Page 94 - Acharya Vinoba Bhave in 21st Century ISBN

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the pains of the immediate crisis. This in turn led to eighteen months of touring. By returning to his
ashram in late 1949, to the sidelines and to tapasya, Vinoba was returning to what he thought he

should have been doing all along.
The third reason for returning to the ashram was his tour had offered no better option. Travelling

around the country and meeting so many different people undoubtedly deepened Vinoba’s insight into
national issues and human problems, but the experience itself, complete with VIP treatment and travel

arrangements, did not suit his ascetic nature. And the work offered few satisfactions. Even with Nehru’s
backing, mediating between refugees and government officials was an exercise in frustration, and Vinoba

accomplished little. Meanwhile, with issue and after issue, he had to watch as the Government ignored
his advice and the advice of other Gandhians. Another problem was Gandhians themselves. Vinoba

visited numerous ashrams and constructive activities during his tour and saw that many colleagues
were stuck. They were content to spend the rest of their lives with the last task that Gandhi had given

them and to carry on exactly as Gandhi had directed. As early as July 1948 Vinoba wrote to some
workers about the need to consider new directions for khadi and noted “I find that our old colleagues

have not much aptitude and enthusiasm left for making new experiments.” The need, he said, was for
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ashrams that would experiment. Back at his ashram again, Vinoba could now begin to experiment for
himself.

November 8: The rationale for growing vegetables
Vinoba’s actual announcement at Paunar on November 8th about the ashram’s commitment to

grow its own vegetables was a quiet affair, intended mainly for his companions. It came with the
following rationale (here condensed and paraphrased): 4

The resolve to grow our own vegetables, said Vinoba, is a good thing because:
· relying on the regular bazar is not appropriate for an ashram;

· getting fresh and clean vegetables is better for our health and today’s uncontrolled bazars
cannot guarantee this;

· we serve the nation as well as our spiritual goals by increasing food production in the country,
rather than just talking about it;

· we provide a model to the country which can solve the food problem and increase morale;
· if everyone gets involve in this or some other constructive work, we will be diverted from

pointless quarrels;
· having to do with less variety in vegetables may be a hardship, but it can be part of our ascetic

practice that we will come to enjoy;

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