Exploration cum Adventurous Journey Camp for Gold and Silver Level

Vani Dugar, Gold participant from Modern High School for Girls, Kolkata, attended an Exploration cum Adventurous Journey Camp at Dharamshala and Khajjiar from 24th to 29th May 2016. Vani is sharing her experience here with us.

The journey started with the arrival of 69 Award participants (Gold and Silver) and 3 mentors of Modern High School for Girls, accompanied by six ICNL instructors on 23rd May. After a long overnight journey from Delhi, the group reached Amritsar in the afternoon. The whole group visited the Wagha Border to witness the glorious Beating the Retreat Ceremony in the evening.

The next day began on a high note, with a visit to the famed Sri Harmandir Sahib of Amritsar, more commonly known as the Golden Temple. As we walked through the main entrance, we were left speechless at the sheer beauty of the architecture, the exquisite workmanship and the beautiful mix of colours surrounding us. We left the temple with a lingering sense of serenity and a memory that shall never fade. From there, we made our way to the Jallianwala Bagh. Our History textbooks could not have prepared us for the emotions that welled up inside us at the sight of bullet marks on the walls. The plaque beside the Martyrs’ Well informed visitors of the 120 bodies that had been recovered, a reminder of the desperation of our ancestors as they tried to escape the shower of bullets.

IAYP journeys are about being ‘away from home, close to nature’ and this could not have been truer in Dharamshala. Staying in tents, with the stars and the open sky and the mountains just an open flap away, is something we always look forward to. We spent three days i.e. 24th - 26th at Dharamshala and perfumed different activities such as Multi Chain Rope Walking and sessions on tent pitching, first aid, leadership and planning and the chance to construct the Burma Bridge. It was certainly a learning experience for all of us. The 12 km trek to the tea garden left us exhausted but with a sense of achievement. We also saw the cricket grounds, officially the highest in India, and the Dalai Lama Temple from afar.

On 27th, after a seven hours bus journey from Dhramshala we reached Dalhousie from where we left for Khajjiar. It is a fact that Khajjiar is considered to be mini Switzerland of India for its breathtaking scenery. During the next three days of our camp at Khajjiar, we did trekking and hiking. We trekked through sunlit meadows to the village of Pukri in the Chamba district. We did get a chance to interact with the locals and do a village survey. We had sessions on orientation and navigation, knots and ways of overcoming hazards with the ICNL instructors. The Camp Night, as usual, was a fun-filled and touching event.

We bid adieu to Khajjiar on the 30th of May and left for Delhi. As always, it had been an experience which was challenging yet satisfying and educational and fun-filled. Click here for pictures

Adventurous Journey Report from the Diary of a Silver Level Participant

Sanjib Chakraborty, Award Leader from Sri Sri Academy, Kolkata is sharing the Adventurous Journey report from the diary of a participant. As a part of the IAYP Adventurous Journey section, Silver Level Award participants braved the Singalila ridge. The Journey started on 16th March when we left for New Jalpaiguri. On 17th after a long bus ride full of optical delights - a treat from Mother Nature, we reached Manebhanjang, our base camp. On the way we passed through the town of Kurseong - the land of white orchids. We were duly treated to a narration of a ghost story, the haunting tale about Margaret's Hope, a tea estate, the facts about the old toy train running from Kurseong to Darjeeling and some more spine chilling facts about this notorious town by our accompanying teacher. We also had a short acclimatisation trek of about 3 kilometers. That evening we had a session on rope knot and track signals on mountains. Next day we underwent the rigorous but fun trek to Tumling after a short warm up session. This is the only trek which provides a view of the tallest peaks like Mt Everest, Kanchenjunga, and Lhodhse all together in a panoramic view. The weather was predicted to be rainy. It was a daunting 12 km trek. We had three stops in between - Chitrey, Lamidura, and Meghma for about 7 hours straight. We saw shrines with Nepali engravings for the good fortune of the trekkers. We were at the India-Nepal border, standing with one foot in India and the other one in Nepal! On 19th March at sunrise we went to the viewpoint to behold the scenic beauty of the Sleeping Buddha. It is so called because it resembles a sleeping person. The head is the Kumbhakarna, the torso is Kanchenjunga and the foot is Pandim. This view is famous since the mountaineers are not allowed to put their foot on the summit of Kanchenjunga as it is considered holy by Buddhist monks. On the left side of this we can see the view of Mt Everest, Makalu and Lhodhse. When the sunlight falls on the snow capped peaks, they appear to have taken the hue of alluring gold. Tumling, at a staggering height of 10,000 feet, also boasts of diverse flora and fauna. Rhododendrons both white and red, Magnolia, birds like Verditer Flycatcher and pheasants, animals like the Red Panda (native to Singalila) and Himalayan Black Bear abound. During our stay we had the chance to taste some authentic local Tibetan food. We made and served hot chocolate and paani puris to the residents and the students during the self cooking session. On the evening of that day we had a fun campfire session. The participants conducted three events - Quiz, Antakshari and Charades. While we were sad to go back from the cool weather of Tumling to the sultry scorching heat of Kolkata, we were back at home with lots of memories to cherish in the days to come.Click for Pictures

Walk for a Light

Bronze and Silver Award participants from Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' Academy, Narendrapur did coastal trekking for their Adventurous Journey from 9th to 11th December 2015.  Chandan Majumder and Rupanjan Goswami (Award Leaders) sharing the details about this trek.

People who cannot see the light of the world due to their blindness, are always searching for a new light through which they can enlighten their lives and souls.

Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' Academy, Narendrapur has been imparting education and vocational training to the visually challenged students through the International Award for Young People since 2002. To complete their Adventurous Journey, twenty-five visually challenged, Bronze and Silver aspirants took part in a Coastal Trek from Chandipur to Digha under the guidance of the Institute of Climbers and Nature Lovers.

The participants started walking for 17 kms from Chandipur on 9th Dec '15 along the beach and crossed Buri Balam river and Kasai river. They stayed at Kasafal in tents beside river Kasai first night. On the second day they set off for Dogara village, walking by the sea for 22 kms and in the last lap they walked 23 kms and crossed Subarnarekha river and finally reached Talsari on 11th Dec '15, walking a total of 62 kms. Four NAA interns, all Gold Award Holders, escorted the participants during this journey.

This costal trek helped the participants gauge their own capacity and develop self-confidence. Now each of the participant says "Yes I can, I am prepared for any tasks, I can see the new Light of Life". Click here for pictures

IAYP Exploration and Cultural Exchange Camp at Sri Lanka: A report by Shivani Bagaria and Ayushi Saraogi (Gold Awardees)

On the 3rd of June 2015, with a unit consisting of 55 participants (12 Gold participants, 23 Silver participants and 20 Bronze participants) and four Award Leaders (S. Banerjee, C. Sood, S. Mitra and T. Haldar) of  Modern High School for Girls went for an exploration and cultural exchange camp to Srilanka. Guided by the IAYP motto of exploring and bettering ourselves as we stay "away from home, and close to nature", we were thrilled at the prospect of representing not just our school, but also our country, in the most welcoming of our neighbouring countries, Sri Lanka.

Our reward for two consecutive flights in the wee hours of the morning was the breathtaking  bird's- eye view of the Sri Lankan coast that greeted us as we flew into Colombo. Our first day in the 'Gem of the Indian Ocean' saw us whizzing down the quaint lanes and bylanes of the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, Kandy. The second day proved to be highly rewarding. Our visit to the Sigiriya Rock was a personal favourite. As we climbed up the 1500 stairs that separated us from the top of the 8th wonder of the world, we saw stunning fresco paintings along the cave walls and learnt about the history of the rock. The panoramic view of the lush green Sri Lankan forests and hills at the end of the 1500 steps made us feel like we were on top of the world, metaphorically, if not literally.  In the sweltering heat, a sudden downpour proved to be our messiah as we made our way to the Dambula Golden Temple, where we marveled at the 200 ft. tall statue of the Buddha which was made of pure gold.

We spent a day with the adorable baby elephants of Sri Lanka with the typical teenage sighs of "aww" when we spent the third day of our journey at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. After watching the elephants splash around in the Kubukaya river, we fed them milk and set our hearts on adopting a couple (yes, we hadn't  exactly thought our idea through). What followed was a visit to the Hemachandra Gems Museum where we were told about the process of gem mining and jewellery making through an engaging presentation. The mood set by the rains was considerably enhanced by the steaming hot cups of Ceylon tea that we sipped as we saw the process of making tea leaves at the Embilmeega Tea Factory. We ended the day by delving deeper into the fabric of Sri Lankan culture with the help of a special treat that had been planned for us. We watched a performance of the energetic Kandyan harvest festival dance and a spectacular fireworks demonstration. 

On our fourth and last day in Kandy,  we traced the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in  the Kandy Tooth Temple, which was built atop the relic of Buddha's tooth. We indulged in an entertaining round of the game "Ibex", a long standing IAYP favourite after a picture perfect picnic at the Peradiniya botanical garden that afternoon. We then bade goodbye to Kandy and made our way  to the hills of Nuwara Eliya. 

Our day in the Little England of Sri Lanka was rather eventful. We revisited the tales of Sita's abduction at the Sita Amman temple and then enjoyed the cool breeze at Gregory Lake. On returning to our campsite that afternoon, we partook in a range of adventurous activities like climbing the monkey rope and  crossing the distance between two trees with the help of three kinds of rope bridges. We watched the sunset from the Bumrialla Dam and then assembled around a bonfire to excitedly sing camp songs.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the capital city of Colombo, we participated in a cultural exchange with the students of the President's College, Maharagama, Colombo.  The students of the President's college put up a Kandyan dance performance for us and went out of their way to make us feel more welcome in their city by sharing with us their rendition of a song by Rabindranath Tagore.

In an attempt to give our Sri Lankan counterparts a peek into Indian culture, we staged folk dances from Punjab and Gujarat , performances of Kathak and Odissi, and a popular Bengali folk song .  We presented our new-found friends with hand- made mementos , and they organized an interesting game to get to know us better. The exchange was truly enriching for us. Not only did we make new friends from across the border, but we also forged memories that we will cherish for a long time to come. The sun, sea and sand greeted us at the Galle Beach that afternoon.  Gorging on stick after stick of ice cream, we walked down the beach and made the best of our last moments in Sri Lanka. The evening was spent in preparations for camp night, which proved to be the perfect way to bring the camp to an end. 

Our time in Sri Lanka led us to discover unexpected things about ourselves and the things around us. We spent the eight days marveling at the ability of  man's attempts to connect with another to cross oceans and transcend borders as we found the innumerable similarities in Sri Lankan and Indian culture. On behalf of the entire unit, we thank our Award Leaders, Field Officers and our Principal for giving us the opportunity to explore Sri Lanka in a way that could have been possible only with their help.  It is our adventure camps that make us realize the true objective of IAYP: discovering our strengths and refusing to let our weaknesses come in the way of our drive for excellence. Click for pictures 

Gender Diversity Empowerment Project

The Skills Development programme of the Gender Diversity Empowerment Project under the aegis of the International Special Project Grants is running successfully in West Bengal. Adrija Chatterjee, Award Leader reported that 15 Award participants from different rural and marginalised areas of West Bengal are participating in the Skill Development programme. The project team opened a special section in a shop on 21st April, 2015 to sell imitation jewellery and handmade items on a regular basis in Kolkata. The small store was appreciated by the local people and the team welcomes over 20 guests on the first day. The Award Programme Foundation congratulates the particiants, Award Leaders and friends of the Award for making this project a success, with the hope that this programme would help participants to use this skill as their Life Skill.

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Silver Level Adventurous Journey to Panchlingeshwar

Kartiki Maheshwari, Silver Award aspirant from The Heritage School, Kolkata sharing his Adventurous Journey experience

We all were extremely excited about the Adventurous Journey to Panchlingeshwar. We started our memorable journey to Balasore station from Howrah station by the Dhauli express. Our train left Kolkata at 6 am and we reached Balasore by 9:30 am. After reaching Balasore we were transferred to Pathaniwas by Jeep.  On reaching this beautiful place we were allotted our rooms. Introductions took place and we were briefed on the Do's and Don'ts of our trip. After a delicious lunch we started our trek to the Panchlingeshwar temple at around two pm. After seeing the five shivalingas that were enshrined inside the rocks,  we continued our trek to Kuldiho Wildlife Sanctuary. We then returned back to Pathaniwas. That very evening we had a session on rope knots. We learnt about the different types of knots such as Reef knot, Colwich, thumb knot, figure of 8 etc. We were also briefed about track signs and how they were helpful. We were also briefed about track signs and how they were helpful. Dinner was served to us at 8:30 and lights were turned off for that night by 10. 

Our next day began at 6:30 and we started with some warm up exercises and jogging. This session was followed by breakfast which was served to us at 8:30. Our trek for the 2nd day started around 9 o clock. Our trek was to Shikar Minar which is 3.5 km from Pathaniwas. We completed this trek in approximately 2 hours. During this trek we passed by a magnificent Shaal forest and also saw volcanic rocks throughout the route. The weather was definitely chilly but the trek was beautiful and memorable. We were back in the base camp by around 12:30 after which we had a challenging cooking session. After having lunch we had an unforgettable session on rock climbing and rappelling. It was a unique experience and was enjoyed by each and every one of us. That evening we had a session on the basics of camp craft which was followed by a gala camp fire night.

We were once again off to bed by 10. Next day once again we began our day with warm up exercises and some jogging. After breakfast we began our last day's trek to the Nilgiri hills. The route was admirable and had beautiful fauna. We returned to base camp at around 12:30. After an early lunch we had our last session which was on survival skills. Once again we found ourselves being transferred by jeep to Balasore station for the 4:20 Dhauli express to Kolkata. We were back in our city of joy by 8:15. This trip left us with great memories with both new and old friends. In this short trip we were taught to adapt with situations and also to manage time. We enjoyed several activities and also learned quite some things about trekking and camp craft. This trip would not have been successful if it wasn't for the continuous guidance of our teachers Kavita maam and Neil sir, our instructors Mr. Joydeep Ghosh, Mr. Shambu Nayak and Mr. Pranav Saha. This programme has taught us a great deal of things; it has helped us recognize our strengths and has made us realize our social responsibilities. We have IAYP to thank for all the great memories we were able to make in this short three-day trip.  Click for more pictures

Adventurous Journey Trip to Panchalingeshwar

A report from Divisha Jaiswal and Vedika Karnani from Modern High School for Girls, Kolkata

It was with much enthusiasm and spirit that Modern High School for Girls IAYP unit set out for the Panchalingeshwar Camp in the afternoon of 19th January, 2015. There were 65 participants in all, divided in two spacious buses, with four Award Leaders and six Field Officers of IAYP.  For most of us, this was our first I.A.Y.P trip. It was thus not very surprising that the excitement levels in the bus bordered on mild chaos.

After a 7 hour long bus journey which nearly convinced us that the journey did NOT in fact matter more than the destination, we arrived at our lodging; an inn called Panthasala.  After snacks was a session with Chandan Sir, the IAYP Programme Manager.

The next morning was the official beginning to our trip. At 6:15 a.m., we headed out for a round of jogging and exercise. Later, we were divided into our rope-line groups in which we would do all our activities. After a (very) hearty breakfast, we headed out to begin our activities- linear traversing, rappelling, tent pitching and rock climbing, with the Award Leaders actively participating in each exciting (scary) activity.  Ropes 1 and 2 also trekked to Khemkut dam (3.5 km away) after lunch, while the remaining ropes did self-cooking to provide the snacks for when we returned. The dam was a sight to behold, what with a submerged temple and hunting tower, built in the age of the Nanda rulers. After returning, we had some time to rest and another session with Chandan Sir. While discussing the day's events, he told us that this day was not only about what we did, but it was about what we learnt. That was the primary objective- to learn, and not just do. Suffice to say, at the end of the day, we weren't just tired, we were on the verge of perpetual collapse.

The third day began much like the second, only with many aching muscles and joints to add to the glorious morning. After breakfast, we headed out for the remaining activities, along with single lined bridge, Burma Bridge, knot class and the spider web. We learnt important things that would help us in the future, for situations which we might unexpectedly encounter. After snacks we got ready for Camp Night, which even in the absence of a campfire, was no less enchanting. We all sang, danced and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Courtesy of soft drinks. Ahem.

The next and final morning of our short trip, we trekked 8 kilometres to see the Panchalingeshwar temple. After a total of 311 steps and a walk through the forest, we finally reached our destination. But this time, the journey was indeed what mattered more, and what we shall carry with us. Along the way, we learnt the precautions and the important things we must know when we enter a forest. After a quick breakfast at the temple we headed back to camp to pack and leave for Kolkata.

We left Panchalingeshwar with memories and valuable lessons that would stay with us for a life time and a half.  Be it jumping off a small cliff, praying to all gods in existence, or climbing rocks like mountain goats, or starting a fire by burning a foot long leaf to cook pasta.  Be it sharing a room with (lazy) friends or sessions with Chandan sir. We learnt to be independent, self- sufficient, to conquer our fears and be stronger. Here we discovered a side of us we didn't know existed, stretched our limits, exceeded them and set new ones, only to break them later. We truly rediscovered ourselves on this journey.

Thanks to all the Field Officers and Award Leaders who accompanied us, this became the most fulfilling time of our lives. We were in it for the fun, but what we got back was so much more. Thus, it was with hearts heavier than our hearty breakfasts, that we boarded our buses to leave for Kolkata, with the echo of the mountains still ringing clear in our hearts.

Oh, and most importantly, we found the answer to a very difficult question; a question which has been a favourite of every teacher in existence. The question being - "So if your friend jumps off a cliff, will you also jump off a cliff?”

The answer after this Camp my friends, is yes. For we evidently did.

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Isha serves with affection

The work of Isha Bubna at an NGO in Kolkata known as Sneh Seva managed to find space in the prestigious newspaper The Telegraph. Isha Bubna is from La Martiniere for Girls and has completed her Bronze, Silver and Gold Award levels. Sneh Seva is an NGO that provides care for under privileged children and hence goes by it's moto 'serve with affection.'