Earlier this month I mentioned that I was going away on a journey, a journey of transformation and discovery . A yatra … The Jagriti Yatra takes hundreds of India’s highly motivated youth (with some participation of international students) between the ages of 20-25 and experienced professionals with age above 25, on a eighteen day national odyssey, introducing them to unsung heroes of India. The aim is to awaken the spirit of entrepreneurship – both social and economic – within India’s youth by exposing them to individuals and institutions that are developing unique solutions to India’s challenges. Through this national event they have begun to inspire the youth of India to lead and develop institutions both nationally and within communities.
1 Train | 12 Destinations | 15 Role Models | 15 Days | 450 Youths | 9000 kms
Its been 10 days since i’ve been back , im still trying to process everything i felt , experienced and learnt in those 15 Days i hope this poem does justice to the awesome trip that was and will forever be in my treasured memories , So here goes……….
I will remember how :-
Every morning I woke up to the differences in landscapes
Every day I heard songs of freedom , values and inspiration songs for mind escape
Every meal I had was on the move
Every nights sleep on a berth moving to the trains groove
Every bottle of water crushed and returned in exchange for another
Every bogie distinguished and decorated differently from each other
Every time we sang the jagriti geet enthusiastically
Every yatri made notes scholastically
Every whistle from team Disha that kept us moving
Every “Mentor should charge” had us disapproving
Every compartment occupied with sleeping bags and tagged luggage
Every sketch drawn by our local artists on a new page
Every uniquely decorated compartment
Every biz gyan interest group and department
Every ice cold bath in our innovative bathrooms
Every “excuse me” and “side – side” to move past compartments, to VROOM!!
Every bhangra move to the dhol beats
Every handsome naval officer and their fleet
Every power nap between session and talks
Every visit to village walks
Every game played
Every song on guitar strings layed
Every catering staff that was out to fatten us up
Every panel discussion close up
Every green bottle of cough meds
Every “attention yatri’s” said
I will never forget how:-
Every face was different
Every aspiration indifferent
Every eye had an aim and glistened
Every personal story listened
Every role model had taught
Every Yatri had imbibed , learnt and caught
Every life-line on a graph
Every tear , every laugh
Every dance to bring in the new year
Every idea that put my brain in fast gear
Every vision questioned
Every new Yatri friend accepted unquestioned
Every mind with their own feat and thought
Every intense conversation caught
Everyone under the banyan tree that started it all
Every name engraved in the temple slabs and wall
Every life had a purpose
1 World
Many nations , Many aspirations
1 Aim
Bettering our earth and the lives of people on it
This is my take away !
This is me , this you , this is us !
‘Yaaron Chalo, Badalne Ki Rut hai’
To apply you can fill the form here Jagriti Yatra 2012
View pictures of Day 1- Day 7
View pictures from the Time to smile campaign
checked those snaps 🙂 lovely !
you came to kancheepuram 🙂
must have an experience like that i wish to have mine too !
lovely lines…
brilliantly encompassed everything ! 🙂
Amazing.. 15 days of journey captured brilliantly.. keep blogging 🙂
Simply awesome…..
It was d real life we live in our dramatic life
Wow! this must have been a life-changing experience. You are lucky to have had this opportunity. Lovely post and thanks for sharing.
Wonderfully captured the moments of intellectual ride
Wow..this is amazing !!! keep updating new bolgs..!!
I’m surprised about how many poets there were in the Yatra. I admire you all very much!
Reading your poem has increased my excitement….have just been selected for this year’s yatra….i am sure its going to be LEGENDARY…