Today we travel to Sewagram near Vardha, Maharashtra
where Gandhiji’s Ashram is located. Just entering the enclosure a peace filled
each one of us and the surroundings were just so serene and calm, adding to
that peace.
We saw the simple and humble way Gandhiji lived and what
few possessions he maintained. Everything had been preserved to beautifully.
There were different houses and huts and all of them had the information of who
lived there and how it was used. There was even a western style toilet, which the caretakers say Gandhiji maintained himself.
In the center, there was a prayer ground where everyday there would be a prayer service with Gandhiji, and prayers even held there today. We held our own prayer here for a few minutes with everyone. It felt like a very sacred space, to stand there and hold hands, recite verses from the Bible, The Vedas and the Quran.
Just before leaving, we met the president of the board
that maintains the ashram, and he said the most profound thing –“ Mat bhed ho sakta hai, leking mann bhed nahi
hona chahiye. Gandhiji is hi me vishwas rakhte the aur ye hi seekh
dete the.”
(There can be a difference of opinion, but there should
not be a difference in heart and mind. Gandhiji believed in this and preached
this.)
This very simple but deep saying touched all of us
somewhere within and really influenced us. It was saying a lot of what our
yatra is about and the message it carries. I’m sure we will also spread this
message in our future sessions.
There is too much to write about this ashram, so here is
the link you can check for more information:
After this we head over to Padrithana about 20 or so kms
from Sewagram. Here we are greeted by the sweetest children from the village
closeby. They all must have been about 30 of them, between 6-12 years old and
were so warm to all of us and were so eager to take pictures with us and talk
to us.
We began the Way of the Cross, which is a pilgrimage visiting 14 stations,
each representing a step in the process of ‘Condemning Christ to death’ to
where ‘He is being laid in the tomb.’ The erection and use of the stations were
not in common use till the 17th century, but now they can be found
in almost every church.
Here, the stations were on a hill 20-30 feet away from
each other. Stations can be of stone, wood, metal, sculpted or carved, or even
paintings and engravings. In this case, they were engraved on stone blocks. The
object of the stations is to help the faithful to make in spirit, as it were, a
pilgrimage to the chief scenes of Christ’s suffering and death. It is carried
out by passing from station to station, with certain prayers at each and devout
meditation on the various incidents in turn.
Father Mathew and the children led as we followed. They
sang hymns between each station and Father said the prayer at each. We reach
the top station right at the top of the hill and adding to the beauty of the
prayers was the view of Nagpur from this height. Dark had fallen by this time
and you could see all the lights of houses twinkling across the plain. The
whole experience was very enriching.
On the way back to Nagpur, Rakesh and some of the Fathers got into a
discussion on the bus about states and their capitals. Rakesh felt that they
were all haphazardly set and all the boundaries should be reset keeping the
capital of each state in the center of the state.
“If all the other cities are 4-5 hours away from the
capital, then anyone can go and do work there and then come back the same day
also. Abhi they are all near the borders and so far away for so many places.. Kuch change karna chahiye.”
Fr. Franklin said, “When you become Prime Minister, then
you do that 1st thing.”
“Yes. I will do.”
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