River, a symbol of life, gives without asking. It serves everyone who comes closer. River empowers and transforms life of a person through cleansing of materialistic pleasures. Bharati Thakur (now Pravrajika Vishuddhananda), experienced this mystical power of Narmada river. Traversing along the streams of Narmada, the sacred guide of 3,200 km, cleansed Bharati Thakur from within and made her renounce materialistic life. During ‘Narmada Parikrama’ she undertook in 2005 along with her friends Nivedita Khandekar and Ushaprabha Paage, Thakur found her mission to educate children in underserved regions and to raise young minds into environmentally conscious individuals. Finding space for personal reflection left a profound impact on her persona. “People are so caught up in their daily routines, they often neglect self-reflection.

 

They fail to engage in an internal dialogue about life’s meaning and purpose, or to question whether they are living for themselves or for others,” Thakur told ‘The Hitavada’, ahead of the World Rivers Day. Today, Thakur perceives herself as an extension of Nature. “Every element of Nature is a teacher. I have developed a spiritual connection. I am able to communicate with them at an intrinsic level,” said Thakur, who respects Swami Vivekanand’s teachings. During her ‘Parikrama’, Thakur interacted with villagers and discovered that schools in their area were under-utilised due to absence of teachers. She felt a deep pull to make a difference to the children and make their future better. Motivated to teach children and live closer to Nature, Thakur quit her Central Government job in 2009. She started teaching at Government schools, encouraged young women to become educators, which helped her gain respect in communities. Thakur founded Nimar Abhyudaya Rural Management and Development Association (NARMADA) in a Madhya Pradesh district. Her Narmadayala School offers free pre-school to high school education with a strong focus on practical skills development through vocational training. Many students also work in farms. A 26-seater bus has been converted into a mobile vocational training centre, equipped with skilled workers and engineers. It moves from village to village, teaching children various skills.

 

Girls show a keen interest in learning vocational skills. A river changed her life, but the same rivers are fighting for survival due to indifference by humans. Expressing concern over river pollution, Thakur rued that despite rivers holding sacred significance in India, many did not understand how to respect and care for them. “People use soap, detergents, and other pollutants, contaminating the water and harming aquatic life. Diesel-powered boats also contributes to the degradation of river ecosystems,” she lamented. “With changing times, one needs to draw a line and be mindful of how individual behaviour can impact water resources,” she emphasised. Thakur teaches and receives life lessons from her students. “I learn patience, innocence, and how to gracefully accept life’s challenges,” she said. She noted that children from remote regions were more connected to Nature and had a profound bond with environment. But, she rued, city children often lack exposure to this pure and rejuvenating connect. Her message is loud and clear -- if one wishes to get closer to Nature, get closer to rivers first. For, rivers and humankind both share the mother-child bond.n