On the morning of the twenty-third of February, 2017, thirty eight students of class 6 embarked on the journey to Ushagram, a tranquil village in the district of Nadia.

All along the five hour journey through NH-34, the students mapped the route taken from school to Ushagram.

The post-lunch activities included a visit to ‘Bidyaniketan’, a school replete with technological innovations and the newest methods of teaching. The Banyan tree deemed to be the place where Krittibas Ojha translated the Ramayana was visited next, and the adjoining “Krittibas Memorial Library-cum-Museum” had various interesting facts to offer - facts that have been buried in the sands of time.

Early next day, as a part of their History project, the Iskcon temple in Mayapur was visited. It was an enriching experience and the students were introduced to the world of Shri Caitanya, Prabhupada, and devotees- young and old, chanting the name of the Lord. The day ended with a small activity of making paper bags, which the students took a lot of interest in.

The very next day, the students were taken to a household that forms biogas from cowdung, using the slurry as fertilizer in the field owned by them- the information collected was used for their Environmental science project back in school.

The students became aware of how every item is recycled and reused to provide a sustainable environment and noticed the difference between village and city life. They witnessed organic farming being practised extensively in the village and were informed about the various types of crops grown along with their geographical requirements. The visit to the agricultural field, followed by a visit to the apiary and vermicompost pit increased the understanding of the students about how the self-sufficient village functions.

The Ushagram sales counter was visited next, where the students learnt that the products were locally manufactured with the help of locally available raw materials, but were exported to various countries- another important example of self-sufficiency in the “village of Dawn”. Based on the pricing of the products, the students calculated the profit/loss percentage for their Mathematics project.

The household surveys conducted in the vicinity by the students gave them a clear idea about the daily life and habits of the inhabitants.

The trip to Ushagram highlighted the importance of holistic development and apart from enriching one’s knowledge, it would seek to broaden the visions of the students, increasing their awareness in every sphere.