Near Nasik in Maharashtra, there is the Kardam Ashram. at times also referred to as the Karanji Ashram. Here we have an ancient temple of Lord Dattatreya, the locals have great devotion towards this temple and some believe that the ruling diety has miraculous powers. The head priest of this temple is Brahmchari Shri Shivdas Giri. A Brahmchari is one who remains immersed in the contemplation of the Brahman, or the formless aspect of God. Brahmcharis fully abstain from sex or other worldly matters. The Brahmchari had come to this ashram at age four and has remained here since. He has been the head priest since 1970. The Brahmchari is a Mouni that is he does not speak, he has not uttered a word for over thirty years. But he is a bit different from other yogis, he tills his fields, has fought for and reclaimed his ashram lands from people who had illegally encroached upon them, he fully identifies with the villagers around his ashram and wants to do whatever he can to improve their lot. Devotees visiting the Ashram refer to him as Babaji.
The devotees of Kardam Ashram are primarily tribals from 500 villages surrounding it. The tribals are extemely poor and backward. They lack employment and the basic facilities of life, like schools, hospitals etc. They are given to various evils like alcoholism, malnutrition, drug addiction, and various other family related problems. Though the government has various schemes for tribal development and village upliftment, the tribals are unable to take advantage of the existing schemes due to lack of education and awareness and apathy towards their problems amongst the officials. The state of the tribals in the villages surrounding Kardam Ashram is indeed pathetic.
Brahmchari Shivdas Giri understands the problems faced by the tribals and realises that the only long term solution lies in education. Babaji has himself never been to school, but he has a great desire to spread education amongst the poor villagers around his ashram, he also has an indomitable will and is driven by the selfless aim of uplifting the poor tribals. He never had the means to start schools in the area, never-the-less he took up the cause and first started a free coeducational Marathi medium school, in a village near his ashram. This school did not meet the requirements of the tribals, so he decided to start a free residential school for the local tribals. The tribal school was started on the ashram land. The government provides financial assisstance for running tribal schools. When the tribal school was started the government sanction had until then not been recieved, Babaji had however admitted approximately 350 children to the school. I happened to be visiting the ashram at that time, 350 children had been admitted but there were no teachers and there wasn't much money. I being a typical manager who forever is seeing the economic viability of a venture, querried him on the wisdom of admitting the children, without the requisite means of supporting their education. At this Babaji replied with a smile, that at least the children were getting three full meals, the problem of their studies will be addressed subsequently. I later learnt that a majority of the children had developed loose motions as they were not accustomed to having full meals, this gave me a knot in my throat that would refuse to go. Presently the Babaji has 850 children in his tribal school but he has government sanction for only 350 children, how he supports the remaining 500 children is anybody's guess. Whatever be the difficulties Babaji faces, there is no compromise in the quality of food provided to the children, and a look at their happy and bright faces brings the point home.
It is an unfortunate fact of our country that most good jobs are available to only those who know english. Babaji is fully aware of this national failing, so in addition to the two schools already running, he decided to start an english medium school. The students were there but teachers of the required calibre were not available, as the ashram is located 40 Kms from Nasik. Any school is only as good as the teachers that run it. Well, the english school which had started with 200 students is now left with only 50. In case Babaji is unable to find staff of the required standard, the remaining students just may decide to leave him.
Not to be done under by the difficulties he faces, Babaji has gone ahead and raised a building for the english school with 24 classrooms in it. The school has few students and very few teachers, Babaji is in immediate need of help, in the form of teachers of the required standard and the money to run his schools. Not much help is coming his way, but he has immense faith in his mission and a smile that puts all doubts to rest.
