Sheltering dreams of underprivileged girls

HUBLI: Ranjana Ashok Mane, a class VII student at Hubli based Kasturba Balika Ashram considers herself lucky for having got an opportunity to stay in the Ashram. Not just because it is one of the well maintained dalit girls' hostels in the country but also because of its rich history which can be traced to the freedom struggle.
The Ashram, which is said to be the first free dalit girls' hostel in the country was born during the national movement, a time when education was out of reach for dalits.Ranjana, who has grown up hearing the tales of freedom fighters associated with the Ashram likes the atmosphere in the hostel that instils a sense of pride in her. "Not all will get a chance to study in an institution that has a glorious past like the Ashram. I was very upset when my parents dropped me here when I was just eight-year-old due to poor family conditions. But now it is a different story. I consider myself fortunate for having landed here," she says with dreams in her eyes.
The history behind the Ashram taking shape is interesting. It was Mahatma Gandhi during the 1924 Belgaum Indian National Congress session who advised Veeranagouda Patil and his wife Nagamma Patil, a young couple belonging to the Lingayat community to take care of some dalit girls. The financially well off couple, who had plunged into freedom struggle wanted to do their bit to the society and they readily agreed to Gandhiji's suggestion. Thus began the illustrated journey of the Ashram. In the initial years, the underprivileged girls were provided shelter at the couples' house itself. In the first year there were only two girls, but as the number grew up, need for a separate building was felt. In 1934, the couple started Harijan Balika Ashram, a full fledged hostel on PB Road in Hubli. Later, a new building was built to house the ashram which was inaugurated by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The Ashram was re-christened as Kasturba Balika Ashrama by socialist leader Jaya Prakash Narayan during his visit to the Ashram.
However, it was not smooth sailing for the Patil couple, who had to face a sort of social boycott initially for giving shelter to dalit girls. People stopped inviting them to social functions and gatherings. However, undeterred by lack of support by the community, the couple went ahead on the noble path they had chosen, and succeeded in their mission.
The hostel at present has 50 girls. Each of the Ashram inmates gets a scholarship of Rs 550 every month from the social welfare department. Ashram secretary K T Patil said they spend nearly Rs 2 lakh per annum towards hostel expenses.