Usage of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is greatly destroying the purity and productivity of soil and crops. Human health is also adversely affected due to the chemical toxins. At Gokuldham, we use natural farming methods and strictly avoid chemical fertilisers and pesticides, heavy machinery like tractors, tillers and so on, and factory-manipulated hybrid seeds so that we have rich soil and pure, high quality crops and fruits. Additionally, we will use traditional technologies which will also provide employment to many.
Farming activities include agriculture, horticulture (to start with) and floriculture, medicinal herbs, spices etc. as the project develops. Gokuldham also aims to provide training to farmers of neighbouring villages in implementing many effective indigenous technologies of organic farming for small-power generation, watershed management, compost-making etc.
In this day of water scarcity, proper watershed management is of utmost importance. Using traditional simple eco-friendly and effective, methods we will charge the water table, conserve water and distribute it as per need in our area. Our volunteers have gone through training programmes and are equipped for this purpose. With experience and development of expertise, we will reach out into the neighbouring areas to train the people there in these simple techniques of watershed management.
Activities will include:
- Ensuring steady all-year-round availability of water by creating tanks, reservoirs, well, ‘nullahs’, small (micro) dams and so on
- Recharging of ground water by afforestation, contour ‘bunding’ and so on
- Traditional water - lifting & water- transporting technology (without use of motors & pumps)*Rain-water harvesting at the individual dwelling level
This will consist of widespread, labour-intensive means of production of utility items like honey, incense, food processing products, pottery items and so on. Cottage industries will be required for three purposes: (1) To supply the needs of the community & thus help in achieving self-sufficiency; (2) To serve as a source of livelihood for resident householders; and (3) To generate some livelihood for the residents of villages around Gokuldham.
A partial list of proposed cottage industries includes: Honey, Agarbatti & 'Dhup' manufacturing, Cow products, Carpentry, Blacksmithy, Pottery (for all our vessels, lamps etc.), Jaggery production, Oil- ghani, Ahimsa silk production (yarn), Products of straw, grass, cane and bamboo, Products of some important useful trees like coconut, palm, banana etc., Hand-made paper, Khadi cloth - growing cotton, spinning, weaving, dyeing with natural dyes on traditional handlooms.
The KVIC and Department of Forestry and Agriculture, Government of Karnataka and other organisations have very kindly and readily offered their training facilities and guidance for our volunteers.
By planting and nourishing many flowering and fruit bearing trees all over, we will provide strength to the top soil and enable greater water retention. It will also provide a pleasant sight for citizens from all around to behold. To counter the rapid tree felling in the rural areas. we will attempt to motivate villagers in similar afforestation programmes.
DonateIn this time of acute national power shortage. we will aspire to be self-sufficient in power requirement by the simple method of avoiding electricity altogether, and using instead, alternative and simpler methods like animal draught power, utilisation of agricultural and bio-waste and so on.
DonateScarcity of cement and construction materials is another great national problem. At Gokuldham, all our structures, spread out over the entire campus will be made entirely of natural raw materials like mud, stone, bamboo, straw, cow-dung, etc. using indigenous skills and technologies.
Only traditional designs & patterns for individual dwellings and for the overall village lay-out are employed.
In an age when cows are being mercilessly slaughtered, Gokuldham is a happy home for cows. Here cows and bulls are looked after with great love and care till they die a natural death. People have forgotten that the cow and bull have great value for humankind. In fact, even their waste matter is valuable. For example, cow dung is the best fertiliser for the soil: it is an excellent fuel: it can be used as a protective layer against bacteria and pests within the home. These are just some of the applications.
At Gokuldham, the milk, dung and urine of these animals will be used for making food products, fertilisers, insecticides, soap, incense, medicine and a host of other products. The working energy of bullocks is gainfully engaged in ploughing, and other activities like making of jaggery from sugarcane, oil from oilseeds, mortar from lime etc., and in transportation. We will also be training people in neighbouring villages in proper techniques of animal husbandry. Apart from cattle, we may at a later date, keep deer, peacock, swans etc. Additionally, because of the beautiful green spaces, colourful flowers and forests, Gokuldham will become a bird sanctuary with varieties of beautiful birds taking shelter there.
This centre will provide moral and practical education to children and teenagers from the villages around Gokuldham. This is very important in an age where morals, character and human values are rapidly deteriorating. We see this as a very important service for society.
DonateOne of the important objectives of the Gokuldham project is to provide free food to one and all. We will also have correspondingly large food preparation and distribution facilities.
DonateWe will revive traditionally known (but neglected) principles and systems of public hygiene and sanitation that are eco-friendly, health-friendly, simple, practical and inexpensive. Today, in the modern world, the treatment and disposal of waste is a big problem. But at Gokuldham, our simple systems will organically treat and transform all kind of waste-matter into end products that will be useful for the community. We will also attempt to educate the residents of the neighbouring villages in these matters and help them to design and implement such hygiene and sanitation systems.
DonateThe goals of this department are:
- To help in preserving traditional knowledge systems of health-care by: their practice and propagation (Yoga, Ayurveda, herbal and kitchen remedies); publishing literature for the general public; growing medicinal plants that are very essential but are rare or becoming extinct.
- To practice and propagate the principles of natural and simple living and high thinking, avoiding all vices. We will be travelling into villages encouraging people to give up alcohol, tobacco, gambling and other harmful ways of living and to adopt healthy and godly ways of life.
As the years go by and the community develops expertise in various fields, we will reach out into villages in the region to attempt a holistic, total transformation - economic, social, educational, cultural and spiritual.
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