Sundar Lal Bahuguna 6: Movement against liquor started from village
In addition to Meera Ben, Sundar Lal Bahuguna also came in contact with Sarla sister of Gandhiji's second English disciple. It was the same Sarla sister whose training at Kausani Ashram, Vimala Bahuguna had left the politics to marry Sunder Lal Bahuguna and conditioned Gandhi's idea of village Swaraj to be implemented. The Bahuguna couple started using village Swaraj and Swablambi village among the villagers of Silyara after their wedding by setting up a hut at Silyara, 20 miles from Tehri. The biggest obstacle in this was the alcoholism of the youth of the village. The Bahuguna couple disbanded the raw liquor furnaces with the support of women in the village, along with the establishment of the hilly Nav Jivan Mandal at Silyara. Men were pledged not to drink alcohol in future. The Bahuguna couple worked in the fields with villagers in the day by day and taught women and girls in their hut above the village at night. School for children was also started during the day. The Bahuguna couple got so engrossed among the villagers that during the day more than a hundred children started coming to their school to study, but the girls and women could handle the housework and study at night. There he was also taught sewing, spinning and weaving besides studying.
During this time, Binoba Bhave asked Sundar Lal Bahuguna to spread the message of Gandhi by moving across the country. Binoba Bhave said that this old man is breaking his bones by roaming around and you are sitting in one place. On the other hand, Sarla Bahn also asked Sundar Lal Bahuguna to spread Gandhi's idea, at least by moving across Uttarakhand.
On the advice of both, the school and ashram of Sundar Lal Bahuguna Silyara handed over to his wife Vimala and went on long journeys. When Sundar Lal Bahuguna returned to Silyra after one such hiking, he came to know that some people in Silyara had started making raw liquor again and the youth was again caught up in drug addiction. Bahuguna couple had pledged not to drink liquor to the youth of the village. In such a sad beautiful Lal Bahuguna sat on a fast under a tree under the village. He said this is his atonement. The women urged Sundar Lal Bahuguna to break the fast and spoke of campaigning against alcohol with fur. On three days, Sundar Lal Bahuguna broke his fast on the assurance of the women that if their men would drink liquor again, they too would go on a hunger strike at home.
Meanwhile, in 1965, the news of liquor store opened in Ghansali town, some distance away from Silyara. It was learned that a local businessman had been given liquor contract by the government. Bahuguna reached Ghansali. There he formed the prohibition committee. People were exposed to the ill effects of alcohol through Ramlila and dramas. Sundar Lal Bahuguna himself sat there on a fast. Many prominent people there supported Sundar Lal Bahuguna against the liquor store. Among them were retired SDM Balakrishna Nautiyal and retired judge Surendra Dutt Nautiyal. On the other hand, Sarala sisters from Kausani Ashram also reached there with their group. Gradually a large number of people and especially women joined with the movement. The result was that the contractor could not open a liquor store. After that, Lumbagaon led by Sundar Lal Bahuguna, There were widespread agitations against liquor in Badshahi Thaul Chiribatia and Chamba. The government was forced to cancel liquor contracts.
Ongoing.......
In addition to Meera Ben, Sundar Lal Bahuguna also came in contact with Sarla sister of Gandhiji's second English disciple. It was the same Sarla sister whose training at Kausani Ashram, Vimala Bahuguna had left the politics to marry Sunder Lal Bahuguna and conditioned Gandhi's idea of village Swaraj to be implemented. The Bahuguna couple started using village Swaraj and Swablambi village among the villagers of Silyara after their wedding by setting up a hut at Silyara, 20 miles from Tehri. The biggest obstacle in this was the alcoholism of the youth of the village. The Bahuguna couple disbanded the raw liquor furnaces with the support of women in the village, along with the establishment of the hilly Nav Jivan Mandal at Silyara. Men were pledged not to drink alcohol in future. The Bahuguna couple worked in the fields with villagers in the day by day and taught women and girls in their hut above the village at night. School for children was also started during the day. The Bahuguna couple got so engrossed among the villagers that during the day more than a hundred children started coming to their school to study, but the girls and women could handle the housework and study at night. There he was also taught sewing, spinning and weaving besides studying.
During this time, Binoba Bhave asked Sundar Lal Bahuguna to spread the message of Gandhi by moving across the country. Binoba Bhave said that this old man is breaking his bones by roaming around and you are sitting in one place. On the other hand, Sarla Bahn also asked Sundar Lal Bahuguna to spread Gandhi's idea, at least by moving across Uttarakhand.
On the advice of both, the school and ashram of Sundar Lal Bahuguna Silyara handed over to his wife Vimala and went on long journeys. When Sundar Lal Bahuguna returned to Silyra after one such hiking, he came to know that some people in Silyara had started making raw liquor again and the youth was again caught up in drug addiction. Bahuguna couple had pledged not to drink liquor to the youth of the village. In such a sad beautiful Lal Bahuguna sat on a fast under a tree under the village. He said this is his atonement. The women urged Sundar Lal Bahuguna to break the fast and spoke of campaigning against alcohol with fur. On three days, Sundar Lal Bahuguna broke his fast on the assurance of the women that if their men would drink liquor again, they too would go on a hunger strike at home.
Meanwhile, in 1965, the news of liquor store opened in Ghansali town, some distance away from Silyara. It was learned that a local businessman had been given liquor contract by the government. Bahuguna reached Ghansali. There he formed the prohibition committee. People were exposed to the ill effects of alcohol through Ramlila and dramas. Sundar Lal Bahuguna himself sat there on a fast. Many prominent people there supported Sundar Lal Bahuguna against the liquor store. Among them were retired SDM Balakrishna Nautiyal and retired judge Surendra Dutt Nautiyal. On the other hand, Sarala sisters from Kausani Ashram also reached there with their group. Gradually a large number of people and especially women joined with the movement. The result was that the contractor could not open a liquor store. After that, Lumbagaon led by Sundar Lal Bahuguna, There were widespread agitations against liquor in Badshahi Thaul Chiribatia and Chamba. The government was forced to cancel liquor contracts.
Ongoing.......
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