Towards Nirvana
When I opened the Jaadu shop in May of 2013 my purpose was to create a magical space to showcase the lesser known aspects of Indian craft, textiles and inspiring creative heritage. Skills in weaving, embroidery, dying and printing which have been so much part of village life and very far removed from the image most of us have of a country which is cheap, gaudy, poor quality and brash.
Nirvana, founder of NGO Towards Nirvana.
Today, with the growing acknowledgment that we must make changes to our lifestyle, buy less but better, eat less but better, India is at the forefront of a growing appreciation of all things that are hand produced. Back to the village where they have been making wonderful hand crafted goods and textiles for hundreds of years. Ethical production long before it became a band wagon that has been hijacked by the fashion and media world.
The issues that are associated with clothes production and dignified living are complex and difficult to balance but everyone can make a difference in a small, individual way by rejecting the synthetic, mass produced, throwaway habits that are encouraged by the media and marketing and shopping locally where the shop owner is usually well informed about the origin and make of the ranges that they sell.
At Jaadu we sell a number of beautifully crafted cushions, throws, jewellery and small items that are social enterprise projects or from individual charitable organisations. This means that the money raised goes directly to the makers to give them a living wage and where they can use their skills in a safe and clean environment or, as a charity, the money is used for education, health and to lift children out of poverty.
Our hand knitted teddy is our way of making a regular contribution to Towards Nirvana, a charity that supports education, welfare and conservation in Rajasthan.
In 2019 we took a detour on our way from Delhi to Jaipur. Vikram (my irreplaceable driver, PA, travelling companion of 12 years) and I visited their school outside the town of Alwar in the fairly remote area of Dhadikar. There we were greeted by the very charismatic Nirvana, who founded the NGO and has dedicated his life to building a network of projects to improve the lives of the villagers.
One of the Towards Nirvana schools in Alwar. They employ twenty-one teachers, two coordinators and a handful of ancillary staff.
The schools are passionate about improving children’s rights and welfare and are involved in a social work programme for children and operate the Childline telephone helpline in Alwar.
The education programme is central to the charity’s work with children. This is especially important in the poor rural areas where there are no government funded schools. Nirvana run twelve schools providing education to over 500 children in a catchment area covering thirteen villages. They employ twenty-one teachers, two coordinators and a handful of ancillary staff.
They are passionate about improving children’s rights and welfare and are involved in a social work programme for children and operate the Childline telephone helpline in Alwar.
A Towards Nirvana Teddy in Nirvana’s classroom.
The teddies make great cuddly gifts for young and old.
A Nirvana teddy at home in Jaadu Boutique.
After a survey conducted in 2003 it was decided to base most of the charity's schools in the villages of the Nat and Kanjer communities near Alwar. These communities used to be respected court entertainers employed by the Maharajas and other royalty before the British Raj was established. Now it is traditional for the young girls to be sent as prostitutes to the large cities of India and the Middle East; the boys become pimps. This may sound shocking but it is important not to make moral judgments about a community which has come to accept this as normal. The villagers are proud, hardworking and dignified people who are deserving of our respect and support. The committed purpose is to help break the pattern of exploitation by giving the children education so that the young women and men become aware of alternative choices in their lives. Basic medical facilities, particularly to the women who run a high risk of becoming infected and spreading the AIDS virus are also provided.
Our teddies are sold in the shop for £14. £8 goes directly to the charity.