Recently, I was invited by Isha Foundation in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district to be part of their wellness retreat programme and I had no second thoughts about exploring the opportunity for self-fulfilment and recharge amidst the calm of nature. As I landed in Coimbatore, the road leading to the foundation’s campus seemed to be washing away all the exhaustion of a long-haul flight of nearly four hours, from Calcutta. The picturesque verdure at the foothills of Velliangiri hills offered a soothing and comforting preview of the wholesome experience that unfolded over the next three days.
Located 30km west of Coimbatore, Isha Yoga Center is spread across 150 acres. I met many volunteers who enlightened me on the vision of the foundation. Many believe it’s a lifelong journey of inner transformation, which is possible only with a shift to a healthier lifestyle cultivated with self-discipline.
The sprawling lawns are the classrooms for the kids at Isha Samskriti
The early-morning yoga classes at Isha Foundation gave me a clear perspective on holistic wellness and made me rethink my lifestyle choices. The classes introduced us to the four major paths of yoga, namely kriya, gnana, karma and bhakti. The yoga teacher explained the significance of each of these universal truths and taught us a few postures, including Isha Kriya, Nadi Shuddhi, Nadi Vibhajan, Aum Chanting and Upa Yoga, that aimed at not only improving our physical posture and physiological functions but also elevating our level of thinking and mental well-being. For those in the class struggling to keep their eyes closed or control their minds while practising meditation, it was only hammered into our inner consciousness that “meditation is a certain quality”.
I was put up at Nadhi cottages. Self-discipline and a certain way of life are strictly enforced in the guests’ stay area. So it is best to be fully aware of the rules in place and comply with the foundation’s culture.
While the three-day stay at the foundation exposed me to varied rituals and practices, what truly moved me was the culture nurtured at Isha Samskriti. Geared back towards the age-old tradition of open-air schooling, the ashram nestled in the serenity of nature is currently nurturing around 200 students. When I asked one of the teachers what purpose the school seeks to serve, he explained: “The goal is to prepare the students not for the university but for the universe. They enjoy the beauty of the open-air school. If it rains, they get drenched happily. We aim to make them physically and mentally prepared to face any kind of challenge in this world.”
A Kalari dance session at the foundation
Isha Samskriti follows the old Gurukul system that is not bound by any strict curriculum that regular schools would follow. Kids are admitted at the age of seven and they complete their life-oriented educational journey at the age of 18. The school takes a different approach to learning. Hardcore subjects like commerce and science take a backseat here as the focus shifts to classical art forms and yogic practices such as Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music, Hindustani vocals, Sanskrit, and musical instruments like mridangam and tabla. Students need to choose from the diverse areas of specialisation that include yoga, Kalari, music, ayurveda and classical dance. But the specialisation opportunity comes much later, based on the students’ interests and aptitude. Initially, kids are not offered any choices and they learn maths, history and geography to pass the open schooling exams. Then they are extensively trained in the subjects of their choice.
For the dance techniques, the school aligns itself with the Kalakshetra style. Professional musicians visit the campus and organise workshops from time to time. The school gives a three-week vacation. Apart from that, parents can come and stay with their wards for a day. Students are encouraged to write letters to their parents as they are not allowed to keep mobile phones.
The Kalari classes are held in a huge enclosed area. Vinodhini A, an Isha Samskriti alumna, still enjoys the rigour with great tenacity. Speaking to t2, she said: “Practising Kalari could be very tiring but it keeps me active throughout the day. I feel stable and balanced.” How did she overcome her fear? “I have got injured, nothing major, though. The moment I pick up my weapon, all fear is gone. I am focused only on the art form. The fear subsides with lots of practice,” she smiled.
Isha Home School, affiliated to CISCE, is situated a little away from the foundation school. The school has in place several foundational core modules where kids pick up essential life skills like healthy cooking, public speaking, and entrepreneurship basics, among others. The foundation facilitates internship programmes for students as the idea is to give students clarity on what they want to pursue after finishing school.
Touring several facilities spread across a wide area, I had an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the giant kitchen of Isha Foundation. Ten thousand meals are prepared a day to feed the volunteers, Brahmacharis, residents and visitors. Each meal consists of seven-eight vegetarian items, including Kashayam, fruits, salad, millet porridge, idli/rice/khichdi, a curry dish and one sweet item. The kitchen, run by four major chefs and 250 volunteers, uses organic spices made in-house. Repurposing techniques are followed to reduce water wastage. For instance, the water used to boil vegetables is also used in preparing sambhar and rasam. A typical day starts at 4am, with the menu having been decided the previous night itself. Everyone sits down and eats at the Biksha Hall.
On the last leg of my tour, I visited the Isha Gaushala whose primary aim is to preserve the indigenous cattle breeds. “Now we have around 700 cattle and 23 native breeds here. Our mission is to bring in 2,000 cattle and rear them in a way that will make ours an ideal model farm,” said Charmy Malde, a volunteer at the gaushala. The milk derived from the gaushala goes into feeding the kids at Isha Samskriti.
The foundation is engaged in building a model farm over 35 acres. The Isha Agro Movement is an initiative to train farmers to take up natural farming. A lot of handholding goes into making the transition to fully natural methods. Around 18,000 farmers have made the transition over the last 15 years and, currently, there are 200-250 lead farmers engaged in field training. Farmers are taught the benefits of eliminating tilling, permanent bed method, multi-cropping and multi-layer farming and so on.