Nature Education at Vasantshala
Learning resources that connect environmental education with the Rathva worldview, local languages and children's everyday surroundings. Adivasi Academy, Tejgadh.
About the project
"Nature Education for the children of Vasantshala School" was undertaken by Bhasha Research and Publication Centre with support from Samagata Foundation. It developed learning resources for the children of Vasantshala School at Adivasi Academy, Tejgadh, rooted in the Rathva community's knowledge of their land, seasons, plants and animals.
Teachers reviewed the Gujarat State Board Standard 3 Environmental Studies textbook and proposed locally grounded chapters on food, livelihoods, seasonal festivals and songs, clothing, crafts, plants, animals, birds, and beliefs about the sky and earth. The approach placed teachers' own cultural and environmental knowledge at the centre of curriculum development. Peeyush Sekhsaria coordinated the project with the teachers at Vasantshala and Tejgadh.
What the project produced
Paryavaran 3 (Paglu 3)
A 60-page illustrated environment book in Gujarati script, with nine units covering home, food, clothing, plants, domestic and wild animals, festivals, craftspeople, Adivasi society and environment, and sky and earth. It includes local cultural references, illustrations, questions, matching activities, drawing and games.
Snakes Around Us: Some Common Snakes of Tejgadh
A poster presenting 16 snakes with photographs, Gujarati and English names, scientific names, and Rathvi and Bhili names where available. Colour coding distinguishes venomous, mildly venomous and non-venomous snakes, with short notes on behaviour, habitat and common beliefs, set against the facts. Its border draws on the Bunkar weaving traditions of Chhota Udepur and the Kasota weaving of the Rathwa community.
Click the poster to open it at full size. Citation: Sekhsaria, P., Kothari, M., Rathwa, G. (2026, July 29). Snakes Around Us - Some Common Snakes of Tejgadh. Nature Education for the Students of Vasantshala School at Adivasi Academy, Tejgadh, Gujarat. Samagata Foundation, BRPC.
Snake-A-Doo learning game
A Gujarati version of the game developed by Mansi Shah Kothari and Aniruddha Ghosh, with Rathvi and Bhili snake names supplied by Gopsing bhai. Its border draws on Kasota weaving patterns. One double-bedsheet-sized version and ten tabletop versions were printed on cloth.
Launch and teachers at work
Launch presentation of the environment book.
Participants display the snake identification posters.
Presentation of the cloth snake learning game.
Teachers demonstrating the learning game.
Teachers and other participants with children at the gathering.
Contributors and participants with the published books.
Credits
Paryavaran book
| Editorial team | Jagdish Makwana, Sanjay Rathwa, Pravin Pateliya, Nitesh Rathwa, Vanita Vadvi, Gopsing Rathwa, Arjun Rathwa |
| Illustrations | Nitesh Rathwa, Nazru Rathwa, Mehul Rathwa |
| Typesetting and book design | Sanjay Rathwa |
| Adviser | Dr Madan Meena |
| Production, coordination and organisation | Peeyush Sekhsaria, Sudhir John Horo, Vasant Rathwa |
| Publisher | Bhasha Research and Publication Centre |
| Supported by | Samagata Foundation |
| Printer | Shivam Offset, Vadodara |
Snake poster
| Content | Peeyush Sekhsaria, Mansi Kothari, Gopsingbhai Rathwa and the teachers of Vasantshala |
| Poster design | Aniruddha Ghosh |
| Photographs | © Vivek Sharma |
| Institutional support | Bhasha Research and Publication Centre; Adivasi Academy, Tejgadh |
| Supported by | Samagata Foundation |
The poster is for educational and awareness use and is not for sale or commercial use.