Tzu Chi volunteers from Singapore and Malaysia are actively promoting "the spirit of the Bamboo Bank" in Sujata, Ganga Bigha, and Silaunja in Bihar province in eastern India. They aim to make a positive impact on the lives of communities in these villages. The response from the locals has been overwhelmingly positive.
They want to further deepen the villagers' understanding of the significance of the Bamboo Bank, and the idea and purpose of pooling small contributions to create a greater force for good. So, on Friday, July 21, the volunteers planned an event called "Return of Bamboo Bank." The event was scheduled on Saturday, July 22, an afternoon gathering at Senani Samaj Seva Ball Jagrup School, the venue for this meaningful occasion.
Catering Volunteers
On Saturday morning, beneath a large tree, the volunteers held an environmental conservation activity; they took the opportunity to transport some of the ingredients required for the afternoon catering.
After completing the environmental activity, three Malaysian volunteers, Lee Li-hua (李麗華), Chen Ming Hua (陳姳樺), and Tzu Chi Youth Lin Wan-shi (林宛詩), went to the home of Indian volunteer Vivek Kumar to make aprons and headscarves. These would be used by the catering team in the afternoon. Together, they crafted six aprons and headscarves.
By half past noon, the four volunteers hurried back to their hotel for a quick meal. Then Vivek drove them to the market to buy vegetables and milk. The vegetables were needed for a performance of "The Spirit of the Bamboo Bank" by the seed volunteers from Silaunja Village. The play would reenact the story of thirty housewives from Hualien, who saved NTD 0.5 (about US$0.01 ) when they were shopping in the market.
To ensure authenticity, the props for the play had to be genuine. As for the milk, it was to be used to make "Masala Tea," a popular beverage among local people, especially in the mornings, as part of their daily routine. Additionally, they needed to prepare "Samosa," a widely recognized snack in India.
Upon arriving at the venue, they set up a gas cylinder. First in line to become a skilled chef was Malo, the first female chef from Sujata Village. Alongside her were enthusiastic villagers Ajit Manjhi and Akhlesh Manjhi, as well as Rahul Kumar, a teacher from Senani School; all of them donned aprons to lend a hand.
The cooking began between two walls; but, since there were no gas stoves available, the flame kept being extinguished by the wind. It took a few tries before Niraj Kumar, a teacher, successfully lit the fire. They promptly increased the heat and used chairs with cloth as windbreakers.
Next, they added water to a large pot filled with potatoes and cooked them with high heat for about an hour. They occasionally stirred to prevent the bottom layer from burning. Potatoes were the main filling for the "Samosa." Once mashed and mixed with sautéed spices, they could be wrapped in dough.
When the potatoes were cooked, Rahul and Puja Kumari enlisted the help of the village children to peel them. The children exclaimed: "it's hot!" as they quickly fetched a bucket of water to cool the potatoes. Despite the heat, everyone persisted in peeling the potatoes.
Work Together
Everyone on the main stage was also busy with their tasks. Gaina Manjhi and the enthusiastic children swept away the dust and garbage from the ground, as it would serve as the seating area for the participants. Tzu Chi volunteers worked hard to hang up canvas banners that read "Love and Care in Bodh Gaya" and displayed Master Cheng Yen's portrait. This day, July 22, was significant -- the "Return of Bamboo Bank" event was about to unfold.
Late into the night, the volunteers prepared two bamboo sections of different lengths. With glue, the school principal of Senani Samaj Seva Ball Jagrup School, Ranjee Manjhi, tried to arrange the bamboo pieces in the best configuration to facilitate the smooth flow of coins into the "Sea of Merit." Malaysian volunteers Chen Yu Fang (陳玉芳) and Chen Mei Na (陳美娜) used materials from the surroundings, picking cosmos flowers from the roadside to decorate the area. Though the "Sea of Merit" lacked a large water basin, the use of orange fabric on top of buckets created a solemn and dignified ambiance.
On the other side of the stage, Rahul Kumar and Puja Kumari took a moment to draw "Return of Bamboo Bank" and "TZU CHI" with large letters on a whiteboard. They added illustrations of a bamboo tube, gracefully dancing butterflies, and money pouring out of the bamboo tube, to symbolize how collective effort can come together to help others. The artwork was captivating and heartwarming, a testament to the thoughtfulness of the two teachers.
Elsewhere two large groups of people were working diligently. Santosh Kumar and Niraj Kumar, the teachers, assisted by Malo, kneaded the dough with all their strength in a large pot. Once the dough was ready, they passed it on to the next group of people who took turns rolling it out. Vivek's cousin, Sneha Shah, also participated and, despite her young age, displayed great skill and speed in rolling the dough. Several other volunteers joined in to help with the rolling process; they had to keep up with those who were already sitting on the ground and wrapping dumplings.
As the large curry dumplings were completed, they took on various shapes, triangular or adorned with decorative edges. The main requirement was that they held their form. However, the task was not finished yet, as the dumplings needed to be deep-fried until they turned crispy and golden.
Ajit Manjhi, a villager, had been by the pots from the start, involved in boiling potatoes, milk, frying spices, and frying the dumplings. Despite the intense heat, he did not complain or tire. He found great meaning in the Bamboo Bank's message of doing good deeds and bringing blessings to others. Participating in this event made him happy and proud. To everyone's delight, he had abstained from drinking alcohol for several days, a remarkable commitment. The atmosphere felt as joyous as a village celebration, with everyone happily engaged in their tasks.
The Ripple of Love
Ding-ding-ding! The event began. A group of children below looked up, their eyes fixed on Vivek, who was hosting the event. Even though it was a busy farming season, and most adults were working in the fields, there were still over a dozen bamboo banks brought back by the children.
Vivek explained to the children the story of "The Spirit of the Bamboo Bank" and the concept of making a big impact with small contributions. "Would you like to respond and do good deeds together?" Vivek asked. "Yes!" the children replied enthusiastically, raising their hands. The number did not matter; what mattered was the intention behind it. With more and more Indians coming together to help those in greater need, the villagers could be saved. And those who were saved would spread the love further, creating a virtuous cycle where the people of the Buddha's homeland would be closer to happiness.
After Principal Ranjee Manjhi's speech, the seed volunteers from Silaunja Village and Tzu Chi Youth Wan-shi took the stage and performed "The Spirit of the Bamboo Bank," receiving thunderous applause. Humanities teacher Deepak Kumar led everyone in singing the "Bamboo Bank Song," and the atmosphere became even more exciting. A touching moment arrived when Principal Ranjee Manjhi led the way by emptying a bamboo bank; feeling it was not enough, he took out rupees from his pocket and added them to the collection.
Following suit, several other teachers also contributed with their generous hearts. Even the children, too short to reach the container, were lifted up by Riya from Silaunja Village and assisted by Deepak Kumar to fulfill their wish to participate. Gan Manjhi's bamboo bank had both coins and paper currency, all diligently saved. The cheering from the audience was non-stop, and the joy of contributing together was evident on everyone's faces.
There was an interesting incident during the bamboo bank collection. Before the event, Dhiraj Gawai and Usha Gawai, two visitors from Maharashtra, noticed the gathering and learned about the event's purpose. They decided to join and contribute their love. After making their heartfelt donation, they took a photo with the volunteers and left. The volunteers expressed gratitude and wished them a safe journey.
The event concluded, and about four to five hundred dumplings were cooked to perfection. Vivek distributed them to everyone, and adults and children happily held the treats in their hands, savoring the joy of having such a delicacy. For the children, who usually only had simple lentil soup (dal) to drink, these dumplings were a heavenly delight. The first "Return of Bamboo Bank" event in Bodh Gaya was a resounding success; everyone, including the participating Tzu Chi volunteers from Singapore and Malaysia, as well as the local volunteers, shared the same happiness.
With the start of "The Spirit of the Bamboo Bank," Tzu Chi's compassionate deeds reached 128 countries and regions, including Bodh Gaya. Vivek shared the villagers' amazement at how a mere US$0.01 could make such a significant impact and help so many people. The villagers willingly entrusted their money to Tzu Chi to help those in need in Bodh Gaya and provide opportunities for countless suffering fellow countrymen to improve their lives.
Being able to hold the first "Return of Bamboo Bank" event in Sujata and receiving such strong support from the principal, teachers, and villagers, Ler Li-hua, a Tzu Chi volunteer from Singapore, could not contain her excitement. She said: "Those who didn't bring bamboo banks today saw that small contributions can indeed help many people, and they all said they would bring bamboo banks next time."
At the end of the event, a total of 1,260 rupees (approximately US$15.31) had been raised. The volunteers in Bodh Gaya took a new step in their charitable journey. With boundless compassion, they will continue to inspire more stories of love and earn well-deserved praise!
A Jing Si Aphorism says: "With more people come greater blessings!"
Join Tzu Chi. Let us pool our efforts together to make this world a better place.
Story by Chu Hsiu-lien | 2023/07/24
