tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6164447314968302342024-03-20T15:32:49.829+05:30ShradhanjaliLife must blossom like a flower offering itself to the DivineClaude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-73404755406405144762013-01-02T09:23:00.000+05:302013-01-03T09:33:16.567+05:30Happy New Year to all<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Here's wishing everyone a very happy, prosperous and safe year ahead!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-89649577544436514992012-12-26T09:42:00.000+05:302012-12-26T09:43:32.047+05:302013 Beejika Catalogue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bAFZl2napeE3VR-sbfIJI9BVUvZi3IfwXNANnFfWdq_qWpkqjneVW72qAU_ApP_q1ZnsvpJuJoghZ3MGd2Ie7O8ilcyKRSTuzbm-n6SFZgs3dSlCIe-apMAwNlHG9swlqNRALFEmM4ZR/s1600/beejika5c_Page_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bAFZl2napeE3VR-sbfIJI9BVUvZi3IfwXNANnFfWdq_qWpkqjneVW72qAU_ApP_q1ZnsvpJuJoghZ3MGd2Ie7O8ilcyKRSTuzbm-n6SFZgs3dSlCIe-apMAwNlHG9swlqNRALFEmM4ZR/s640/beejika5c_Page_02.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
With Beejika, Shradhanjali brings you the exquisite artistry of Nature, reflected in the seeds and seedpods of Auroville’s trees, planted over the last 4 decades.<br />
The seeds and seedpods of the local trees are harvested seasonally and sundried. Then, coated with transparent varnish for protection, they are individually hand drilled and strung into beatiful Jewels Of Nature.<br />
Nature can be as beautifully inventive and creative as we can imagine.<br />
With their exquisite colors, curious shapes and textures, the Beejka seeds present the perfection of nature’s artistry, even in something as small and simple as a seed.<br />
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<i><b>Click here to download <a href="http://www.shradhanjaliauroville.com/newsletters/catalogue%20beejika2013.pdf">our 2013 Beejika Catalogue</a></b></i><br />
Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-87098492581769966702012-06-25T10:02:00.000+05:302012-06-28T08:49:13.648+05:30A new catalogue for Shradhanjali<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6N9le_4KpF8q3W9wrAt8-DpBJNu241ap1pwmg9w3hnMn0ElZCvxawAKtui3QoUV7spXLmwnGXR5n8M45SrZlRULjg8Id8j9fDDSQHemJo1nWZDcGS6qhRUHU7N2Y3dkllzlOVylpjw1gs/s1600/First_page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6N9le_4KpF8q3W9wrAt8-DpBJNu241ap1pwmg9w3hnMn0ElZCvxawAKtui3QoUV7spXLmwnGXR5n8M45SrZlRULjg8Id8j9fDDSQHemJo1nWZDcGS6qhRUHU7N2Y3dkllzlOVylpjw1gs/s320/First_page.jpg" width="320" /></a><i>We are happy to inform you that our new Shradhanjali catalogue is online on our website.</i><br />
<a href="http://www.shradhanjaliauroville.com/newsletters/Cat2012_mail.pdf"><i>You can click here to download it. </i></a><br />
<i>We would be glad to get your feedback as </i><i>at a later stage </i><i>we may print some hard copies. </i><br />
<i>The product spread sheets should be more practical for both clarity and eventual ordering.<br />We are presently preparing a beautiful and entirely new style of Beejika jewelry. </i><br />
<i>A newsletter presenting these new items will soon be ready and online.</i><br />
<i>Please once again, send us your feedback.</i>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-34593910775984513912012-02-17T09:57:00.000+05:302012-02-22T10:45:22.577+05:30Craft and Design Training<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwsgSe5vYPjKWgQw0eK8__6MH_2dPfyfA4etL16wDB6ukUeomzjFYesS7_FvlbIYaySRjb33tMrYtWAio216-BCK24u1LKqlZKU3akbR9wNEHg-RHAL6-TkcyAH1GbSCXlm5LPY_gQuZA/s1600/croton+leaves+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwsgSe5vYPjKWgQw0eK8__6MH_2dPfyfA4etL16wDB6ukUeomzjFYesS7_FvlbIYaySRjb33tMrYtWAio216-BCK24u1LKqlZKU3akbR9wNEHg-RHAL6-TkcyAH1GbSCXlm5LPY_gQuZA/s400/croton+leaves+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ankita and Medha's croton leaf lampshade design</td></tr>
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For the past 6 weeks, we have had two young students, Ankita Katyal and Medha Shah doing their social sector training in Shradhanjali.<br />
They belong to the Indian Institute of Craft and Design (IICD), based in Jaipur, Rajasthan.<br />
The IICD’s main objective is “to synergize traditional knowledge and skills with contemporary needs to evolve methodologies that are relevant to modern India.”<br />
The Institute which has been conceived as a nodal centre for excellence in Craft and Design, has several, programs particularly in Education, Training & Outreach, Research and Documentation and Advisory & Consultancy services.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvcilTi3UlNuJzYyYMUjOnatH5fncV25d9cbsedtY990Ezy4F7bk8db4LG-2WQYgnEHeRfBNmMtHKaA6n-lEJMnfCo8QZJqtcZnVsmN3KsehSuJeH3Vu7DuzQnEj_pTX4essD9B1d3AXa/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvcilTi3UlNuJzYyYMUjOnatH5fncV25d9cbsedtY990Ezy4F7bk8db4LG-2WQYgnEHeRfBNmMtHKaA6n-lEJMnfCo8QZJqtcZnVsmN3KsehSuJeH3Vu7DuzQnEj_pTX4essD9B1d3AXa/s200/IMG_0250.JPG" width="133" /></a>Further the Institute works in the crafts sector and with craftsmen in an integrated manner. <br />
The IIDC’s mission is to work on the revival of the languishing arts and crafts of Rajasthan and help make them commercially viable. <br />
The four year, (or 8 semesters) program consists of two semesters of foundation, 5 semesters of courses, projects, field study, professional internship and the final semester being a comprehensive professional diploma project. The aim of this program is to prepare students as craft designers to act as a bridge between the artisans and the market. <br />
As part of the IICD’s program, Under Graduates students undertake a training with an NGO during their Semester VI (3rd year). <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRF336yDI_U438f6jrPyStrdMBnYRt_TKKuUe0XRoIPODsrJ6VaD9JXOK_-1aK1dfaME_j-Y2S608bmP8Ee2OpGhaaqFDRmP5hl84qCqzfxhu5mfVIEI9SZWCc_25mq-8qvWIFlvkTzcN/s1600/IMG_0334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRF336yDI_U438f6jrPyStrdMBnYRt_TKKuUe0XRoIPODsrJ6VaD9JXOK_-1aK1dfaME_j-Y2S608bmP8Ee2OpGhaaqFDRmP5hl84qCqzfxhu5mfVIEI9SZWCc_25mq-8qvWIFlvkTzcN/s200/IMG_0334.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
Ankita and Medha, during their stay in Shradhanjali have undertaken to develop a new range of designs for lampshades.<br />
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The result of their research was shown to the merchandising-in-charge of a large chain of stores in India; everyone was very happy with the outcome of Ankita’s and Medha’s research. <br />
Hopefully, orders will follow.</div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-22070091203267529712012-02-14T09:44:00.000+05:302012-02-17T09:58:48.582+05:30Hand painted Korean-style venetian blinds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We had mentioned in <a href="http://www.shradhanjaliauroville.blogspot.in/2011/12/calligraphy-with-flowers.html">an earlier posting</a> on this blog that Miran, a Korean artist, was trying to create new designs for our range.<br />
She has worked on venetian blinds for our office.<br />
It has now been installed and it looks amazing.<br />
It brings a special peaceful East-Asian atmosphere.<br />
Come and judge by yourselves by visiting us at Shradhanjali or just taking a look at this picture.</div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-339442677786861912012-01-07T10:56:00.002+05:302012-01-24T15:42:03.983+05:30Nature’s bowl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Life continues...</i><br />
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<i>After the devastating Thane cyclone, our workshop reopened on Monday, January 2. </i><br />
<i>We continue to work on new products. The latest is the fruit of the Calabash tree.</i><br />
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<b>Botanical name:</b> Crescentia spp. Bignoniaceae<br />
The genus Crescentia is distributed with 5 species in the tropics of Middle America. Best known is Crescentia cujete (English: Calabash Tree) with its undivided, rounded leaves broadened at the tip. It is cultivated a lot.<br />
Very common is also Crescentia alata with three-lobed finger form leaf and winged leaf stalk. Both species reach 8-10 m in height, having a trunk with flaking bark. On the branches and young stems appear the inwardly carved, broad tubular, brownish – red flowers (cauliflory) which bloom for just one night and are pollinated by bats.<br />
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From the ovary which has two parts a spherical to ellipsoidal fruit capsule develops, often nearly head-sized. The fruit contains a pulpy tissue in which numerous flattened eatable seeds are embedded.<br />
The dried fruit capsules are used in various ways, such as jazz rattles, colourfully painted and carved as ornaments or cut in half as drinking bowls. For the American Indians the fruits had a special meaning.<br />
The plant is named after the Bolognese Petrus de Crescentia (1230-1320)<br />
At Shradhanjali we scrape, scrub and clean the Crescentia alata fruit for a multipurpose natural bowl. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bowl</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-91014109955075931492012-01-07T10:21:00.002+05:302012-01-07T10:22:28.140+05:30The cyclone brought tragedy but also grace and unity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hundreds of 'folded' electricity posts </td></tr>
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<b>The cyclone brought tragedy but also grace and unity</b><br />
<i>Rediff.com</i><br />
January 6, 2012<br />
<i>Auroville saw widespread destruction due to Cyclone Thane. Fortunately no lives were lost.<br />'To live 'normally' again will take weeks, but fortunately our area, which includes 7 villages, witnesses no death, not even a serious injury.<br />But Auroville forests will take decades to recover. They were our pride and protection against the South Indian heat, they are no more!' </i><br />
<i>Claude Arpi on the devastation in Auroville after Cyclone Thane.</i><br />
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We were getting ready for a New Year like any other.<br />
A Korean poetry evening was scheduled at the Pavilion of Tibetan Culture, it should be interesting I thought, but our energy and thoughts were mainly focused on the preparation of the New Year Eve's Mandala of Lights attended each year by hundreds of people from Auroville and Pondicherry.<br />
It was always the last 'spiritual' appointment of a year (with a visit to Matrimandir), often preceeding a more secular evening (or jumping into one's bed for older people, like me).<br />
On the 29th morning, we heard that a cyclone was supposedly heading towards Pondicherry, but over the years, we had seen so many of them!<br />
When the staff of our workshop asked if the next day was 'leave', we answered: "Who says that the cyclone will cross tonight? You know very well that most of the time, we only see their tails. Don't they always change direction a few hundred kilometres before reaching the coast and head north, to Andhra Pradesh or more often to West Bengal and Burma?"<br />
The conclusion was peremptory: "No 'leave' for now, if the cyclone comes, then we will see and 'leave' will then be obvious."<br />
Very early that night, it became 'obvious'.<br />
As the velocity of the wind kept increasing, more and more violent rains coming in close waves began battering houses and nature. Our room on the first floor, probably more exposed, was soon flooded: At about 3 am, a plastic protection on the door to the terrace was ripped apart and flew away.<br />
I must say that we were unable to realise at the time the extent of damage that the cyclone Thane (apparently, Burmese meteorologists named the cyclone Thane which means 'Eagle') was going to inflict on Pondicherry and Cuddalore district where Auroville is located.<br />
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<b>It was not like any other cyclone we had seen in 40 years</b><br />
At about 4 am, I began to receive SMSes: "How are you?", "It's pouring in our house, what about you?" It was not very comforting to know that everybody in Auroville was awake at this early hour.<br />
At 6 am, as dawn came, the wind was stronger than ever (according to newspapers received three days later, the winds reached 150 or 180 km/hour). I must say that nobody came out to measure it.<br />
It was not until 7 am that I decided to venture out of the house to say hello to my neighbours who have a sweet one-year old daughter. I began to understand that the 'Eagle cyclone' was not like any other cyclone that we had experienced during the last 40 years.<br />
To cross the few metres separating our house from the neighbour's, it took me nearly ten minutes; I just could not find my way, as the ground was strewn with huge branches of our banyan as well as of neem and bauhinia trees.<br />
Later in the morning, when the neighbours began to organise themselves (we were fortunate to have in our settlement one of the best chain-saw experts in Auroville), we began to understand the magnitude of the disaster.<br />
To progress less than 200 metres, to reach the gate of our Dana community, it took more than four hours despite the determined team of 'Danaistes' working hard to open up the road.<br />
Only later we learned that a similar scenario had repeated itself everywhere in Auroville and the surrounding villages.<br />
A grace: Mobile phones (at least BSNL) continued to work. Quickly, we took stock of the extent of the devastation, but the fact that there was no announced injury or death (relayed through our mass bulletin on the smart phones), led us to expect a relatively happy end. This put a little balm on our hearts.<br />
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<a href="http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-cyclone-brought-tragedy-but-also-grace-and-unity/20120106.htm"><b>Click to continue to read...</b></a></div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-89310725653833176222012-01-06T07:55:00.001+05:302012-01-06T09:40:47.367+05:30Watch the things you gave your life to broken...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools</td></tr>
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<i>We are posting below an article published yesterday in </i><b>The Hindu</b><i>.</i><br />
<i>Probably to comfort us, a friend send us the famous poem of Kipling, 'If'. </i><br />
<i>And we Aurovilians are trying our best to "fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run..."</i><br />
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<b>'If</b>' by Rudyard Kipling
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;<br />
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;<br />
If you can meet with triumph and disaster<br />
And treat those two imposters just the same;<br />
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken<br />
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,<br />
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,<br />
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If you can make one heap of all your winnings<br />
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,<br />
And lose, and start again at your beginnings<br />
And never breath a word about your loss;<br />
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew<br />
To serve your turn long after they are gone,<br />
And so hold on when there is nothing in you<br />
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";<br />
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,<br />
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;<br />
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;<br />
If all men count with you, but none too much;<br />
<b>If you can fill the unforgiving minute</b><br />
<b>With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -</b><br />
<b>Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,</b><br />
<b>And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!</b><b><br /></b></blockquote>
<b>‘Thane' robbed Auroville of lush look</b><br />
<i>The Hindu</i><br />
January 5, 2012<br />
Kavita Kishore<br />
Estimates suggest that over half the trees in Auroville, which was known for its lush green cover, have been destroyed by the cyclone Thane. A visit to the township reveals that large numbers of trees were uprooted and many patches of the area have been cleared. Work is in full swing to clear the uprooted trees.<br />
Auroville has a man-made forest, which is over two decades old. The trees had been planted by Aurovilleans on an area that was earlier barren and many of the trees that have been uprooted were over 30 years old, according to one of the Aurovilleans, Tapas.<br />
A majority of “work trees,” Acacia auriculoformis , that are drought resistant, were among the major casualties, said another Aurovillean.<br />
Many Aurovilleans said that as a result of the trees collapsing, most of the roads in the township were blocked and many people were unable to move out of their houses. There are still around 200 houses that are inaccessible.<br />
The local school was damaged as was a children's playground, with trees and the wind wreaking havoc in the area. However, Matri Mandir, the focal point of Auroville, the Bharat Nivas and the Visitor's Centre were unharmed despite severe damage to the surrounding gardens. There were no casualties from the cyclone.<br />
Electric lines have suffered damage with several broken posts and snapped cables lying on the side of the road. The TNEB estimates that it would take another 10 to 15 days before electricity is restored in the area.<br />
According to Aurovillean Alok, around 150 electric lines were uprooted by the cyclone and many windmills damaged. The windmills were being used by a few communities to pump water, he said.<br />
One of the biggest problems they face at present is the lack of water supply.<br />
To help ease the situation, each community receives a visit from the “water service,” which is a jeep with a generator and a pump, that goes around to different areas and pumps water into the tanks. The service, however, is only available in areas that have road access, Aurovilleans said.<br />
A cyclone help-desk has been set up. It coordinates various cyclone-related activities, including the clearing of roads, helping people who are still trapped in their homes.<br />
A massive cleanup has started and Auroville has acquired around 20 chainsaws and five generators to resume their essential services. Volunteers chip in with the clearing of trees, along with hired help. Work has started on the buildings that suffered damage. The communities collect at Solar Kitchen for their meals, and individuals have not yet started cooking.<br />
A few houses that have solar power where panels were not damaged continue to have electricity, and people gather there to charge their mobile phones and other devices.<br />
Although the power supply would take another 10 to 15 days to resume, the Aurovilleans are optimistic that their community would be up and running by then, with all roads being cleared in the next two or three days.</div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-36330830576722832252012-01-03T14:00:00.001+05:302012-01-03T15:35:37.331+05:30New Year and Cyclone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The devastated landscape everywhere in Auroville</td></tr>
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On the night of December 29th, the cyclone Thane crossed the coast near Pondicherry bringing devastation to Auroville and the surrounding villages.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQG_B6LZjYcSH8b3Y0THySsyajVntR5khMB5HlnuKGlGD6ClLSgsoe1qKT5cD5agNj1Kna-AXeQj1qCZwwLz62jX3quI_lPQtOcfbH8ybs6uQyNuDfzOzacDotKNiWvE00T0fTBOzjBYS/s1600/IMG00146-20111230-1633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQG_B6LZjYcSH8b3Y0THySsyajVntR5khMB5HlnuKGlGD6ClLSgsoe1qKT5cD5agNj1Kna-AXeQj1qCZwwLz62jX3quI_lPQtOcfbH8ybs6uQyNuDfzOzacDotKNiWvE00T0fTBOzjBYS/s320/IMG00146-20111230-1633.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Electric Wires lying on the ground</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55wa2pF0RdJF2jOyfqG245WOCW_W3iG0yIbc9hmPe7FOvsMp3ae6AYlyOMpiAqnC8iK1qD0oWz8dJETJ470lpMy_PsM1UWmEYm4jPoEXXCyTQgizT4WzSwqTGNJ1SaLVo9sO_MAnFmXsI/s1600/IMG00152-20111230-1635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55wa2pF0RdJF2jOyfqG245WOCW_W3iG0yIbc9hmPe7FOvsMp3ae6AYlyOMpiAqnC8iK1qD0oWz8dJETJ470lpMy_PsM1UWmEYm4jPoEXXCyTQgizT4WzSwqTGNJ1SaLVo9sO_MAnFmXsI/s320/IMG00152-20111230-1635.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snapped electric posts</td></tr>
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<b>The devastation</b>
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The beautiful Auroville forest has been flattened by the cyclone; all roads were blocked by massive tree-fall, most Aurovilians were 'prisoners' in their own communities/homes.<br />
It has taken all of 3 days of constant hard work by several tree-cutting/clearing teams to somewhat clear our main routes, but on Monday January 2, work resumed in Shradhanjali (and most other commercial units).<br />
Electrical supply will not be restored for at least 2-3 weeks (electrical poles have snapped like matchsticks or folded over), and water is a big problem.<br />
It is going to take us a long time to limp back to normal (whatever that means).<br />
The forest may take 10 or 15 years to recover from the brutal shock. <br />
We are posting some photos of the massive destruction as well as of our 'trek' to the workshop on 31st December morning.<br />
More than ever we need courage and determination to face the Future!<br />
Wishing you again a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBARk1YR6piLfEMEC-vvnXD7E0Lmo4BaAAxIWUVxlF_xZ8A7FAymhBFzPGz5Q0SaXJ3TV3dZeWeJ-oH9TRFdcPlmlCe1P5JjOlwhSEpuFNub3fXjEi7gQqr9q9T-E3pUt6koQ2q9wO_fh/s1600/IMG00155-20111230-1709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBARk1YR6piLfEMEC-vvnXD7E0Lmo4BaAAxIWUVxlF_xZ8A7FAymhBFzPGz5Q0SaXJ3TV3dZeWeJ-oH9TRFdcPlmlCe1P5JjOlwhSEpuFNub3fXjEi7gQqr9q9T-E3pUt6koQ2q9wO_fh/s320/IMG00155-20111230-1709.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening the first roads</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeDNvhdYSOsSFp6ainDRMjjXNZ3fokMpnJdUw_F-ZhyZVdfaC0YH4O8nV46gjJpFWnQmp1I3t3dMzyBJPPs11_hA7sWE1Acs9UoxNFzlL-TA48CwFJZigDSfHsE-kQk9ywFKIfr7dhp3x/s1600/IMG00161-20111231-0804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeDNvhdYSOsSFp6ainDRMjjXNZ3fokMpnJdUw_F-ZhyZVdfaC0YH4O8nV46gjJpFWnQmp1I3t3dMzyBJPPs11_hA7sWE1Acs9UoxNFzlL-TA48CwFJZigDSfHsE-kQk9ywFKIfr7dhp3x/s320/IMG00161-20111231-0804.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abha trying to find the road</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvIUH9K8CKRPokzQa4MKLxywZhlivZQdXgQuVHBkYCEUsGVB3dAcsPcDZNxCsjqNDsleJOtwfJeDdCCufxyy1_wV5Bwv6Wr0cmUu5gXY32hKB7gLhlDmrEZPLagcRW9oyO5DNfoXKog4L/s1600/IMG00166-20111231-0816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvIUH9K8CKRPokzQa4MKLxywZhlivZQdXgQuVHBkYCEUsGVB3dAcsPcDZNxCsjqNDsleJOtwfJeDdCCufxyy1_wV5Bwv6Wr0cmUu5gXY32hKB7gLhlDmrEZPLagcRW9oyO5DNfoXKog4L/s320/IMG00166-20111231-0816.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another person struggling to reach her place of work</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCB13l81AZ7hop_k1Zpf0H9x-cX8TycZPzucYSdh9nXlsRShvVQbt1um2IYalQmqnwNbY7kokaI5wgJzC7LDEKZOjdV8hpdZRlKe2hg4VYx85SQFDPblKz36W967a9qGiImNq5C_xsq07/s1600/IMG00168-20111231-0830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCB13l81AZ7hop_k1Zpf0H9x-cX8TycZPzucYSdh9nXlsRShvVQbt1um2IYalQmqnwNbY7kokaI5wgJzC7LDEKZOjdV8hpdZRlKe2hg4VYx85SQFDPblKz36W967a9qGiImNq5C_xsq07/s320/IMG00168-20111231-0830.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shradhanjali workshop is in view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMJ91bKNtBwbqwcJBU8-dFyaXTRr2FDsBgdFNfTVluL4XR_KNlIeE6EGd0739NhGf7H-vuQ4uLlGHHEIr_hq2FZw9dU1iD73jDNPEnNTBgT1FjZ1-jRnayHOZBwLWLXcve-b27QKAU8zt/s1600/IMG00184-20111231-1537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMJ91bKNtBwbqwcJBU8-dFyaXTRr2FDsBgdFNfTVluL4XR_KNlIeE6EGd0739NhGf7H-vuQ4uLlGHHEIr_hq2FZw9dU1iD73jDNPEnNTBgT1FjZ1-jRnayHOZBwLWLXcve-b27QKAU8zt/s320/IMG00184-20111231-1537.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next day</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjej0P2o3ByssQ1-reI11hH68j5PG9u2drGf41Rp4IribwfWb3yX7y69EWuY_pYVZAI6eCdZUaVhQIhqJgCPTiZNfSSbvCWV-7dT-9jcAoSWoe9rRxmvxK7S3106MzgL_SJPx-KPZ2OPVew/s1600/IMG00188-20111231-1539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjej0P2o3ByssQ1-reI11hH68j5PG9u2drGf41Rp4IribwfWb3yX7y69EWuY_pYVZAI6eCdZUaVhQIhqJgCPTiZNfSSbvCWV-7dT-9jcAoSWoe9rRxmvxK7S3106MzgL_SJPx-KPZ2OPVew/s320/IMG00188-20111231-1539.jpg" width="320" /> </a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteers at work</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDK-S8Sf5_h4RySh78JXAXh132PqIaX_DN6kYuWKgOnW4oJq0t_FGTTfKUVfPJIXxQ4szqE3Zo9mbMyT7hXkfHFkCjs7BQKQILM5KAhBcMUHAVTmIs2V4Kzkp9oD4jKVr-Xr_NRRrs_5yh/s1600/IMG00190-20111231-1540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDK-S8Sf5_h4RySh78JXAXh132PqIaX_DN6kYuWKgOnW4oJq0t_FGTTfKUVfPJIXxQ4szqE3Zo9mbMyT7hXkfHFkCjs7BQKQILM5KAhBcMUHAVTmIs2V4Kzkp9oD4jKVr-Xr_NRRrs_5yh/s320/IMG00190-20111231-1540.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearing the main road</td></tr>
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</div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-21394490717637834742011-12-27T09:57:00.000+05:302012-01-03T15:37:10.908+05:30Happy New Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXcQ7-QE_bjQ5IoBjgqlDAhsjZ2lAUdNBJhzS9PxI320YKAmPTzOj8bvoLyiKpVnFFFVswDblWQp_jsOFm2JbAwVog_lA2haPNmGOcA66-g2WMkayiDWgphvhENwlhLKB3IRK84zWsUE/s1600/2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXcQ7-QE_bjQ5IoBjgqlDAhsjZ2lAUdNBJhzS9PxI320YKAmPTzOj8bvoLyiKpVnFFFVswDblWQp_jsOFm2JbAwVog_lA2haPNmGOcA66-g2WMkayiDWgphvhENwlhLKB3IRK84zWsUE/s640/2012.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Happy New Year.<br />
Seeds symbolize the promise of life, of hope, of the future.<br />
Just as these delicate seeds prepare to take wing, may we leap into 2012 with courage and determination to make a better tomorrow for this planet.<br />
<br />
With warm regards from all of us</div>Abha Tewarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727932330584500796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-70260952646265871062011-12-26T09:56:00.001+05:302011-12-27T09:41:19.807+05:30Curiosity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_zNCNYMPNGBqc535AVvKmfG-qxt-ohkEP4HoMYGISc0KBamN2WSQHBBn25TyPMm5DKaXTzN6a3FGcEg0XQp4g2lFsvAI5AqVqwK59hPsi3yn0Vms6PKvRvl3uL8HSlQHAX5xXND3VBU/s1600/curiosity1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_zNCNYMPNGBqc535AVvKmfG-qxt-ohkEP4HoMYGISc0KBamN2WSQHBBn25TyPMm5DKaXTzN6a3FGcEg0XQp4g2lFsvAI5AqVqwK59hPsi3yn0Vms6PKvRvl3uL8HSlQHAX5xXND3VBU/s320/curiosity1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.sriaurobindoashram.org/ashram/mother/index.php">The Mother</a> gave significances to hundreds of flowers, corresponding to their innate vibration.</i><br />
<i>She once said:</i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"I have noticed a first elementary psychic vibration in plant life, and truly the blossoming of a flower is the first sign of the psychic presence. The psychic individualises itself only in man, but it existed before him; only it is not the same kind of individualisation, it is more fluid and manifests as force or as consciousness rather than as individuality. Take the rose, for example, its great perfection of form, colour and smell expresses an aspiration and is a psychic gift. Look at a rose opening in the morning with the first contact of the sun-it is a magnificent self-giving aspiration."</i></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Htwn_aOn2uNZvSAZk42U1ZqozHC8bNYIzvJaPzRFyiP1xcfb0QetlBa2zwTWOplhbN5xhn6rQU6od_SUNI9ThLdDVzmD1ONBAH8FM01HMRstBf_nYushgq1UMqDlS-VzIx31QThGHRQ/s1600/Curisity4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Htwn_aOn2uNZvSAZk42U1ZqozHC8bNYIzvJaPzRFyiP1xcfb0QetlBa2zwTWOplhbN5xhn6rQU6od_SUNI9ThLdDVzmD1ONBAH8FM01HMRstBf_nYushgq1UMqDlS-VzIx31QThGHRQ/s200/Curisity4.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Physical Curiosity</td></tr>
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We are presenting today, a cute red flower called 'Curiosity'.<br />
Its botanical name is Holmskioldia sanguinea. It is native to the Himalayan lowlands. Its common names are 'Chinese hat plant', 'cup and saucer plant', and 'parasol flower'. It is an erect shrub that loves to climb. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ohVoGOlEMmUHeG4lsP7cBZ9Ad0owMo0MW1TVc9f8FTtl7Qv-jKSFUxS_UuxMcXu978HZOkRQOFf1Msf1App8a0TyWbnHxQCY8DN5VcpmhzC4hTXRs8h7JkaEYdliQniLdOOsUZFsj_u0/s1600/Curiosity3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ohVoGOlEMmUHeG4lsP7cBZ9Ad0owMo0MW1TVc9f8FTtl7Qv-jKSFUxS_UuxMcXu978HZOkRQOFf1Msf1App8a0TyWbnHxQCY8DN5VcpmhzC4hTXRs8h7JkaEYdliQniLdOOsUZFsj_u0/s200/Curiosity3.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mental Curiosity</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The shrub produces spectacular narrow, trumpet shaped flowers with crimson petals and red to orange or yellow-green sepals. This plant blooms from summer to fall. It grows up to 6 feet in height and can get up to 5 feet wide. For faster growth and support, use a trellis or some other support to help your plant.<br />
<span id="goog_545466054"></span><span id="goog_545466055"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQ0Ev-6CnJqD2Or8oxidQjAhVWdi2qlPWKszJTyyuF0UThYWw4oXyelBLZC3QLnGNzGdzapIXKLzFgoxfgYI9sChcWt2N9Y1dixcuVWMTbwpBNul4qld1vbwdM4TJ95ruarwv1joY3wq3/s1600/Curiosity_card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQ0Ev-6CnJqD2Or8oxidQjAhVWdi2qlPWKszJTyyuF0UThYWw4oXyelBLZC3QLnGNzGdzapIXKLzFgoxfgYI9sChcWt2N9Y1dixcuVWMTbwpBNul4qld1vbwdM4TJ95ruarwv1joY3wq3/s200/Curiosity_card.jpg" width="197" /></a> <i>I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious...</i><br />
<i>... The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its
own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he
contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous
structure of reality. </i><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
Albert Einstein</div>
<br />
Curiosity is used in our <a href="http://www.shradhanjaliauroville.com/index_products.php?category_id=206">Pushpanjali and Dharti ranges</a></div>Abha Tewarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727932330584500796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-46547058113618607072011-12-21T09:48:00.002+05:302011-12-22T10:37:53.247+05:30The First Years of Shradhanjali<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It started 30 years ago!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>Last year, we celebrated the 30th Anniversary of Shradhanjali. On the occasion, we interviewed </b></i><i><b>Abha</b></i><i><b>. </b></i><br />
<i><b>Here are excepts of the interview:</b></i><br />
<br />
<i>Q: Tell us how did you get the idea to start Shradhanjali? When was it?</i><br />
<br />
Abha: It was sometime at the end of 1979, that we had the idea, because we began in early 1980, sometime in January. I don’t remember the exact date. Those who were living here at that time will remember how difficult it was to make ends meet in terms of even a proper meal everyday. We had just dry bread for breakfast, with sometimes a bit of jam. There was a need for more finance and that was the first motivation. The second reason was that Radhika and I had planned to work with our hands and make crafts in order to support ourselves during our Newcomers period. We had planned this while studying at the University in Delhi, before coming to Auroville. When we got here, it was not required and we both got immersed in other work. So, it was only one and half years later that we started the project.<br />
<br />
<i>Q: Why dry flowers?</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK32FDf201zZY2zVefD8BQxVEu4k7hJwtL_Yb4aMb5A1xyJcb-Ni-Ad5Kd1ZUYlXHEeFX-QPY-bzCtzIyw52VmT__ng0UEtZNLbmkBjUGTubCt3zzr-MeHESt61_GEXnwxc2jpz8y8GLYt/s1600/Michel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK32FDf201zZY2zVefD8BQxVEu4k7hJwtL_Yb4aMb5A1xyJcb-Ni-Ad5Kd1ZUYlXHEeFX-QPY-bzCtzIyw52VmT__ng0UEtZNLbmkBjUGTubCt3zzr-MeHESt61_GEXnwxc2jpz8y8GLYt/s320/Michel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michel right at the beginning</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Abha: It is something that both of us had already done. I, in school and I think Radhika too. It was something in our minds. It was not just dry flowers, it was also spray painting, or with a tooth brush, etc. We definitely wanted to do something with flowers. We had already collected ferns and grasses from the hills. So, the idea was there even if we did not implement it immediately. <br />
<br />
<i>Q: How did you start, how did you find a place, the funds, etc.?</i><br />
<br />
Abha: The first thing we did was fundraising: a few people like my parents and a few people donated some 5000 or 6000 Rupees. The first thing we did was to buy the equipment for screen-printing. We bought ink and learnt screen-printing and printing a fund-raising letter. We said: “We are 2 young Indian girls wanting to set up a handicraft unit, bla, bla, bla and we sent it to a few people”. We probably got 5,000 Rupees or so more and then 500 Rupees here and there. We started with a maximum of 10,000/12,000 Rupees. It was really, really small.<br />
<br />
<i>Q: What about the place?</i><br />
Abha: At that time, there was this place vacant where the <i>Maison de l’Agenda</i> is in Aspiration near Pour Tous. It was after Aurofuture, the architect office had shifted and it was pretty much empty. There were a few small activities happening, but we were told that we could use a small corner, a tiny corner which was in a mess. It was more like a storeroom and we were told, I don’t remember who was in charge, but we were just told, you can use this corner. It is where we began. We just needed the place for the screen-printing table and our small tables. <br />
In fact, we were given a table by the Aurofuture Office, the architecture office which had shifted. So, we had the place to start.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6LUIsvcJZeOciHFMumszDlZdDW_tR0H22IPfZsFAG9VjQz2cs7Y1ZER1XqYEI2e6F-rc9OB6z_xVe3etbYuBKV-Wiw3GfHbr_sKGpktHZJDimZetcPiPm8zBLP1-L3Nsp_QfhK8NZepZ/s1600/Boutique+AV1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6LUIsvcJZeOciHFMumszDlZdDW_tR0H22IPfZsFAG9VjQz2cs7Y1ZER1XqYEI2e6F-rc9OB6z_xVe3etbYuBKV-Wiw3GfHbr_sKGpktHZJDimZetcPiPm8zBLP1-L3Nsp_QfhK8NZepZ/s320/Boutique+AV1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first outlet in Aspiration, Auroville</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i>Q: Do you remember your first order?</i><br />
Abha: The first customer was the Auroville Today Exhibition which toured India in 1980. We sent our first products with the exhibition to Mumbai in February 1980. Both Radhika and I had school and college friends there. We wrote to them and they came and bought the things, just because we had done them ourselves. It was our first sales.<br />
Then a friend who was working for what is today <i>Maroma</i>, it was known as Bati (incense) Company or <i>Encens d’Auroville</i> then, she took some of our products to her marketing contacts.<br />
Our first client in Mumbai was <i>Contemporary Arts and Crafts</i>, they are still our clients, then <i>The Shop</i> in Delhi and in Kolkatta, <i>The Good Companions</i>. Except for <i>The Shop</i>, it was people that this friend put us in contact with. In Mumbai, we contacted the <i>Bombay Swadeshi Stores</i>. So, it started with 2 shops in Mumbai, 1 in Delhi and 1 in Kolkata. It was more than enough for the two of us. Sometimes we had to get helpers; all sort of people used to come and help us, mainly from Aspiration Community where we lived. Whoever we could catch in Aspiration, came to be our screen-printing <i>tambi</i> (younger brother), to pass the paper from the screen-printing table to the racks. We had so little funds, that we built the infrastructure very very slowly. It was slow and laid-back.<br />
<br />
<i>Q: When did you get your first export order?</i><br />
<br />
Abha: I don’t remember, two young French men, Christian and Michel joined us in 1981. Around the same time, we had taken our first girl; she had gone to Encens for an interview, they did not take her, so we asked her to join.I don’t remember now if she joined first or after Christian and Michel. We were five: Radhika and I, the two French boys and one Tamil girl. <br />
<br />
<i>Q: What about your first Export order?</i><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ykAy5-E_vB2sa0hzQcjaqsL4TlKK0jgNdEvIjEXiFhNF6BohW1u3uxVHQVFDKBKWv3urcxzZUR95qzOrgiIzIT_-IIv4ziy-Whe5UiMDASgd9YzqcotT-w84-bilYg4Cx1YNItcHpI5e/s1600/Tashi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ykAy5-E_vB2sa0hzQcjaqsL4TlKK0jgNdEvIjEXiFhNF6BohW1u3uxVHQVFDKBKWv3urcxzZUR95qzOrgiIzIT_-IIv4ziy-Whe5UiMDASgd9YzqcotT-w84-bilYg4Cx1YNItcHpI5e/s320/Tashi.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tashi, Abha & Radhika</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Abha: It must have been around 1985, but in the meantime, we had built more contacts in India. <br />
It was working rather slowly, but it was working by then. Soon we could shift to the other side of the building, in two rooms in the front of the building. An Aurovilian was looking after the screen-printing for the Bati Company on the other side of the building.<br />
Around 1988/89, the space became insufficient, we had by then 6 or 7 girls and not enough place to work, to store our raw materials and finished goods. We were bursting out of the place. <br />
At that time I got pregnant (my daughter was born in May 1990), so it is only in 1991/1992 that we decided to shift and started looking for another place. The previous year, I was too preoccupied to look after the construction. When I joined again in early 1991, I started to look for a place. There was that tussle with Aurofuture not giving us land, a lot of heartache with the people living in the Industrial Zone not wanting a new unit.<br />
<br />
<i>Q: Why they did not want such a ‘soft’ industry? </i><br />
<br />
Abha: They did not want their day-to-day established routine to be disturbed by something new. <br />
<br />
<i>Q: How did you find the money to build your new workshop?</i><br />
<br />
Abha: We had been saving since the end of the 1980’s.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe1w5PeLbSgVx4j65Sr3Mj-wTfk6Cp8nU8U9fZcih9mAhaQHryotF0hMCTmHGrIAiuetpVIihr_Cv95WSHZfXRaRuSp_7ql_eyVfenQiecY7UhDgVk2gQ9fJFah0sE72zrb4o4F6MczPE/s1600/Auroshilpam2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwe1w5PeLbSgVx4j65Sr3Mj-wTfk6Cp8nU8U9fZcih9mAhaQHryotF0hMCTmHGrIAiuetpVIihr_Cv95WSHZfXRaRuSp_7ql_eyVfenQiecY7UhDgVk2gQ9fJFah0sE72zrb4o4F6MczPE/s320/Auroshilpam2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Building in the Industrial Zone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since it was clear since sometime that we had to shift, we had put some money aside, with the agreement of the Development Group which was looking after planning at that time.<br />
<br />
<i>Q: Did you take any loan from the Bank?</i><br />
<br />
Abha: We were lucky that a piece of land near the Center for Scientific Research was up for sale. Someone helped us to broker a deal with the villager wanting to sell it. Because this land came up for sale, we were able to get this place. We finally bought the land through the Auroville Land Service.<br />
We had kept some money aside, some 10 lakhs to buy the land and start the construction. It was not enough to finish. We took a loan from the commercial unit Auroville Revolving Fund which we refunded in about two years.<br />
<br />
<i>Q: You are celebrating 30 Years of Shradhanjali? What are your thoughts 30 years down the line?</i><br />
<br />
Abha: Well, 30 years ago, I certainly did not think that I would be at it 30 years later. What I feel most positive about is the change it has brought in the girls that we employ. I mentioned the first girl 28 or 29 years ago and the girls that we now employ from the local area, I can see such a huge difference. It is a generational difference. It is very encouraging. The girls are more educated, individually more self-assured. <br />
In terms of <i>raison d’être</i>, Shradhanjali has kept the same objectives, the same goals: to create beautiful things. I feel that it has become much more important to work harmoniously with the people that we employ, with the women. Over the years, I have become more and more convinced that the keys to a change in the life in our area are in the hands of the women. There has been a growing awareness in me on how important this resource is, the women from the local village. I would like to spend more time training, training in the form of exposure. They should be able to have another outlook than the male bastion which is the village setting. They should have more self-esteem, more self-value, larger horizons of thought, both in terms of social thought as well as in terms of outlook to life, education or environment. I want to ensure this.<br />
<br />
<i>Q: Do you want to grow big?</i><br />
<br />
Abha: It has always been an issue for me. I don’t want to grow big at the cost of loosing the handmade beauty, the handmade quality, an attention to each individual piece, but we can’t remain at the same size without, in a way, going down or collapsing. The answer would ‘yes, I want to grow’, but not exponentially, in a phased organic manner.<br />
<br />
<i>Q: What is your vision for the next 30 years?</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrrzDZPeMWqSF7kRVcQo0QPoDRpHCLzzKyR0b6lB0owb2b08suZG15qEm1kCfCNOY1lOsbr3Bg2QTVMTTFk0plpbfk9LxrdAuCCKH5i44QUolXZpDWRSwwBCRjkWvNHnVwnuGKbdYSucZ/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrrzDZPeMWqSF7kRVcQo0QPoDRpHCLzzKyR0b6lB0owb2b08suZG15qEm1kCfCNOY1lOsbr3Bg2QTVMTTFk0plpbfk9LxrdAuCCKH5i44QUolXZpDWRSwwBCRjkWvNHnVwnuGKbdYSucZ/s320/06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Workshop </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Abha: Oh gosh! I don’t want to be here for 30 more years. It should be taken up by young people with enthusiasm and a different energy. The Vision would be to continue to work harmoniously with women and with Nature, to create beauty in our products and to continue to support Auroville substantially. <br />
<br />
<i>Q: Auroville has changed tremendously in 30 years. How do you see Shradhanjali in this changing scenario? Is it easier today? </i><br />
<br />
Abha: I think that people who come now have no clue what we had to go through. Last week I went to a meeting for ‘quality control’ for Auroville products. Everybody in the meeting was relatively new to Auroville, the common complaint was that there is no infrastructure for new people to start: “there is no path for new entrepreneurs!” When I think back how it was, at that time one had to be a fighter to just survive. Today, everything is laid out, there are of course difficulties, ‘matter’ is difficult. But there is just no comparison in terms of material difficulty. But today as the life of the city is way more organized, people expect to come to a full-fledged Chamber of Commerce, with everything well-set and handed down, with buildings, infrastructure and organizational help. People expect everything ready; it is a totally different ballgame.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6aS8cSDZwBUlnaZwD5Qakohj0JR0FfSab_8TjQP5C_pR86UsWgnReM5JVjOnFenILLu8gBWTSXO3CXQH8099ZFnUqI0IZH9apk29O4tyipVDbDH_6XJOlG34yBXbgxCf3S_fyPSy0v_b/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6aS8cSDZwBUlnaZwD5Qakohj0JR0FfSab_8TjQP5C_pR86UsWgnReM5JVjOnFenILLu8gBWTSXO3CXQH8099ZFnUqI0IZH9apk29O4tyipVDbDH_6XJOlG34yBXbgxCf3S_fyPSy0v_b/s320/01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thirty Years of Shradhanjali</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Q: As a motto, you are using: “Life must blossom like a flower offering itself to the Divine”. Tell us why did you choose this motto?</i><br />
<br />
Abha: This phrase of the Mother of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram has always touched me deeply. There is such beauty and spontaneous offering in a flower or a tree, in nature in general. It is a life lesson for us who aspire to do the yoga of Mother and Sri Aurobindo. Look at this flower in the garden (<i>showing a rose</i>).<br />
Even in the most arid, hard conditions, it opens itself, it gives itself. This flower or a bush, a tree has no demands, it just gives itself. It is a very beautiful lesson for life, for the path to tread. And the analogy is appropriate since we work with flowers.<i></i></div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-4058258577667676622011-12-18T09:44:00.000+05:302011-12-21T09:41:51.027+05:30The Red Sandalwood Seed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxLH8W4XUmCVL_JwOBuj63i6sKXUZEZeJXRfp6JcjrhmkgeeDHO2a6ceIAM6zNQm80JDe_AUtnJaUWTgAdR1A32eTPSqFXz3JlDz4l3KSx2OUzVgH4MQotDqw-xcIWnx02OSi-x4O7qg/s1600/Hand3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxLH8W4XUmCVL_JwOBuj63i6sKXUZEZeJXRfp6JcjrhmkgeeDHO2a6ceIAM6zNQm80JDe_AUtnJaUWTgAdR1A32eTPSqFXz3JlDz4l3KSx2OUzVgH4MQotDqw-xcIWnx02OSi-x4O7qg/s400/Hand3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Let us continue with the seeds which we use at <a href="http://www.shradhanjaliauroville.com/index_aboutus.php">Shradhanjali</a>. <br />
On this blog we would like to keep giving information about the seeds, flowers, leaves and plants which are the ‘raw materials’ of our natural products.<br />
Today, here is a short introduction on the Adenanthera pavonina. <br />
<br />
<b>What does Adenanthera pavonina mean?</b><br />
<b><i>Adenanthera</i></b> comes from ‘aden’ (gland) and ‘anthera’ (anther) which are tipped with a gland. <br />
<b><i>Pavonina</i></b> is the name of a Spanish botanist, Pavon, José Antonio (1754–1844) <br />
<br />
<b>Its Common Name: </b>Red Sandalwood, Coral Wood, Red Bead Tree, Red Wood<br />
<br />
<b>Where do you find it?</b><br />
Mainly in India, China, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Australia (Northern Territory) and Solomon Islands. <br />
It has been ‘naturalized’ in tropical Africa, Asia, United States, West Indies, Seychelles or Pacific Islands.<br />
In India, it is found in the sub-Himalayan tracts. It is also grows in West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Gujarat, Maharashtra, South India (in Auroville of course) and the Andamans.<br />
<br />
<b>What does it looks like?</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcoxAw5Ro3jE8OrxV_J-VpkueyUIKZ4kXSL2BNYNzgENjLSbyVyGzmWmJx65-IPFmQRXRaU_sF5guPIDo1YcybpHuA6kV38t6jmZjrF-YgCV7gLtuBp4D3gRX_kS7OHSJEWOJODL8jik/s1600/Seed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcoxAw5Ro3jE8OrxV_J-VpkueyUIKZ4kXSL2BNYNzgENjLSbyVyGzmWmJx65-IPFmQRXRaU_sF5guPIDo1YcybpHuA6kV38t6jmZjrF-YgCV7gLtuBp4D3gRX_kS7OHSJEWOJODL8jik/s1600/Seed.jpg" /></a>It is a deciduous, spreading, fast growing, unarmed tree, up to 15 m in height and 2 m in girth. Bark dark brown or greyish brown, rough on old trees, white or brownish white inside; leaves bipinnate, up to 30 cm long; flowers yellowish, scented; pods narrow, up to 20 cm long, twisting while opening, exposing hard, shiny, scarlet seeds.<br />
The seeds, known as Madatya or Circassian seeds, are traditionally used by apothecaries and goldsmiths as weights, each seed being equal to approx. 0,25g. <br />
It is said that roasted and shelled seeds can be eaten with rice and it is good. The powdered seeds, mixed with borax and water can make good cement.<br />
The smooth, pale grey bark is rich in saponin and can be used in the manufacture of both detergents and medicines, while the shredded bark yields a red dye.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEb3WurKMw7B8C_Reee1w_l_KzP8lKrYZOlz1DBkYTcT-gifpOK3REcR-TBoSt0QX0IljuNONNuh65DVkaK-EwRa4WyPgif3rePDKfKzCuNjOwD1enOlMX7cK3jeNXL8yPbMuTSyGtBI/s1600/DSC_4159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEb3WurKMw7B8C_Reee1w_l_KzP8lKrYZOlz1DBkYTcT-gifpOK3REcR-TBoSt0QX0IljuNONNuh65DVkaK-EwRa4WyPgif3rePDKfKzCuNjOwD1enOlMX7cK3jeNXL8yPbMuTSyGtBI/s200/DSC_4159.jpg" width="133" /></a>The reddish-purple heartwood is hard, heavy, strong and durable, a valued timber in many countries, where it is used for cabinetry or construction and for making articles of fine art. <br />
The red paste made by rubbing the wood upon a moist stone can be used as a <i>tilak</i>.<br />
The red wood, rubbed on a stone with a little water and applied to the body can cure prickly heat. The timber is used as a substitute for true red sandal wood (Pterocarpus santalinus). <br />
A multipurpose tree, in other words.<br />
<br />
The seed is extensively used in our <a href="http://www.shradhanjaliauroville.com/index_products.php?category_id=250">Beejika range</a>.</div>Abha Tewarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05727932330584500796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-84108875314825454222011-12-16T14:19:00.000+05:302012-02-14T15:16:51.583+05:30Calligraphy with flowers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We have a new recruit in Shradhanjali. Miran is a Korean artist and calligrapher who has decided to spend one year in Auroville.<br />
She is working on new ‘calligraphic’ designs at Shradhanjali.<br />
The idea is to find a harmonious blend between brush painting (Miran’s expertise) and dried flowers. <br />
To start with, Miran is painting a design for venetian blinds.<br />
She is working on Hand Made Paper and using traditional Korean techniques to paint the large sheets which will later be laminated and used as sample blinds for our office.<br />
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<br /></div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-70865056563387711692011-12-14T15:19:00.000+05:302011-12-14T15:35:23.160+05:30The Little Egret<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We had an unusual visitor outside our window this morning.<br />
After looking up Salim Ali’s <i><a href="http://www.archive.org/details/BookOfIndianBirds">The Book of Indian Birds</a></i>, we decided that it was an Indian Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) or Little Egret.<br />
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According to Salim Ali:<br />
<i>Field Characters: the Little Egret has two colour phases: (1) pure white, (2) bluish slaty with a white patch on throat; some examples parti-coloured. A backwardly drooping crest of two narrow plumes is acquired in the breeding season. White phase difficult to differentiate from the Small Egret, but its seashore habitat is suggestive. </i><br />
<i>Sexes alike. Singly, on rocky seashore, mangrove swamps, etc. </i><br />
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<i>Distribution: The coast of western India; Pakistan; Ceylon.</i><br />
<i>Habits: Not appreciably different from other egrets and herons, except that it is essentially a bird of the seacoast, seldom found far inland above tidal influence. Food: Mainly crustaceans, mollusks and fish, especially the mud-crawler (Periophthalmus). </i><br />
Our friend was probably looking for a free meal from our beautiful pond.<br />
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Salim Ali says: <i>“Wades into the shallow surf or in a rock pool left by the receding tide, crouching forward on flexed legs, ‘freezing’ with poised neck and bill and jabbing at quarry blundering within range. Nesting: Season – March to July, varying with locality. Nest – a twig platform like that of other egrets, commonly built in colonies on mangrove trees in a tidal swamp, or in a large peepul or jambul, often in association with other egrets, paddy birds, etc. Eggs, 3 or 4, pale sea-green or blue-green, un-marked.”</i><br />
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We hope he will continue to visit us.</div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-79463501259682789412011-12-10T09:56:00.001+05:302011-12-10T09:56:43.340+05:30Two lilies in the pond<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The pond at the entrance of our workshop this morning</div>
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</div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-60436191966457660702011-12-08T14:19:00.001+05:302011-12-09T10:57:13.826+05:30The Ashoka tree<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashoka tree</td></tr>
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<i>A couple of years ago, Shradhanjali introduced a new range of items – Beejika, jewels of nature. In this collection, </i><i>Shradhanjali</i><i> showcases the exquisite artistry of Nature, reflected in the seeds and seedpods of Auroville’s trees, planted over the last 43 years.</i><br />
<i>For us </i><i>it is </i><i>a way of preserving nature’s rich diversity; creating awareness and knowledge about the importance of protecting the environment. <br />The range consists of cards, jewelry accessories (earrings, bracelets, necklaces, hair-sticks and key-chains), mobiles and decorative flowers. </i><br />
<i>Profits from these products go towards planting indigenous trees.</i><br />
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<b>The Ashoka or Mast tree</b><br />
The name of the tree derives from the Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka the Great who ruled the Indian subcontinent from 269 BC to 232 BC. In Indian history Ashoka is considered one of India's greatest emperors. After he had conquered the kingdom of Kalinga, (present day Orissa), he embraced Buddhism and promulgated it as a State religion. He dedicated the rest of his life to the propagation of Buddhist precepts which still today can be found engraved on pillars or rocks.<br />
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<b>The tree</b><br />
Belongs to <i>Anninacea </i>Family, its botanical name is <i>Polyalthia longifolia</i>.<br />
The word Polyalthia is derived from two Greek words: poly, meaning much or many and althea meaning to cure, thus polyalthia means ‘many cures’ which is a reference to its medicinal properties. Longifolia in Latin means long leaves.<br />
The tree is known differently in each Indian language: Hindi, ashoka (devadar); Bengali, debdaru; Malayalam, choruna; North India, debadar; South India, ashoke.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeds and leaves</td></tr>
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<b>Where</b><b> is</b><b> it found?</b><br />
A native tree of Sri Lanka and Bengal, it is found growing wild in the southernmost parts of India. It is a very common tree in eastern India.<br />
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<b>A short description: </b><br />
A tall evergreen tree with straight trunk and slender branches which are more or less at right angles to the stem and have a symmetrical pyramidal crown.<br />
Beautiful lance-shaped glossy leaves narrowing to a long point, with wavy or undulating margins. They are light green, translucent when young, and occur in great profusion.
<i>
</i>The flowers are star-shaped, yellowish-green in colour, inconspicuous, borne on long slender stalks, appearing from February to April.<br />
The fruiting season is in July and the fruits are egg-shaped. On account of its graceful column with downward sweeping branchlets and glossy foliage, it is highly esteemed as an avenue tree. The bark yields good fiber. The wood, light and flexible is used for making drum cylinders, pencils and boxes. When ripe its fruit is eaten by bats at night and the seeds are scattered over the ground the next morning. Festoons of its leaves are used for decorating ceremonial gates and arches.<br />
It is different from the real Asoka (Saraca Indica) and should not be confused with it on account of its name.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beejika range</td></tr>
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<b> </b><b>Interested in gardening?</b><br />
It is propagated by seed, sown in July in flower pots and planted out when of suitable size. It transplants well.<br />
When grown 15 feet apart on the southern side of the compound wall, the trees are a very good protection from the heat of the sun and dust and also act as a wind-break. It is an excellent tree for border planting in parks and homes.<br />
<i><br />
Shradhanjali is extensively using the Ashoka seeds in <a href="http://www.shradhanjaliauroville.com/index_products.php?category_id=250">the Beejika</a> range.</i>
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</div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-616444731496830234.post-59167258739274682922011-12-05T10:27:00.001+05:302011-12-06T16:12:13.185+05:30Newsletter — Summer 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Welcome to Shradhanjali's Blog.<br />
<br />
We inaugurate this blog by publishing extracts of <a href="http://www.shradhanjaliauroville.com/index_newsletters.php">our last Newsletter</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>It has been a hot summer. But the wearing heat and dust of this season are greatly mitigated by the immense beauty of the blossoming trees around us. The glorious golden-yellow of the Copper pod (Peltaphorum pterocarpum) or the flaming orange-red of the Gulmohur (Delonix regia) light up the horizon and also the heart. And the lilting birdsong of innumerable feathered friends give it wing.</i><br />
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<i>At Shradhanjali, we have sweated and struggled through unending power-cuts, but have also further explored new designs and styles for our product ranges.<b> </b></i></div>
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<i><b> Table ware</b></i></div>
<i>Neemoli frolic – a playful, colourful theme with hand painted (stencil) neem sprigs and Vitex negundo or peepal (Ficus religiosa) leaves. Table mats, trays in all sizes and coasters are available in 5 colour collections.</i><br />
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<i> <b> </b><b> </b></i></div>
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<i><b>Lampshades</b></i></div>
<i>Shweta kamal, Shweta neem - The white on white theme.</i><br />
<i>We continue this range of delicate stencil painting combined with Vitex negundo leaves; the lotus flower and the neem leaf, in shaded tints of white and grey, are transformed when lit up. Available in glassine and lokta papers, in 4 sizes of hanging lampshades, the candle shade and the small cube table lamp.</i><br />
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<i> <b>Stationery</b></i></div>
<i>We continue the lotus theme on all-purpose notebooks in assorted sizes, along with other designs.</i><br />
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</div>Claude Arpihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13651031442389985902noreply@blogger.com0