Trip Excerpt: Khadi of Gondal
During the end of our 1800 km bike trip across the south Gujarat we visited Gondal. We had an idea that it was the khadi hub of Gujarat. I love khadi and admire Gandhian ideology on khadigram and rural industries.
Part:1
7/7/2015
It was our last day to travel to a new destination, next day we had to head back to Bhuj. We left for Rajkot from Junagarh at around 1830 hours. On the way we decided to try our luck and stop at Gondal, there was a risk of us getting no place to sleep or eat since it is a small town. It was dark when we reached there, we were looking for "Udyog Bharti". Satish, my trip partner knew that Udyog Bharti is the celebrated khadi organisation there, but it closes at 5.
We reached Gondal and searched for Udyog Bharti's office. It was closed. There was a guard sitting outside a huge gate. The smaller gate within the huge gate was opened. We were in the traveler's attire and our bike was loaded with our travel bags. Keeping the "nothing to loose" quote in mind we asked the guard if we could meet the head of the organisation. Satish knew the name of the head. Surprisingly the guard welcomed us, made us park our bike and took us straight to the room of the head of the place.
We waited outside his office room. On the name plate it was written "Mantri" or minister. He greeted us with so much enthusiasm that it looked like he was already expecting us. He excitedly asked us about us, about our trip and how could he help us. Satish being involved in textiles and fabrics had good discussions. I talked to him about how is the gandhian ideology of decentralisation and small cottage industries is taken forward and was the idea still there in the roots of such organisations or it died a slow death.
He asked us to stay at the campus and promised us to show their innovations and workshops next day morning. We replied in affirmative. He took us to our room. The whole campus was the visual representation of what I read in Christopher Alexender's "timeless way of building". Built in the 60's the building was indeed timeless. The room was very serene and simple. Everything from the desk, the carpet, the coat brush in the bottom drawer of the study table was so simple and detailed. The room looked liked as if gandhiji lived there. As if the great discussions of the satyagrah movement were held there. It was like the built form of happy nostalgia. Everything was as if pushing us to do and achieve something in life.
We had dinner and pan. It was gujarati thali all pre-paid by Udyog bharti. During the whole Gujarat trip, most of the food we had was free. We travelled almost 230 km that day.It was a very comfortable sleep. Like the one when you sleep early at night and wake up just after two minutes only to realize that its morning and you have been sleeping the whole night.
It was our last day to travel to a new destination, next day we had to head back to Bhuj. We left for Rajkot from Junagarh at around 1830 hours. On the way we decided to try our luck and stop at Gondal, there was a risk of us getting no place to sleep or eat since it is a small town. It was dark when we reached there, we were looking for "Udyog Bharti". Satish, my trip partner knew that Udyog Bharti is the celebrated khadi organisation there, but it closes at 5.
We reached Gondal and searched for Udyog Bharti's office. It was closed. There was a guard sitting outside a huge gate. The smaller gate within the huge gate was opened. We were in the traveler's attire and our bike was loaded with our travel bags. Keeping the "nothing to loose" quote in mind we asked the guard if we could meet the head of the organisation. Satish knew the name of the head. Surprisingly the guard welcomed us, made us park our bike and took us straight to the room of the head of the place.
We waited outside his office room. On the name plate it was written "Mantri" or minister. He greeted us with so much enthusiasm that it looked like he was already expecting us. He excitedly asked us about us, about our trip and how could he help us. Satish being involved in textiles and fabrics had good discussions. I talked to him about how is the gandhian ideology of decentralisation and small cottage industries is taken forward and was the idea still there in the roots of such organisations or it died a slow death.
He asked us to stay at the campus and promised us to show their innovations and workshops next day morning. We replied in affirmative. He took us to our room. The whole campus was the visual representation of what I read in Christopher Alexender's "timeless way of building". Built in the 60's the building was indeed timeless. The room was very serene and simple. Everything from the desk, the carpet, the coat brush in the bottom drawer of the study table was so simple and detailed. The room looked liked as if gandhiji lived there. As if the great discussions of the satyagrah movement were held there. It was like the built form of happy nostalgia. Everything was as if pushing us to do and achieve something in life.
We had dinner and pan. It was gujarati thali all pre-paid by Udyog bharti. During the whole Gujarat trip, most of the food we had was free. We travelled almost 230 km that day.It was a very comfortable sleep. Like the one when you sleep early at night and wake up just after two minutes only to realize that its morning and you have been sleeping the whole night.
About Udyog bharti (source:website) : "Udyog Bharti, Gondal is registered under Public Charitable Trust Act by Khadi Gramodyog Commission of India & Gujarat State Khadi Gramodyog Bhord.
Udyog Bharti was established in 1957 in a very small room to give self-respected employment to the scorn & needy people by handspun & handwoven Khadi &Gramodyog (i.e.Village industries).
These days approximately 2,000 families are earning their bread with the help of Udyog Bharti Now-a-days the world is under the pressure of economical ups & downs, the distraction of environment & adverse effect of industrialization & many other factors. So, developed countries are trying to adopt "Gandhian Thoughts".
The goal of institution is to produce goods & thereby to employ people as suggested by Mahatma Gandhi."
Udyog Bharti was established in 1957 in a very small room to give self-respected employment to the scorn & needy people by handspun & handwoven Khadi &Gramodyog (i.e.Village industries).
These days approximately 2,000 families are earning their bread with the help of Udyog Bharti Now-a-days the world is under the pressure of economical ups & downs, the distraction of environment & adverse effect of industrialization & many other factors. So, developed countries are trying to adopt "Gandhian Thoughts".
The goal of institution is to produce goods & thereby to employ people as suggested by Mahatma Gandhi."
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