Visit to Raghubhai’s
Village on 14th February 2014
Six days after Raghubhai’s
passing, a caravan of cars from the Gandhi Ashram drove two hours to visit
Raghubhai’s family and village.
As
we pull up the dirt roads into the humble village where Raghubhai grew up,
children welcome us,
saying they’ve taken the day off from school just to see us. We walk into
Raghubhai’s parent’s home—a multi-room hut with traditional earthen floors—and
bow down to Raghubhai’s mother, her grieving face partially covered by her
sari, traditional Indian dress. About thirty of us visitors gather in their
front room/porch, as the rest of the village crowds around, in the room
outside. Jayeshbhai introduces us— a mix of Gramshree staff, international
volunteers, and members of the Manav Sadhna and Moved By Love ecosystems— as we
pay respects to the parents of such a pillar of light and love for so many.
Rameshbhai, a young man who incidentally lost the use of his legs due to polio,
met Raghubhai once, and just a few days after his passing, came to Manav Sadhna
inspired to serve with the Tyagg Nu Tiffin project as well as visit Raghubhai’s
parents regularly.
The group transitions to tents
outside, where a photo of Raghubhai sits on a small makeshift alter, behind a
candle. Sureshbhai and Jayeshbhai share insights on Raghubhai, his work and
service, and the importance of sanitation within this small several
hundred-person village that contains just 3 toilets. In village-style
hospitality, we break off into groups of two or three, and are served lunch in
various homes. Another volunteer, Meet, and I have lunch with Raghubhai’s
cousin, his cousin’s
wife, and their three children. We sit and share stories
and memories. His cousin tells us that when Raghubhai was young, he used to go
door-to-door throughout the village after dinner and collect all the leftover
rotis (round flatbread) to feed to the dogs. His commitment to service was so
clear, even in his youth. After lunch, we visit and sit with various members of
the community—housewives to elderly men, babies, schoolchildren to regular
adults. Many of the village residents are related to Raghubhai in some way.
Most of them work on the surrounding lands as farmers.
A large group gathers again
under the tents, sharing about issues in the village—sanitation, addiction, and
ways to improve. Once in an interview, Raghubhai was asked about his dream—what
he wanted to do or see before he died. And he responded, “I want to see a smile
on the face of every woman in India.” As he passed away, he had just moved into
his own apartment in Ahmedabad, and had plans to have his parents live with
him. He was always thinking of his family—he was always treating everyone as
family.
As
the afternoon carries on, we walk to the cremation ground on the outskirts of
the village. Traditionally, women do not enter these grounds. In funerals, only
men attend, and even for
Raghubhai’s burial, no women were present. On this
day, men, women, and children walk in a solemn yet spirited procession to his
grave. We stand in a circle and join hands in a prayer. Adjacent to the mound
of fresh earth that now covers Raghubhai’s body is a heart outlined by stones
and filled with rose petals. Jayeshbhai extends an open invitation for people
to put their tobacco inside it—to give up their addiction in honor of Raghubhai
and the values for which he stood. Folks break off and toss cigarettes and
packs of chewing tobacco into the heart. Women, children, and men bow and offer
silent prayers. As we walk back, there is a sense of completeness, a faith in
the flow of the nature, and a commitment to bettering the village and
ourselves.
It's just been a couple of hours since I
heard the news. One of my dearest friends, and inspirations, whom some people
called a 'Love Warrior' passed away on 8th February in a road
accident on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
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