Introduction
My childhood was marked by struggles with conventional education, leaving me with a persistent feeling of not fitting in. The struggle and unfulfilled longing for a deeper, truer learning continued even in the college, which made me drop out of college in my fourth year. It was at that point of time that I decided to go for a transformative 2.5-year journey living in the forests of Aravali. This journey took me from one tribe to another, from village to village, where I encountered children and people with a profound connection to the forest, unlike anything I had ever seen. They knew far more than urban school-going children. The only difference was that their knowledge was in a different language, and they had very little information about the world and the nation. But if you asked them about their ancestors, herbal plants, festivals, and more, they had a wealth of knowledge stored in their minds.
The Seeds of Forest Iscool
There was a village called Talai, where I stayed for four months. I noticed something unique: every full moon night, the villagers hosted a bhajan (devotional song) event at the top of the hill outside the temple, and the entire village attended. These bhajans went on from 11 pm until 5 am. One day, I also attended their bhajans with my flute. I sang with them and played the flute to accompany them, which was a beautiful experience.
During the bhajan, I noticed the children gradually leaving at around 2am, presumably to sleep. By 4 I was feeling tired too so I told Laxman, my host, I was returning to the hut. Upon reaching home, I found, to my shock, no children there. Their mother in the hut had no idea of their exact whereabouts either but she wasn’t worried at all. She reassured me the kids would return safely, but the thought of a 5 year old girl and a 9 year old boy getting lost in the forest full of nocturnal predators didn’t let me sleep at all.
A profound Encounter
It was finally around 5:30 or 6 o'clock, that Laxman's children and others returned from the forest, brimming with excitement and stories of their adventures. I sat up and asked them about their experiences, loaded with a list of questions. But for each of my questions, they had a story to tell. I put aside my questions and simply listened to their stories. While listening, I drifted into deep sleep.
In the morning, I woke up, reflecting on the wonderful life these children were leading. Their connection with nature was beyond imagination. They saw the forest as something exciting and playful, a stark contrast to how many people view it as a scary and dangerous place. Just imagine the level of confidence those kids would have at the level of physical fitness and sharp senses to just walk into the forest at night. They can handle any life situations with those fearless forest nights. The friendship that group shared, to rely on each other and have each other's backs in times of danger. This incident left a deep impression on my heart and became a model for the kind of education I believed in.
A Vision for Forest Iscool
The bright light of the moon
and the experiences of these children revealed a new direction, igniting deep questions about the fundamentals of our education system. In my quest for answers, the concept of Forest Iscool was born. It's a vision of a system where children have the freedom to express their thoughts and ideas about life, where nature is intertwined with education, and where the basic elements of life are cherished. We envision a place where the well-being of children and their connection to nature are paramount, fostering a fearless approach to life's challenges and a deep sense of community.
Join us in creating a transformative education system that connects with the essence of life itself.
By Azad
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