Baiga Balika Chhatravas, Devdara

Baiga Balika Chhatravas, Devdara

Seva Bharti Baiga Balika Chhatravas situated at Devdara near Mandla (Madhya Pradesh) tells a challenging story. This hostel is exclusively set up for the Baiga janjati (tribal) girl students. The Baigas fall under the privileged tribal group (PTG) of Madhya Pradesh as they are far behind the fruits of modern developments and environment. They usually prefer to live away from the human society. Their concentration is in around 40 villages in Bajag Development Block. They produce and consume cereals like kodo, kutki, maize etc from their fields which they cultivate by way of shifting cultivation. The womenfolk work more than the men in their community.
As the Seva Bharti activists developed contacts with these people, they instilled an urge in them to learn. Initially, the girls used to run away from the hostel, some even traversed 80 km distance to reach home, or some used to flee to catch crabs on the banks of the Narmada. But with sheer perseverance, grit and good communication skills the Seva Bharti people succeeded in pursuing the girls and their parents to continue their studies by staying in the hostel. “One girl student of our hostel is studying engineering college in Indore while five others are studying in polytechnic colleges. Some others have joined the teaching profession”, said Lal Bihari Singh, Seva Pramukh with natural pride in his eyes.
The Seva Bharti people have earned the confidence of the parents of the students who feel that they are safe in the hostel, said Rajni Awadhiya, Superintendent of the hostel. Presently the hostel provided accommodation to 86 girl students studying in standards 4 to 12 in three different schools. They come from 54 villages of Mandla, Dindori and Seoni districts. The regular programs include sports and games, cultural programs, folk songs and dances. The girls represented in kabbaddi and kho-kho (Indian outdoor games) at the state level tournaments.
The hostel is looked after by Vij family of Canada. Jagadish, Dharmaveer and Anil Vij from Canada contributed generously for the hostel and they do visit the place whenever they come to India, said Lal Bihar Singh. The credit for associating this family with this hostel goes to late Shri Vishnu Kumar, Madhya Kshetra Sewa Bharti Pramukh, Singh added.
Vanvasi Kanya Chhatravas, Balaghat
Vanvasi Kanya Chhatravas at Balaghat is no different a story. Started on 3rd July 2003 in a rented house, the hostel soon shifted into its own building in 2005. At present there are 55 girls studying in class 6 to graduation. One girl is studying in polytechnic, another in engineering and some have taken admission in the D Ed College. Forty girls are studying in Saraswati Shishu Mandir while 10 are admitted in Vivek Jyoti Vidyalaya in various classes, informed Bharti Gautam, superintendent of the hostel. These girls have come from 30 villages of Balaghat and Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh, she added.
The programs at the hostel include Guardians’ Meeting which evokes an encouraging response from the guardians of the girls. Special arrangements for coaching are also made to improve the academic standards of the students.

Contact
Sewa Bharati Baiga Kanya Chhatravas
Devdara
Dist: Mandla
(Madhya Pradesh, India) 
How to reach Devdara
Devdara area is within Mandla premises.
By Air: Jabalpur is the nearest airport, 97 Km away from Mandla, while Nagpur, 250 Km away from Mandla is the nearest most convenient airport.
By Rail: Jabalpur is the nearest railhead, 97 Km away.
By Road: There are regular to and fro bus services available from Jabalpur and Nagpur to Mandla. The drive from Nagpur to Mandla takes around 6 hours. 
How to reach Balaghat
By Air: Airport at Nagpur (about 121.3 km) and Jabalpur airport at Jabalpur (134 km) are the two airports located near to Balaghat. Local and prepaid taxies ply from airport to Balaghat. One can also avail the services of local/state owned buses for Balaghat.
By Rail: Balaghat is situated on Narrow gauge line of Jabalpur-Balaghat and Broad gauge line of Balaghat-Gondia section of South-Eastern Railway. The nearest Broad-gauge Railway station is Gondia in Maharashtra which is at a distance of about 46 km from Balaghat.
By Road: State Highways 11 and 26 are the nearest connecting highways to the city of Balaghat. Balaghat is directly linked with important places such as Bhopal, Nagpur, Gondia, Jabalpur, Raipur etc by state-owned (MPSRTC) bus services.
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