LIFE AT SRISTI VILLAGE
In Sristi, we are all about being kind. Not only to each other but to nature as well. We strive to be 100% eco-friendly. Everything in Sristi is modeled around this concept. Having lived as one with nature for so long, we don’t take anything for granted. For us everything is precious; everything is exquisite.
Our village is inclusive and embracing. It’s a model village that doesn’t only cater to the needs of the intellectually challenged but a haven for anyone who wants to live a stress-free, peaceful, and satisfactory life close to God and nature.
We use a combination of education, life skills training, and agriculture to help people who are faced with exclusion, neglect, and many disadvantages that limit their effective participation in mainstream society.
Read on to learn more about what a day looks like in Sristi Village and some of the activities we do.
A DAY AT SRISTI
A day at Sristi Village, both for the community members and staff alike, starts at daybreak with a refreshing morning walk. We gather together as a family for prayer and meditation. This helps us to appreciate and become one with nature.
A Thirukural (Tamil verse that gives messages on life) is recited and explained every day. We stretch out with morning exercise and brisk up for the day. Mornings are usually spent farming and is enjoyed by all the residents. We use our own organic fertilizers and maximise the use of our water resources through a drip irrigation system.
During the day residents are trained in various skills like reading and involved in vocational activities. We aim to train the intellectually challenged in skills that would help them to earn a living and be independent.
The family gathering in the evening allows the residents to share their day’s experiences and learn from that of others over a cup of tea, snack, and love. After planning and preparing for the next day and a quiet family conversation, the day ends.
SRISTI ACTIVITIES
To see a typical timetable in Sristi click here
TALENT SHOW
We are always finding a chance to bring out the talents of our community members. Once in three months, we organise a talent show, to showcase our Sristi community member’s talent. Life is short, time is fast, no replay, no rewind, so we wish, all of us enjoy every moment!
Everybody has talent, it’s just a matter of moving around until you’ve discovered what it is – George Lucas
Talent is a special ability that allows someone to do something well. It is a unique, fresh, and highly successful provider. Out talent show works for creating a good platform for our community members to exhibit their talents.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
Sristi we enjoy a lot celebrating our family member’s birthday which includes our members, staff and volunteers. To celebrate a birthday as an occasion we decided to celebrate every month on 3rd Saturday.
Why does Sristi give importance to birthday?
The moments of today become fond memories of tomorrow. This is the day we are surrounded by all the people we love and it is a great way to remember how much we are loved and how much we mean to those who love us. The day is celebrated with so much Joy and Happiness, Sweets, Cake, and some fun-filled moments.
This day also raises our members’ self-esteem. They feel loved and realize that their birth is meant to be celebrated. It also strengthens our bond.
CYCLING!
The current pandemic has reinforced the immense importance of maintaining good health. We Sristi started this ‘Proud to be a Cyclist’ movement enthusiastically and passionately for a better community and to protect the environment. The more cycles we can get on the road, the better the environment will be. Bicycling provides so many physical and psychological benefits, strengthens motor skills, and also helps our community members to increase the immune power, sound mental health, and stronger muscles. We Sristi accept the challenge of not polluting the environment and using less-polluting transportation. At the end of the day, we want to see everyone in our community riding out, no matter what the circumstance is.
ANIMAL CARE
Sristi Community always loves to embrace all living organisms
Animals are the bridge between us and the beauty of all that is natural. They show us what’s missing in our lives, and how to love ourselves more completely and unconditionally. They connect us back to who we are, and to the purpose of why we’re here. – Trisha Mc Cagh
At Sristi Village we trying to integrate as many as animals in our life includes, cows, dogs, cats, rabbits, chicken, ducks, fish and we appreciate each and every living organism and finding a way to live along with them.
“GROWING OUR OWN FOOD”
A key mission of ours is to be able to feed our own Sristi Community through our farming.
“The tiny seed knew that in order to grow it needed to be dropped in dirt, covered in darkness, and struggle to reach the light.” – Sandra Kring
“Grow our own food” is one of Sristi’s biggest dreams. This helps us feed ourselves throughout the year and become sustainable along the way. For example – this season, we have sowed groundnuts. Groundnuts is a nitrogen-fixing plant and provide enrichment and nutrition to the plant and soil. To enhance the productivity of sustainable farming, we practice traditional agricultural techniques. Bio-diversity is not only our goal – it is an asset to our farm. We not only find ways for a better harvest but also, we are working to improve and protect a healthy ecosystem and many organisms that inhabit them.
We love watching the sprouting of the plants.
TREE MANAGEMENT
Keep on learning; Keep on leading! Trees provide us with many benefits necessary for survival including clean air, filtered water, shade, and food. They give us hope, insight, and courage to persevere even in the strident days.
Growing trees is one of our primary objectives. Our trees are every bit a part of our Sristi family as we are. From our garden, we produce our own organic food. Having lived as one with nature for so long, we strive to be 100% eco-friendly.
‘TAMIZH TRADITIONAL AGRICULTRAL CALENDAR CREATION”
A farming calendar is a plan of the growing season from the fallow period to land preparation, to crop establishment and maintenance, to harvest and storage. As the climate warms, growing seasons are becoming more unpredictable. That precariousness makes it harder for farmers to decide when to plant and harvest crops.
This calendar is for organized farming operations like tilling the land, planting, and harvesting based on lunar influences of planets and zodiac. Using this crop calendar allows better planning of all farm activities and the cost of production.
At present, no one gives importance to traditional agricultural farming; all the techniques followed by our ancestors are slowly vanishing. To develop our potential in farming we found and follow this calendar.
Life at Sristi Village during COVID-19!
“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need” -Ayurvedic Proverb
The Covid-19 virus has made people very scared and depressed. Novel coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndrome.
We, at Sristi eat nutritious food and take precautions guided by WHO along with that Yoga, meditation, exercise, and getting enough sleep.
To boost our immunity and for the prevention of corona virus infection, we are intaking Arsenicum (Alb30) which is approved by Govt., of India and recommended by Ayush and கபசுரக்குடிநீர் Kabasura Kudineer recommended by Siddha medicine to prevent the risk of contracting coronavirus.
Health and Happiness of our family is our primary goal for that we Grow our own food. Farming, Composting, leading a chemical-free life in every aspect. Yoga, Meditation, Hobbies, and Some of the activities we enjoy are carried out during this lockdown. We feel blessed to be part of the farm community.