The following are topics that were covered in our meeting at Jiva on Dec. 4, 2013 with Vasant and Revathi Kamath.

Revathi explained that holistic means ”Sampurn.” To make a place holistic we need to incorporate space so that it becomes ‘whole’. Each thing around us has an influence it not only invades but pervades in our mind, so is environment around you. You may not be conscious of it or translate it into thoughts but it effects you.

Influence of west which began after independence has now reached poor. Though all science are cyclic and enriching our actions are just opposite because the best minds of our country were groomed by British convent schools in wearing ties and Western clothes. Let us focus on building an holistic environment in school by using natural things which enrich the space & are cyclic by nature.

For example we can use these types of materials:

• Mud
• wood
• Bamboo
• keekar (acacia)
• Babool
• Neem
• Ecalyptus (it is bad for the environment because it sucks up the water table, so we can cut these trees down and use them and replace them with better types of trees.
• Fly ash bricks

Use of above materials aims to incorporate them into the process of evolution of environment or energy of material which also has healing effect on environment as Jiva is for Healing let us do the same.

Environment of School campus/building can be further enriched by:

1. Bamboo craft
2. Absorbent material on roof top (shed).
3. Plant like Satavari
4. Pottery articles
5. Kiln & paper recycling plant
6. Alternative color scheme & color theme using 5 elements of nature.
7. Material like paper animals, bells of animal accessories, Toran (Bandanwar) & Chakda.
8. Craft of villages to be used by calling craft man once a month and children learn to make a useful product.
9. Children should be able to understand through environment and not just read about it.
10. Calligraphy border, mud wall, feature wall with a thought, a chaupal.
11. Tile painting on wall
12. Tribal art
13. Multiple set of thing i.e Bamboo rack etc.

KG Classrooms should:

1. Balance fundamentals & elements of life with jute & mud.
2. Replace cartoons by iconic personalities, animals like cow/fish/elephant (Tharparker &
3. Sahibahal)
4. Use of Madhubani, wooden toys, mask, hangings, Orissa art, seals & tablets red, brown & white clay on walls.
5. Indigenous color life like khadiya & neel to be used.
6. Add organic forms that is circle and get rid of square 2 rectangle.
7. Focus not on tables only but space to sit,lie,gather,act,climb to higher level for the children.
8. Space for all moods of children that is in group or alone.
9. Use Rearrangable furniture.

The Meeting at Jiva Public School was attended by Managing Director, Director Education, Principal, Head Mistress & Visual Team Leaders.