Christ University, Bangalore. Known for their responsible recycling through the Parivarthana waste management unit, where they collect and sort their waste. The waste is being used for sales, making compost bio-gas and the main focus is recycling paper waste into new products. ‘As students Industrial Product Engineering our objective is to design new products for the Parivarthana waste management unit.’

There are 22 people working at the Parivarthana waste management unit; 1 supervisor, 1 manager and 20 hand workers who are mostly women from the slums. By designing new products it is important to involve the people working at the waste management unit and let them participate, the target group (students and staff) have to be involved and the products have to be designed with the capabilities available.

The students from the HAN university of applied science, are also involved in the Slum LR Nagar. At the transit school in the slum the basics are provided for the drop out students. Basics conduct counting and the alphabet, subtractions and additions, Hindi, Canada and English. ‘One day per week we provide English and Math classes at the transit school which is definitely a challenge for us and gets us out of our comfort zone  due to the lack of professional background.’ 

To get an insight view upon the Bangalore life, check this movie:

In the shadow of Coimbatore, a significant clean city in the south of India, a so-called ashram thrives in a radiant way you could never imagine. Oneness already seems to find its way at the foothills of Velliangiri Mountains, the place where Shiva spend 3 months of his live finding his own truth. And now we are provided with the necessary tools and energy to dive deep into our own souls in a décor of unlimited expanding awareness.

 Light-seeking engineers
From all over the world mainly pragmatic and logical soulseekers are drawn into this Isha ashram. A foundation found by Sadguru, an extraordinary amiable and profound yogi who combines eastern ancient wisdom with western sciences which creates a full, constructive and exhilarating story attracting engineers, business peops and mind-driven middle and upperclass lightseekers. And you don’t have to worry about that light is working, knowing that the team is mainly formed by ex-microsoft engineers and technical managers.

Luscious ambiance
As soon as you set foot on this electrifying ground, something elevating happens. Upon the beautiful view over the mountains, layered in a blanket of luscious palmtrees, the wholeheartedness of people honoring their treasure is what will inject you most. Immediately. Even the security guy welcomes you with his hand on his heart sincerely. When you continue your way, the concretes and precise care of every little detail overflows you. And where you maybe expect an ashram a little bit old-fashioned and dusty, this playground is of modern standards with a hipster lunch bar, fresh facilities and modern technologies. What do you think about airconditioned temples, automatic coconut-splitters for offerings and electric scooters. Limitless in efficiency.

Sadguru
And all initiated by this Sadguru. A well-being visionart not afraid to talk about, amongst a slightly reserved Indian crowd, taboos as sexuality and death sentence. Who isn’t afraid to make daring jokes and outfacing the cutting edge. Who find the most pragmatic answers on all confused questions amongst academic and world’s most intellectual whiz kids. A yogi who established a foundation which goes beyond measurements. With his far-reaching projects and national campaigns, he reached a wide range of the 1,324 billion habitants, which not only includes middle-class. With his strongly caring and scientific heart, he points successfully at farmers, ministers, people in the slums and kids with a rapidly increasing community as an evident result.

Diving deep
And this community find its base in Coimbatore, the most vibrating place you will ever visit. Beautiful surroundings expanding with flowers, wild-life, music, playing, laughing people. All showing their gratitude for life and everything which comes with it. People who are willing to work on an inner- and outer level, not afraid to dive deep, dedicating their lives for a higher purpose. Working hard on that purpose; but with the knowledge of the underlying growth, efforts become funded. It creates oneness. It hits you right in the heart. Because you always knew that this was what life was all about. That this was what your seeking heart was longing for, trying to fill it up with all the external bullshit.

Freedom
If you are here, you are free; you don’t need anything from outside. It makes you feel alive. Really alive. Filled with happy elixirs ‘just’ by walking on the grass. ‘Just’ by looking at the sky. Indignation on expansion of life blooming out of your system continiously. Cravings vanish. This place fulfills you on every level. Your stomach being fed on nutritious ways, your mind being elevated on scientific philosophies, heart flows over from genuine juices and a true being exploding injected by the vibrating love which breaths through this whole place. Yes this playground makes you happy. Truly happy by being actively involved in the ashram rhythm, practicing your techniques, volunteering, sharing, dedicating.

Innerpeace
It’s the best example we could wish for in order to enroll this way of living in our own countries and cities. Venues in which we are longing for a deeper way of sensing, where we seek for happiness in the outside world, where we hit our stress limits and strongly desire more innerpeace. This place enables us to be inspired. This place shows us that it’s possible. That we are able to create a world in which happiness will be the natural state of being and we striving together for the good purpose. Namaskaran.

ISHA foundation