A rough translation of my Independence Day speech given to the children and community of Bakhel,  for posterity:

Today is Independence Day, but what does it mean?

Gandhi just came and said ram-ram to us [one of our children dressed up as Gandhi]. He also said that independence means swaraj - self rule.

Swaraj is what we believe in at Hunar Ghar. Self-rule, independence.

Our children can have independent minds. Government schools were designed by the British to control the minds and actions of Indians. Gandhi fought against the influence of the British to make India independent, we are also working to make your children free and independent.

Many people act because of fear; if there is a policeman at the red-lights of a cross-roads they will stop but if there is no policeman they will not stop. If there is no policeman many people will do bad things. This person is dependent on the policeman, dependent of fear to be ‘good’. He is not free, he is a slave to authority.

People are learning to act like this in government schools, where children are beaten by authority and beaten to conform. At Hunar Ghar your children are free and happy.

They are also learning many things very quickly. By being free and happy people can learn more and be in control of their development.

Today Hunar Ghar is young, we are all children learning, we are a small seed growing, but a small seed grows into a great banyan tree. Growing takes time. Grass grows very quickly but it is very week and will be knocked down in a light wind, but a banyan tree grows very strong.

We will grow with sunlight and water. The support of the community in Bakhel is our sunlight and water, without it we cannot grow, so we ask you to interact with Hunar Ghar more and come to meets that are important for your children’s learning and your village development.

Jay Hind.

Rousing…!