develop a package of tools that will enhance the youth leaders’ core competencies and channel their energy into constructive action. You should establish and document best methods and practices that allow the continuance of efforts after your departure.
Target Community:
The target of the program will be youth between the ages of 18 and 35 years. This includes youth from local schools, colleges, and young professionals. The majority of youth have commitments such as school or work during the day, and thus are usually available in the latter half of the day. For college students, certain months of the year are very busy due to exams and other deadlines.
The current Chatrakul youth team is incredibly talented in music and art. They are warm, friendly, and have tremendous public self-confidence. The girls sing beautifully; the boys tell jokes on open-mikes. They have great patience and are respectful of elders. Many of the girls are highly motivated but are unable to participate fully in Chatrakul activities because of family obligations or social pressures.
Objectives:
• To build leadership capacity in the next generation of Chatrakul youth
• To assist new leadership to understand the need for commitment and self-discipline
• To introduce new programs that are consistent with Chatrakul’s philosophy and student interests
Challenges:
• Understanding the core of Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi’s values and connecting to them to Chatrakul’s mission of building principled leadership
• Overcoming social hurdles to enable full participation by Chatrakul girls
• Acknowledging that the number one priority of young Chatrakul males is getting a steady job
• Developing a leadership curriculum and organizing structure that accounts for the varied schedules, motivation levels, and interests of potential volunteer leaders
You will live with Vinod Ji’s extended family or with one of the long-time Chatrakul members’ families. Simple vegetarian food will be provided. You will do your own laundry and assist with other household chores. Deoghar has its own train station (walking distance) and is close to Jasidih junction which is well connected to Howrah/Kolkata. Howrah is connected to other cities in India through trains and buses. As Deoghar has a famous yoga ashram and is a pilgrimage site (one of 12 famous Shiv lingas), international dialing and internet facilities are easily available in town. Pedal rickshaws and shared auto rickshaws are available for local transportation; however, almost everything in Deoghar is within walking distance.
The language spoken at the Chatrakul is Hindi. For this project, a basic knowledge of Hindi is required. If you do not have basic knowledge of Hindi, you can still apply if you commit to gaining a basic understanding by the beginning of the Fellowship year.
You will be mentoring young leaders and guiding them as they seek to develop their leadership skills and utilize these skills in their community. What is your vision of success for these youth? What would you need to see to feel that you had accomplished something in the community?
2.
A local boy, Arvind, started a youth debate club which you agreed to assist with. Arvind developed the topics for debate, recruited club members, and scheduled meetings; your role has been to advise him on creating agendas and outreach. Ten minutes before the first debate Arvind calls you and tells you that he's going to go to his uncle's in the city, and so he won't be able to make it to the debate. There are already thirty youth in the hall waiting for the debate to begin. You do not know the topics of the debate, nor do you know more than 2-3 of the participants. What will you do?
3.
Many of the youth at Chatrakul will look to you for structure and guidance, and you will need to provide confident leadership to the youth. Explain how you have shown leadership in an unstructured environment. How did you yourself stay centered in that situation, and how did you lead others from uncertainty to self-determination?
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