Drive from Jaipur to Shekhawati (approx 5 hrs). A remote town in the centre of the Shekhawati region, Mandawa was a trading outpost for the ancient caravan routes that stopped here from China and the Middle East. Thakur Nawal Singh, the Rajput ruler of Nawalgarh and Mandawa, built a fort to protect this outpost in 1755. Explore Mandawa's ornate havelis (private residences), some crumbling in decay and some wonderfully restored and preserved, making the town a fascinating outdoor museum. Visit one of our Responsible Travel Projects - Asha ka Jharna is a special school for mentally challenged and hearing impaired children. This non-profit organisation provides special education, guidance and counselling to about 150 special children. (Brochure)
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Today is a travel day with a few stops along the way. Our first stop is at the Asha ka Jharna, a special school for mentally challenged and hearing impaired children. The school was started in 1997 by a local business man and his family...it currently serves the needs of about 150 students...it has a staff of 35 teachers and aides. We visited a class of mentally challenged students and learned that they were being taught basic skills such as telling time, understanding the concept of money by visiting the local market place, basic vocabulary, etc. The hard-of-hearing students’ were taught basic sign-language but more importantly how to pronounce words. A young girl with cerebral palsy received physical therapy and showed us how she could walk...she shook our hands. FYI...$400 supports one child for one year (uniform, transport, meals, education); $200 supports the school for a day, $60 provides food to the school for one month. Intrepid travel support NGOs throughout the world that supports similar projects by matching up to $5,000 per year/donator. Visit
http://www.theintrepidfoundation.org/ and select India and Asha ka Jharna. It touches one's heart to visit such a school and how a few $$$ can go such a long way.
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| School Entrance |
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| Founder of School |
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Intrepid Sponsored Organization
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| Hello |
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| Working with Menatlly Challenged Students |
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| Hearing Impaired Students |
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| Shy Student |
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| Computer Instruction in Hindi |
Back in the bus...off we head for Mandawa. We arrive around 5 PM to an absolutely beautiful oasis appropriately named the "Desert Resort". The place is beautiful, clean and the rooms huge. It has a pool, ping-pong table and billiards. What a neat place to stop 1/2 way through our 15 day trip. What do you think???
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| Entrance to Desert Retreat |
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| Welcoming Hindu Mark |
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| Pool and Adjacent Cottages |
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| Entrance to my Room 35 |
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| Interior of my Room |
Dinner tonight is a Indian buffet plus entertainment...a local guitarist and singer and a puppet show. The food is superb and the entertainment quaint. In bed by 10 PM...tomorrow is another day....Tom
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| Delicious Buffet |
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| Puppet Show |
Hello, Papa it is Anna Malnight. How is your trip to India? Do you like it there? What are you seeing? Did you swim in the pool? Is the weather nice? Any rains or snows? Come up and see us some day because I miss you very much! Well, I'm glad you are having fun! Good-bye and have fun! I love you!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for sharing time with our special needs kids here at Asha Ka Jharna! We look forward to your visit again for witnessing their joy and hopes.....
ReplyDeleteSudeep