Gijubhai Badheka (15 November 1885 – 23 June 1939) was an educator who helped to introduce Montessori education methods to India. He is referred to as "Moochhali Maa" ("mother with whiskers"). Badheka was a high court lawyer; however, following the birth of his son in 1923, he developed an interest in childhood development and education. In 1920, Badheka founded the "Bal Mandir" pre-primary school. Badheka published a number of works in the field of education including Divaswapna ("Daydreams").

Life Gijubhai was born as Girjashankar Bhagwanjibhai Badheka on 15 November 1885 in Vallabhipur (Vallabhi) or Vala ( In the Saurashtra region of western India) — once an important port and town of Gujarat, established by the king Siddharaj. Badheka grew up in Bhavnagar, a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. In 1907, he moved to East Africa and later to Bombay for work. Badheka died on 23 June 1939 in Bhavnagar, India.

Timeline

1885 Birth 15 November, Birth Place: Chittal Saurashtra 1897 First Marriage with Late Hariben 1906 Second Marriage with Late Jariben 1907 Left for East Africa 1909 Return to India 1910 Law Education in Bombay (Mumbai) 1913 High Court Pleader, Vadhwan Camp 1913 Birth of Shri Narendra Bhai (Son) 1915 Legal Advisor of Shri Dakshinamurti Bhavan 1916 Associated with Dakshinamurti Vidyarthi Bhavan 1920 Establishment of Bal Mandir 1922 Inauguration of Bal Mandir Bhavan Near Takhteswar Bhavmandir in Bhavnagar by Kasturba Gandhi 1925 First Montessori Conference, Bhavnagar 1925 Establishment of Adhyapan Mandir 1928 Second Montessori Conference, Ahmedabad (Chaired) 1930 Living in Refugee Camps in Satyagraha Movement, Banar Parishad, Surat, Beginning of Akshargyan Yojna 1936 Discontinued Association with Shri Dakshinamurti Vidyarthi Bhavan 1937 - Respectfully awarded prize (Term translated from Gujrati: Samman Thailly Bheint) 1938 Work in Gujarat; established the last Adhyapan Mandir (Primary Teacher's College) in Rajkot 1939 Died on 23 June, Bhavnagar

Contribution to education In 1920, Badheka founded the Bal Mandir kindergarten. Later, Nanabhai Bhatt, Harbhai Trivedi and Badheka built the "Shree Dakshinamurti Gijubhai Vinay Mandir" school in Bhavnagar.

After completing his schooling, Gijubhai was admitted to Shamlal’s College, but for reasons unknown, he could not complete his studies. In 1907, his family sent him to East Africa to earn a living. There, he met S.P. Stevens, a solicitor who impressed upon Gijubhai the need for self-reliance—the utter refusal to depend on anybody but yourself—and put it into practice daily. It was a wonder to Gijubhai to see how Stevens made his life without banking on anyone for anything and that it was possible, in fact exhilarating, to figure things out and work single-handedly.

On his return to India in 1910, Gijubhai studied law in Mumbai. He started his legal practice in 1911 as a district pleader and, the following year, enrolled as a High Court pleader. On the personal front, his mother’s brother, Hargovind Pandya, is believed to have inspired him. Gijubhai married twice. He married his first wife, Hiraben, in 1902, when he was just seventeen. But Hiraben passed away young, and then he married Jariben in 1906. Gijubhai became a father in 1913 when a son was born to him. Soon after his birth, when the young father picked up his little boy, for a few minutes he was sad and anxious. His own childhood flashed before his eyes. After all, like every child from a respectable family, his son too would have to go to school. And school for Gijubhai meant being caned daily for the slightest misdemeanour. As he held his newborn, Gijubhai knew this little fellow would have to go to school too—a land of small terrors. "Wasn’t there a way out? Couldn’t there be a better way to teach and learn?" Gijubhai started asking questions. Gijubhai felt the real purpose of education was to have a teacher who understood the children he/she was educating. If the child spent five or more hours with one person, five days a week, shouldn’t the child also get to love and genuinely respect the teacher?

Gijubhai, like all parents, wanted his son to be happy, safe, and comfortable throughout his life. He also realised that many parents forced their kids to school, and the best schools of the time had teachers who knew only how to teach through fear. Gijubhai felt that if children were treated with respect and had enough meaningful learning opportunities, no child would abhor coming to school. In fact, they would look forward to being in a place with so many children and an adult who helped them explore the world around them. Could that be possible? Gijubhai worried about it. He turned to reading and researching. This is how he stumbled upon Maria Montessori and all that she had been working on.

These readings taught Gijubhai about Montessori education, where the adult or teacher helps unfold the child's hidden, inborn developmental powers. The child already possesses everything. The adult is the facilitator. Maria Montessori believed the child must be guided on the path to adulthood because, from the earliest moments of life, children possess great constructive energies that guide the formation of their mind and the coordination of their bodies.

Gijubhai devoured the book on the Montessori Method. It was an introduction to another microcosm, where teaching was done through the ‘play-way’ method. Enthusiastic about what he was learning, Gijubhai began spending more time with teachers and in schools. Convinced he had to be the change, he helped establish Dakshinamurti (Bala Bhavan) in 1915 and later started a hostel in Bhavnagar. In 1916, he gave up his legal practice and joined Dakshinamurti as assistant superintendent.

Gijubhai’s contribution was the development of a system of child education suited to the Indian environment, teacher training, and the creation of a body of literature for children. While liberally borrowing from the educational philosophies of Montessori, Fröbel, Dalton, and others, he combined music, dance, travel, storytelling, and outdoor play to fit Indian requirements. Freedom and love were the twin principles around which the system revolved. The school was an instant hit. Mahatma Gandhi, who had clear views on learning, was very fond of Gijubhai Badheka. He called Gijubhai ‘Moochali Ma’, or mother with whiskers, and the name stuck.

Published works

Badheka published close to 200 works, including storybooks. His topics include children, education, travel and humour. However, his focus was books for children, parents and educators. +TitleYearPublisherNotesRakhdu Todi1929Gujarati Translation of Free School OR A Dominie's Five by Alexander Sutherland NeillBhaibandhGujarati Translation of Schoolboys by Nikolai NosovMahatmao Na Chitro1923Kishor Kathao Part 1 - 2 1929Eosap Na Patro: Gadheda1934Eosap Katha1935Africa Ni Safar1944Dadaji Ni TalwarLal Ane HiraChatur KarodioMontessori Padhati1927Aa Te Si Mathafod ? 1934Sikshak Ho To1935Bad Jivan Ma Dokiu1926Sikshan Na Vehmo1926Tofani Badak1929Davakhani Jay, Chadiyo1929Aagad Vancho Chopdi Part 1,2,3Kem Sikhavvu1935Chalo Vachiye1935Patelad Ni Virangnao1931Sanj Ni MojoPrasangik Manan1932Sant Padoma1934Divaswapna - An Educator’s Reverie1939National Book TrustHarishchandraOriginally in Gujarati then translated in many languagesBal DarshanMari GaynIn Gujarati meaning My CowVarta1929Periodical published in over 5 volumes containing more than 100 storiesVaarta nu Shastra1925

In popular culture Gijubhai Badheka's innovative teaching methods have inspired various educational works and initiatives. Notably, Children's book author Vinitha and Dr Swati Popat Vats co-wrote a book titled which explores Gijubhai Badheka's life and teaching methodology.

See also List of Gujarati-language writers

References

External links