The trip took place from the 14^th to the 17^th of December and was organized by Sundarvan, a Nature Discovery Centre in Ahmedabad. Gir is eight hours away from Ahmedabad and is surrounded by many water bodies, including Kamleshwar Dam which hosts a large crocodile population.

The first day was eventful, with a short trek to a Crocodile Breeding Centre, where they breed crocodiles and then release them into the wild as well as take care of injured or ill animals. The Orientation, which is right next to the Crocodile Breeding Centre. There, they explain Gir’s geography and topography as well as how the park functions.

The next day, there was a Safari into the Sanctuary. There were many lions, many who had just hunted or had given birth to cubs as well as other species; spotted deer, plum-headed parakeets, etc. The guides were very helpful and informative, talking about everything from the history of the Park to the behavior of animals to how the various plants and trees grew. It was a very interesting experience for all most of who had never seen wild animals so close.

The next day, there was a long trek through a village where jaggery was made. Jaggery plays an important part in Gujarati cuisine; it is used to sweeten curries as well as desserts or just eaten with roti. There was an enormous jaggery field and the adjoining field was filled with jaggery husks. There was a small factory that made jaggery out of the juice of the plants as well as jaggery juice. The owners of the farm made a fresh batch of jaggery juice for everyone, a sweet treat which is often unhygienic in the cities.

Next came the “bat show”, not exactly a show, but more of an information session about the bats of Gir. Bats are considered to be bloodsucking parasites, when in fact they are the opposite. They eat only fruits and the carnivorous ones eat either mosquitoes or other insects.  There were two gigantic trees which were host to a minimum of ten thousands bats each. When disturbed, which happens quite often, they fly into the air, obscuring the sky from view. In a village where there is livestock and agriculture, the bats have enough food to sustain themselves, but the pollution from machines and vehicles harms them and their delicate wings.

After nearly being gored by over-excited bulls, the group headed back to the resort to see a Dhamaal Dance by the Sidi community of Gir. The Sidis are natively African who came to India, mainly Gujarat, centuries ago as slaves or on their own accord for a better life. They have preserved their African roots by performing a tribal dance where they imitate wild animals and break coconuts on their heads. They soon got everyone to join in; a true round-the-fire dance party.

The next day, they visited the Devalia Interpretation Centre where the preservation of the park and animals is further explained as well as the preservation of the flora and fauna. Then, in mid-afternoon, they visited the famous Somnath temple, which is located on the water. The temple has millions of visitors each year, from all over the world. The temple is home to numerous idols and statues and is the income of the small village that borders it.

The next day was the last day and there was one last stop to Hingolgadh fort, where there was a traditional Gujarati lunch and a climb on the rocks to the fort. The fort was built in the 1665 on top of the older fort and is situated 1000 ft above sea level. All the antiques, including clocks, personal items and cutlery are all preserved within the fort which also holds a small bird sanctuary.

Soon, the group was back home, exhausted but happy. Special thanks to Jadeja sir of Sundarvan as well as all the helpers and teachers who came along. The trip was exhausting, but lots of fun and left everyone wishing for more.

Photos by Harsimran Kaur Anand

The Kumbalgarh fort is a massive structure of great historical significance, and has the longest fort wall after the Great Wall of China. Maharana Pratap was born here, and his contributions to the heritage of Kumbalgarh made it a rich source of exploration for MGIS students, who actively research and appreciate Indian history.

The trip was meant to be a great learning experience for students who study Environmental Science as well. These students were given the opportunity to earn CAS hours by actively participating in various activities, and they all received certificates for doing so.

They stayed in tents, pitched near the fort, which is at an elevation of more than 3000 feet.

Their itinerary is as follows:

Day 01:
Departure at 0500 hours
Breakfast en route at RTDC Ratanpur
Arrival at Kumbalgarh at 1300 hours
Lunch
Orientation and Rest till 1500 hours
Tea and a short trek
Campfire and Dinner

Day 02:
Breakfast, and a full day exploration of Kumbalgarh Fort
Packed Lunch and a trek in the area surrounding the fort
The Light and Sound Program

Day 03:
Adventure Activities such as Rock Climbing and Rappelling
A short trek
Culture Program

Day 04:
Departure for Ahmedabad
The Haldi Ghati Musuem
Arrival at 0600 hours

The trip was one of the last trips for the Diploma Programme batch graduating in 2011, and they cherished the opportunity to enjoy each others company along with the other students. MGIS believes that outdoor experiences are as important as learning that takes place inside a classroom, and arranges atleast a few school trips every year.

The last two years have seen topics like “aerated drinks” and “chocolate”! This years topic was conceptualized after a great deal of brainstorming and head scratching. According to the logistics of Group 4, the topic should be one that fuses all the core science subjects, and leaves adequate potential for research in all specific fields. The output is meant to be an inter-disciplinary evaluation of the topic. This years topic is, quite simply, a chicken egg. Students must postulate experiments on the specimen chosen, and consequently collaborate on a report.

As work continues on experiments, students make more and more unusual creations. The pictures below were taken were all the action is,  the science lab!

This year, this principle manifests itself in the school’s “recycling project”. Aiming to minimise the waste of fresh paper and promote recycling on campus, the project  involves students from a number of classes all contributing in their own way. For insance, some are working to put into place a system that segregates waste into that which can and cannot be reused. This task is supplemented by the data- regarding the usage of paper in various classes -that other kids are collecting and analysing through surveys, graphical plots, and statistics.

Apart from finding ways to improve the school’s work habits, students will also be involved in creating awareness about some of today’s major enviournmental hazards through role plays and by other means. The idea is not only to try and create change, but to also document the process thoroughly; so that at the end of the year, everyone can look back and reflect on the project as a whole. Evaluate the successes as well as the shortcomings, and ultimately, leave a foundation for future students to build upon.

Having completed the course, our teachers Seema Joshi, Ravinder Kaur, and Deepa Shah have been working to integrate more environmental-centric material into classroom activities and projects, so as to instill in students a greater sense of understanding and responsibility towards their surroundings. The teachers have been working with different batches of students on various projects all revolving around the contemporary issues regarding our environment: Sustainable development, global warming and so on.

The CEE recently acknowledged and applauded the three teachers by awarding each of them a ‘Gold Certificate’ for their contributions to the cause. All of us at the school are extremely proud of the wonderful work these teachers have done, and as other faculty members enroll and continue to participate in the Green teacher programme this year, we hope they will all come out equally industrious and determined to make a difference!

This post is in the first person view as an initiator who accompanied the students on this trip:

In the scope of developing and valorizing multiple-intelligence, taking students on nature camps like the Polo Jungle Camp is an invaluable learning experience. The exposure to nature and mountaneering requires the acquisition and application of new skills that urban students are seldom exposed to…

Students who appear to be shy in the classroom have a chance to step forward and make a mark for themselves in an area where they have not been labeled (consciously or sub-consciously) by her/himself or Peers. One Standard 10 student who is often rueful and casual about his studies, was consistently volunteering to serve food and took his duty very seriously, sometimes running with the food to serve it faster to the people waiting at the table. Another student in DP2 also came out of his shell to lead his tent to victory in the “Tent Cleanliness” competition. He assumed his leadership right from the first day, organizing meetings to keep the tent community running smoothly at camp and while on the move. This was a new experience for him. The same DP 2 student is an independent student but had not to my knowledge particularly stepped up to such responsibilities in the past.

Left: A talent show, laughs and songs around the campfire under a moonlit night at Polo

Leveling the playing field
MGIS pedagogy puts a strong emphasis on group formation and integrating all learners within the group. This diversity can be used very constructively as a tool in the classroom. I would like to think that it also teaches students to co-exist harmoniously with their material, spiritual and personal differences. It is also very enriching to extract students from their social environment and to put them together in an unknown natural one like it happened during the Polo Jungle Camp. It allowed each individual to reinvent her/himself outside of social stigma in a context where all learners have the same opportunities day and night.

Traveling:
Morning – We had intially planned to leave by 9:00 am, so we told all students to be ready to leave by 8:30 in anticipation of some delays. However, the bus came a little late, we also had to find some rope to tie the bags on the roof rack so we left at 10 am
We stopped at a hotel on the way, where the students had sandwiches, amul flavoured milk and potato ships. Some students pointed out (arguably) that potato chips were junk food (something they were told not to bring). The instructors on the bus provided small ropes of about 1 meter in length to every student. In this way they introduced several knots used in rock climbing and kept the students occupied throughout most of the trip. That was an excellent idea.

Left: Students dismantle the camp on the last day.

The camp was located just off of a small and very quiet road on the bank of a small stream. There were some small buildings on site, but they were not used except for one bathroom block and the kitchen. The two big people trees were the hubs of life of the campground
When we arrived there were four large tents already set up. The first two tents were those of the boys and the last two were for the girls. Each tent had approximately 15 people in them. The students were grouped into tents classwise. This worked out nicely, the participants appreciated being with their own classmates in nature. There was no major issues of groupism, Std. 10, DP1 and DP2 boys shared one tent, Std. 8 boys were enough to fill the other. Likewise for the girls. Each tent selected a leader amongst their tentmates to look after the tent to gather the group when called for camp meetings and hiking. That was a very effective way to manage such a large group of highly energetic students. The tents of the instructors were three meters across from the students’ tents, thus instructors were immediately accessible when they were needed. The school initiators’s tents were just a few meters behind the instructors’.

Food
On Day 1, lunch was served, it contained only one dish for Jains, but this was quickly rectified and by dinner time there was food to accommodate all diets. The camp also provided plates spoons and glasses in case anyone had not brought these things. The catering team was very friendly and engaged with the students. They even recruited volunteers amongst the studnets to serve the food. Some students tossed around the suggestion that they cook at least one meal as part of the camping experience. This could be interesting and could also valorize certain skills possessed by some of our less fortunate students who routinely cook on fires with minimal equipment.
Instructors & Safety

Right: A student crosses a dry bed on a special rig.

They were absolutely inline with our philosophy, they brought out the best in the students and were very approachable by students and faculty alike. One of them had visible knoweldge about Wilderness medicine and first aid, this came in handy on at least 3 occasions. The intructors’ knowledge and concern for safety was evident in every activity. I hope that I will have the privilege to be in the wilderness with some of these instructors again. Bharat bhai intrigued me from the very first day. His mountaineering culture is very different from what I have encountered in the past, it was tremendously enriching to learn some of his tricks and techniques.
Radhika (DP2) pointed out that unlike in other camps, the instructors usually answered favorably when students asked for permission to try new things. I agree with Chantanu when he says that safety measure enable you to do more things, not less. The high standard of safety was the reason why students could safely take initiative and try things.
The role of the teachers who came along
As a teacher, I felt that the camp was so well organised. The camp instructors were perfectly capable of managing the group of students without the help of MGIS intiators. Reflecting on the role of teachers in the camp, I think we provided a link between the school and the camp and perhaps to some extent it helped the students ease into the camp. During activities initiators were assigned to a tent to ensure they took part in the activities. All teachers were physically fit and active, I believe it facilitated our assisting the instructors in this camp. Had we been overweight and unhealthy, we might have been more of a burden than a help. Despite the instructors’ evident ability to handle the group, the MGIS faculty were skillfully included in the activities.
Some of the things faculty did during the camp:

* Inspected the tents for cleanliness

* Spotted students while they bouldered (climbed)
* In some cases, we helped the students to clear treacherous passes
* Monitored swimming at the lake
* Accompanied students on boat rides
* Looked after students on the bus to and from Polo
* Made groups for night duty
* Closed the march while hiking

Above: Students take a breather during a 3 hour morning hike

What I hope the students have come away with from this camp
I think the idea of establishing tent leaders and smaller units within the group may have helped them acquire a new group identity and made them more autonomous as a unit. I am sure some of these students maintained a level of hygiene in their tents that was superior to that of their own bedroom back home. Perhaps some of that self-discipline can be carried back into their home habits. Also the assemblies at the camp site forced students to gather quickly and quietly, they can do it faster and quieter but this was a good start and something that is useful in the classroom.
Being in this outdoors setting in a large group, the students have hopefully developed a critical appreciation of the way we functioned during those 4 days. It was different from but not incompatible with how we work at school, in that respect it was a refreshing exposure.
For many students it was the first time they sustained a high level of physical activities for so many days at a time. Students were able to test their limits, to better know their bodies and possibly to come away with a greater understanding of the importance of physical fitness. This also helped illustrate Mr. Karwal’s “Ball of Energy” theory.