The project peace education and library has been designed for the enhancement of peace education and library in Gati VDC. Shree Kali Devi Secondary School will be the first introduction of peace education and library program among entire Gati, Sindhupalchok. IMAGINE PEACE is a network of people who work for peace in various areas such as culture, arts, education, citizens’ movement, and publication that had provided financial support for the project. And in coordination of Namaste Nepal a part of this project, Peace education tour had been organized on 10th April 2017 for 8th grade of the school. 24 students, 3 teachers, a SMC member and for the tour coordination a staff was participated in the tour. Namaste Nepal had allocated NRs. 350000/- budget for the tour and remaining budget shall be spent for peace education library as well as planned to continue as an annual program. |
| Tour participants |
A six days journey awaited us to Chitwan from Sindhupalchok. The plan was to kick off from there. We were traveling by Bus that took us to Kathmandu in 4 hours. During the trip, along with the Araniko highway we travelled through a number of beautiful villages, towns with magnificent views. First morning of the journey, we stopped for breakfast at a bus stop called Zerokilo, Kavrepalanchok. Though it is small market, business carried out by different vendors which remain mainly transit for meal. We continued our journey and passed through Dhulikhel, a very picturesque town. We were mesmerized by its beauty and authenticity and it certainly felt like a special place to view majestic mountains in North. There were a number of shops selling groceries, the local cuisine, and at the far end of the town at the junction where the treks heading to Nagarkot start, there was a bus station and fuel center nearby. Half an hour later we reached Bhaktapur, beautiful historical town which is the valley touched with Kathmandu valley. There, we had driven on an invigorating and wide fast track road, supported by Japan Government. In the meantime, kids started to vomit because of motion sickness as they had never travelled such a long distance by bus. Those kids were pampered by school teachers whereas other was lookin
g out onto the scene from the window. After leaving Bhaktapur and before we reached Tribhuwan Highway, we came across our capital city of Nepal where we stopped to get some bottle of water. Almost all of the roads were dusty and polluted, traffic jam was the major problem of time consuming. It seems that the construction work was too delayed to accomplish. We reached Thankot a bit later in the noon than planned. We chose to have our lunch at Naubise as we were already late for the lunch hour. We wanted to reach soon at our destination and behold the awe-inspiring views at the National park which we had read about only in our text book. Chitwan national park is the oldest national park of Nepal and famous for bio diversity. At Chitwan, we rushed up to the hotel before the sun set but we could check in only at 8 pm.
Before we go for the bed, all of our participants expressed their first day traveling experience and divided into 5 sub group for the project work about this tour. The sub division of project work was as follows:
· Report writing
· Photography
· Antique piece collection
· Story/ history collection
· Interviewing/ questioning
For the report writing purpose Hira Shrestha along with 4 kids were divided, similarly for photography Urmila Tamang along with 3 kids were divided, for Antique piece collection Sajan Tamang along with 4 kids were divided, for Story/history collection Rojina shrestha along with 4 kids and for interviewing Kusum Tamang along with 3 kids were engaged in the stuff. Teachers were ready to assist the kids to have perfect project work. Next day, our guide was ready to make a tour and walk around with us with lots of information about the place and Tharu culture. The views viewed while walking around there, were stunning. The sun shining on the far horizon, the scent of flower coming from the jungle with the bird song brought a pleasant sense of well-being that nourished all our senses. It all came together in perfect harmony as the sun slowly rose up in the sky.
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| Walking to reach Tharu settlement |
We had already witnessed Tharu settlement, exceptionally picturesque and charming village whose houses were built in the old style, giving a sense of both radiance and genuineness. After the livelihood and historical background informed by our guide, our participants poured all the queries with him. It is said that Tharu were migrated from the thar desert of Rajasthan,India. Agriculture and animal husbandry is the main occupation of this ethnic group. Nowadays Tourism is another earning occupation for them.
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| Tharu houses |
The Government policies for inhabitant and had demolishing malaria campaign was informed to the kids. Kids were listening with great curious and rapidly questioned with guide. There were so many queries in their mind regarding to the religion, literacy, house pattern, income, festival, attire and ornaments, fuel and forest regulation and many more.
Next program of the day was to do canoeing at Rapti River. The canoeing was a bit challenging as the river was habitat of crocodile. The jungle with wild animal made it a little challenging to have jungle walk but the views from there were phenomenal and it was well worth the effort.
We found a handcraft shop which manufactures paper from elephant dung and craft different beautiful items from it. Kids those who were divided in antique piece collection were searching for the Tharu related items. We had set a time for Tharu cultural museum visit after our lunch and we did accordingly.
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| Canoeing at Rapti river |
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| Observing Tharu cultural museum |
Tharu cultural museum was small and beautifully demonstrated traditional items and overall information about the Tharu culture. We spend almost an hour there. Guide took back us to the hotel and briefed about the evening program, i.e. visit to elephant breeding center, Khorsor and Tharu cultural house. We have plenty of time in between so we managed this time for the recap session of the day. Kids tried to trace out all the information that they were informed by guide and whatever they observed. The presentations were satisfactory, must say they did well.
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| Presenting daily report of the tour |
In comparison of 10 years time interval Chitwan has been populated and traditional houses and daily life is gradually changing. Our guide gave information about the conflict between elephant and local is often occurred. For the precaution, Local use electrical current in iron wire bounded around the National Park. Kids concluded that not only within human rather human and animal also should live in harmony for the Peaceful environment. During the stay at Chitwan, knowing the Tharu culture was somehow adding different perception and lifestyle of them. We could find Tharus has commercialized their culture and having good income.
Next destination of this tour was Lumbini, Kapailbastu District. There we had planned to visit different monastery built by many international Buddhist association and more importantly we have to visit Madrasa( Islam educating school). The tour's third day, we visited all those which were in our itinerary and preferred to stay at Korean Buddhist temple, Lumbini.
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| In the premises of Maya devi temple, Lumbini |
Whenever we try to figure out peace, Lord Buddha comes in our mind. What we felt and tried to maintain the peace within the premises of Buddha garden.
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| candle lightening for peace @ korean buddhist temple |
The entire monastery has the life history of Lord Buddha. Tourist were seems like they had been lost in meditation, there wasn't exact place for yoga or nor has managed meditation cushion but whole Buddha Garden was look like meditating point.Mayadevi temple and Ashoka pillar has been taken a historical important place, which is the evidence of birthplace of Lord Buddha is Lumbini. We had candle lightening program around the pond nearby Maya Devi temple but managing team didn't let us to do so.
Thus, we lightened it in front of Korean Temple at evening. It was quite blissful moment to share about the peace and its impact in circle.
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| Students of Madrasa, Parsachok lumbini |
However our main assignment was to observe and interact with muslim kids of Madrasa who are having informal education focused on Islam religious education. Students of Madrasa are allowed to go home only on weekend. District Education Office has provided license up to grade 5 to the Madrasa. So they have only one teacher provided by Nepal government. Madrasa and their situation is totally different than public school. They have to learn Urdu and Arabic script and the way of writing is opposite than other, it is written from right corner to left. We got common answer from every kids of Madrasa that they want to be Headmaster of Madrasa in future.
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| World peace pagoda visit, Pokhara |
Forth day of the tour was planned for the Pokhara, it is the largest city of Nepal. We were supposed to get information about the Gurung Culture but we neither able to manage key informant nor could visit Gurung settlement. We had limited time and trapped in traffic caused by road accident. We could reach Pokhara lately and couldn't manage according to the plan. In Pokhara we visited Barahi temple, Phewa Lake, Peace Pagoda built by Japan, Davi's fall and Gupteshor Mahadev Cave. Our half day was well spent at Pokhara.We came back to Kathmandu in 5th evening of our tour. Kathmandu was gloomy and cold. Next morning we had our schedule to visit Swoyambhunath temple and Pasupatinath temple. These both temples are listed in UNESCO world heritage sites.
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| Swoyambhunath temple visit, Kathmandu |
We saw some street people at Kathmandu who slept under the seat of bus stand while there was continue hailstone rain and thundering night.Peace is all about having proper basic needs, and it is fundamental rights which also have been secured in our newly applied constitution.
However, this 5 night 6 days peace education tour had been wrapped up with new experience. The major objective of this tour was to appreciate different culture residing in different regions. In brief students studied and observed Tharu culture, elephant and human conflict, Islam educating system and world heritage sites.
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"To some the streets are more than just streets, they are a home." |
And before we leave, student were asked to write report according to the work division, Thus, student's written report will be collected soon and document it for the library and also photographs and handicrafts purchased during the tour related to the theme will be displayed in library. We had realized that such travel should be organized annually for the secondary level student who actually has maximum curiosity and age of building conception and perception.
LEARN---->SHARE---->GROW
- Karsang Lama(Asst. Coordinator)
