We arrived in Jaipur around 10:30 Saturday evening, all feeling relieved that Sundays are our "day off" to work on blogs, projects, sight-see or whatever. The city of Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan, considered a desert state. Jaipur means "the city of victory" and was built about 273 years ago. The original city was light grey, edged with white borders and motifs. In honour of the visit in 1883 of Prince Albert, it was ordered to be painted the traditional color of welcome - pink. (Actually, it looks more like a light terra cotta...) A wall encircles the old city, which is filled with monuments, palaces and forts.
Our Monday morning in Jaipur began with a new experience. We were able to visit a school called PRAYAS (which means endeavor) which is a center for special education and vocational training. The goal of this group is to integrate the maximum number of physically or mentally challenged and socially disadvantaged children into the mainstream. This school, and ones like it, are very unique and, from what I understand, “drops in the bucket” compared to the unmet needs of so many children across the country. I also gathered that this was an exceptional school when I saw pictures up in the foyer of the school being visited by a former president of India, as well as Bill Clinton!
This particular facility and staff were outstanding. The big, airy building was decorated with sculptures and students were working one-on-one with teachers or in small groups. Little ones were working on their socialization skills and each had to get up to greet us and shake hands when we entered. Older children were working with manipulatives on math and language skills (pics 1,2,3). Some were doing work in English (their second language)! Yet others were working on embroidery and tie dye to create cloth that is turned into products for sale (pic 4). The director, Ms. Jatinder Arora’s, goal is to help each of these children become as self-sufficient as possible and to be able to make a contribution to society. She also has worked with the Indian government to help get benefits for these children when their parents are no longer living. She receives no money from the government to run the school. In fact, she said that her donations come from private individuals, groups and corporations in the U.S. and Japan. As our final school visit for this trip, PRAYAS was a wonderful view of someone’s vision and dedication to children. Hopefully, in the future, schools like this will become the rule rather than the exception.
Back in Japiur, we visited the City Palace (pic 5), built by Maharajah Jai Singh II. It has now been turned into a museum with textiles and weapons on display from the 15th century. Another interesting structure is called the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Wind(pic 6). Actually, it isn’t a palace at all, but an extension of the women’s chambers of the City Palace and was built in 1799. It is a wall of 953 little niches and windows and was used by the women of the palace who were kept in purda (secluded from the public) to watch the outside world of the streets below. Note the color- this is the “pink” that most things in the old city are painted.
This particular facility and staff were outstanding. The big, airy building was decorated with sculptures and students were working one-on-one with teachers or in small groups. Little ones were working on their socialization skills and each had to get up to greet us and shake hands when we entered. Older children were working with manipulatives on math and language skills (pics 1,2,3). Some were doing work in English (their second language)! Yet others were working on embroidery and tie dye to create cloth that is turned into products for sale (pic 4). The director, Ms. Jatinder Arora’s, goal is to help each of these children become as self-sufficient as possible and to be able to make a contribution to society. She also has worked with the Indian government to help get benefits for these children when their parents are no longer living. She receives no money from the government to run the school. In fact, she said that her donations come from private individuals, groups and corporations in the U.S. and Japan. As our final school visit for this trip, PRAYAS was a wonderful view of someone’s vision and dedication to children. Hopefully, in the future, schools like this will become the rule rather than the exception.
Back in Japiur, we visited the City Palace (pic 5), built by Maharajah Jai Singh II. It has now been turned into a museum with textiles and weapons on display from the 15th century. Another interesting structure is called the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Wind(pic 6). Actually, it isn’t a palace at all, but an extension of the women’s chambers of the City Palace and was built in 1799. It is a wall of 953 little niches and windows and was used by the women of the palace who were kept in purda (secluded from the public) to watch the outside world of the streets below. Note the color- this is the “pink” that most things in the old city are painted.
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