My Yatra Story

It has become a cliche now that Yatra was a life time journey for everyone, and I am no exception. I would rather call it a life changing experience. Most of the yatris were enthu enough to take challenges but none of us knew the path to follow. We were lacking of a true motivation or inspiration and Yatra provided us that. Everyone wanted to do something different in life but we lacked an experience on how and what we can start doing ourself and yatra gave us that experience, an experiential learning, to be precise. We wer always keen on joining a good work but taking initiatives makes a great difference , is what we learnt out of the yatra. We were afraid of failure but "you may fail while trying but never fail to try" is the message that was injected through out the yatra.

Future Plans

I already said that yatra was a life changing experience for me, here are some glimpses of my new life. I was associated with social sector since 2006 but had never taken any initiative on my own. I was working with www.indianblooddonors.com as a volunteer and now have been promoted as a mumbai level coordinator and website admin of the same. Had organised old cloth collection camp in Mumbai for Goonj which was a true inspiration for each one of us. I also organised a day long entertainment event for deaf and mute children which included a drawing competition, Sports and games competition, magic show and a Charlie Chaplin show. I also had a rebellion experience when I had a tryst with Police on Dadar sattion when I asked them about their bias of not arresting women tresspassers while crossing the tracks.

With so many things happening around me, I could not resist myself to amke a permanent switch to social sector. I did not want to get back to my previous life, was enjoying this new life after yatra to such an extent that I decided to join Jagriti yatra team and make the messgae of yatra reach to the entire India and awakening the youth.

My Yatra Story

My main purpose of coming to the yatra was to meet different kinds of people who might think the way I use to do. And I am glad that my purpose is fulfilled. Not only this, I met some highly motivated people on the yatra, who are not only well versed with their streams but had taken up Social service as a hobby and dealt is pretty well with their jobs. The Yatra has given me a lot in terms of learnings from the role models and inspiration. We always tend to rely on some one for a head start, however the Yatra gave me back the passion which was somewhere lost while working for 12 hrs a day. This has been a journey of a lifetime…A journey which I can never forget in my life.

Future Plans

As of now I have not stepped into any kind of venture. I want to work and get an experience of working with international organizations like UN or WHO or any other reknowned international NGO. And for that I need a masters degree. Presently I am searching for options which can help me pursue that career.

My Yatra Story

I dont know what to say , The best 18 days i have ever spent. Made friends of a lifetime , met new people , and above all I saw the actual India. I never thought , even in my dreams that so much good work is happening in India and the Yatra did present to me a fraction of the total people dedicated to the cause.
The PA system with Smriti's Voice , the food , the chair car , the bath i took , the dance on b'lore platform , the preparation for the presentation , the discussion within the groups , everything was so exciting that I could not ask for more. I still miss the close association of people that i got used to , it was like we used to live in tribes and groups.
The yatra has been inspiring. It inspired me that there is a lot of Good things to do alongwith just earning your livelihood. It has changed my perspective to a broader sense of social development and its Rural India where i find myself in a few years to come.
The yatra has left deep impact in my mind and somewhere within me , i am very clear that at some point of my life ,i will contribute back to the society and my people who have made me what i am.
The yatra has ended , but the journey has just begin , the yatra story continues...

Future Plans

Apart from thinking and blogging and doing everything that i do , i have decided to do something for the people. To start with , i am trying to collect stuff from people , by going door to door in 15 hostels to collect for GOONJ. I do have a few other projects in mind that i would love to implement, I have just taken the first step with Goonj.

Check out the site i have made :
www.helptheneedy.weebly.com

My Yatra Story

I heard about the yatra in a marathi magzine called 'palakneeti'. The article basically talked about Shashank Mani's book, and then just mentioned about this yatra. That was around Nov.07.I applied immediately and yatra became a part of my daily life. Me and my friend would talk about it almost everyday.. It was a brilliant idea, and that it could come true, and I cpuld be a part of it felt so exciting! When the yatra in may got postponed, I was very disappointed, and then I wasn't sure whether the Decenber yatra will take place or not. Because the idea was so extraordinary that it wasn't easily going to be popular... But finally, the yatra did happen, and I was so glad I was a part of it!!!

Future Plans

It was a little difficult to get back to daily routine, right after the yatra. Now I am countinuing my SYBA in Psychology ,but now with the confidence that I will be able to fulfill all my dreams, if I decide to.