Energies that emerged in Wangadpada

                                                                                   By Laveena D’Souza

‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – the world is one family; this is what I experienced being with the people of Wangadpada.

Away from the commercialized world, this Adivasi community belongs to the Warli Tribe, residing in a small hamlet in Wangadpada Village, Jawhar Taluka, Palghar District. The Wangadpada community consists of 196 members. Though they have never been to school, they possess immense knowledge because nature is both their God and their teacher. Living in harmony with nature, they attune themselves to its rhythm and heartbeat.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this community is their hospitality. Before our arrival in Wangadpada, two families vacated their huts and arranged everything meticulously for our stay. The water tubs were filled in advance. We later witnessed how the women draw water from the well and carry it uphill. Meals of rice bhakri, dal chawal, and aloo baingan were prepared generously for us. Their lemongrass tea, sweetened with jaggery, served as a refreshing energy drink.

The concept of "want" or the desire for more is absent in Wangadpada. They live contentedly with what they need in the moment, and nature readily provides for their basic necessities. Farming is their primary occupation, driven not by monetary gain but by the fulfillment of their daily needs. While some villagers occasionally work as laborers in cities, the urban lifestyle has not influenced their core values. Spending time with the family of Ratan Wangad, I heard him say, “I love my village. When I go to the city, I miss my home and my people.” His words reflect the strong sense of unity within this community.

Gender equality is deeply rooted in their way of life. Men and women enjoy equal rights, and the birth of a girl is celebrated with joy. In the Gram Panchayat meetings, women actively participate, representing an equal share alongside men.

As I walked through the village—visiting the well, the fields, and the river—it became evident how deeply connected these people are to nature. By the end of two days, I felt a profound sense of renewal and satisfaction. I had breathed in the energy of simplicity over excess, the warmth of genuine hospitality, and the joy of falling in love with nature all over again.

Today, I learnt a lesson

Today, I learnt a lesson

It’s not always the case that others will be eager to hear your tales. 

Stories may be deeply connected to you, and you wish to share. 

Always remember that they are your stories, and not theirs

Sharing requires a significant amount of listening.

If the listener lacks interest, what purpose does it serve to persist in recounting your tales,

which they may perceive as trivial?

But you know what…

I find joy in spinning my yarns…

They are my stories after all…

 

Laveena CSJ

May I share the State of my Heart…?

May I share the State of my Heart? Are you interested in listening to my story?  Will you journey with me? These are a few recurrent questions that often remain unanswered. 

Human hearts are torn apart between two worlds - the spiritual and the material. The spiritual world yearns for peace, humility, detachment, and harmony, whereas the multifaceted world lures individuals into creating their own cocoons.  Hence, there is an endless struggle. 

Time and again the world calls us to respond in new ways, to look for meaning where society seems to have lost its way.  “We have conquered every distance except one – the distance between human beings,” says Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.  

The need of the hour is to reconnect with the face of God who is pure love, pure energy, pure intention. (Medaille’s seeking God in all things: Maxim 73). This can be done only when we open ourselves to beauty in the present, with absolute need and desire to share, so as to see more expressions of God. It also demands endless effort and receptivity to being open to all without distinction, to be willing to recognize and be recognized, to give back what one has received.

Glancing through the newspapers or listening to any news, what surfaces is injustice, hatred, and violence. In fact, we are aghast by the horrors of war, genocide, disease, global warming, insensitivity to all inhabitants of Earth, and indifference to the life of the planet.

Let me offer you a glance at recent India.  In the name of eliminating terrorism, the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu Kashmir has done much harm to the common people. People are still under house arrest, deprived of basic needs, medical facilities, and disconnected from the outer world. The rest of the world is satisfied with the message, “everything is fine in Jammu Kashmir.”

The stories in Assam - a North-Eastern State is a big question mark on human dignity. The passing of NRC Bill has created havoc in the lives of those taken into various concentration camps or detention centers. NRC is the National Register of Citizens, and according to this bill, every Assamese has to prove his/her Indian citizenship. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on September 19, 2019 asserted that the NRC will be introduced throughout India and all illegal immigrants will be deported from the country, through legal means. Will NRC get rid of all the intruders? Who is  an intruder? The question remain unanswered.



Added to these catastrophes, floods in most Indian States have left millions  of Indians, homeless.  In the State of Maharashtra one finds a double whammy - while Kolhapur and Badlapur are submerged in floods, Marathwada still faces drought.    

The world acclaims the spiritual legacy of Mahatma Gandhi – the Father of our Nation killed at the hands of Nathuram Godse, who pulled the trigger, but who really killed Gandhiji? Who gave Godse the pistol? The question continues to remain a question.   

Fundamentalism, racism, rapes, silencing the journalists are on the increase. The ideology of the ruling Government to make India a Hindu Nation has been a stigma on its democratic nature.  Like those in concentration camps, those under house arrest, those who have lost their homes, justice, and humanness, they have been eliminated from the face of the earth. 

We consider ourselves citizens of free India. Year after year, we respectfully salute our Freedom Fighters who shed their blood for our freedom. Are we truly free? Do we have the courage to fight for the rights of our brethren? Or, do we, like Nero’s guests, enjoy the cost of human holocaust?  Who will listen to their stories? Will you be the one…??

- Laveena CSJ

The Lord is my rock

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,

my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

(Psalm . 18:2)

Portrait of a Daughter of Fr. Medaille

Effect in me O God, 

the miracle of your 

deep abiding love. 

Magical Touch

For a fraction of a second, I became lifeless.
In deep silence, wondered, is something missing...
Sometime later, I realized I missed the touch of my friend.
Friends have a magical touch and I believe in it.