It’s the beginning of July, summer has just started and you are free… If you think on volunteering abroad Jodhpur should be on your bucket list!
Volunteering in Rajasthan could involve a lots of things: heritage, teaching, renovation, assisting people… Ruchi NGO is organising 12-days work-camps in Jodhpur, the Blue City since 2014. The second town of this Indian state lies near Thar desert and stands out in the flat land because of its history and obviously of its colour! Mehrangarh fort dominates the landscape from the top of Bhaurcheeria hill, the hill of birds, while other monuments stand out all around the town together with the traditionally blue painted Brahmans houses.
This experience of volunteering in Rajasthan with Ruchi involves different fields: in the morning the volunteers are participating in the work of a local school, while in the afternoons they are free to discover the best of this city. When the lessons in the school are on, volunteers could contribute teaching English through non-formal education methods and playing with children. When the school is closed, the volunteers are participating in renovation or decoration works in the school building.
3rd-14th July: Maharaja culture workcamp
Our group was formed by 6 persons: France, Italy and Spain were the country of origin of the volunteers, together with Ruchi’s team-leader. They have been involved in teaching activities with kids (English basics) and sharing moments with both European and Indian games to play. The renovation work consisted in the scratching-and-painting of one of the schoolroom in the characteristic blue colour of Jodhpur.
The school in which this opportunity has carried out was established at the beginning of the 20th century: a rich man of an important family of Jodhpur donated the building in his last will and testament to open a school for the girls of the town, in a moment when women education was not a priority. In the following years the school was also open to boys.
It is actually attended by 25 students of different ages, between 4 and 14 years. Even if it is a private school, the meaning is different from Western concept: the school is funded mainly by the heirs of the donator and is open to students of poor origins, since the fee is the lowest possible for Indian education. Most of the teachers are previous students, they are gaining experience while pursuing a university degree in teaching.
Volunteering in Rajasthan: discover its culture
While volunteering in Rajasthan is not possible to avoid the wonderful heritage of this Indian state. During their free time the volunteers have discovered more about Rajasthani culture: food, ancient buildings and gardens. In Jodhpur it is highly recommended to taste Makhania lassi, the yellow special fermented yoghurt of the town. Merhangarh fort, Jaswant Thada and Rao Jodha desert rock park were chosen as places worth a visit by the volunteers.
Merhangarh fort was built in 1459 by Rao Jodha, the founder (and name giver) of Jodhpur. He started to rule his own kingdom called Marwar from Mandore, more or less 10 km from Jodhpur. Then he chose that hill to be the new capital-fort of its power. Included in the entrance fee, you can get an audioguide, available in 11 languages. Jaswant Thada, on the opposite hill of Merhangarh, is a cenotaphe of the members if the royal family of Jodhpur. On the background stand the Umaid Bhawan Palace, the actual residence of the maharaja family.
Volunteering in Rajasthan doesn’t mean only working or culture: around the clock-tower the peculiar Sardar market attracts for lots of reasons. The smell, the colour, the people, the sound are all around… you cannot avoid it, follow it to dive into a complete Rajasthani experience!
More information about Ruchi work-camps could be found here.