Why do you only/mostly conduct workshops?

We have found that the intensive/immersive workshop format works very effectively to communicate knowledge/skills/perspectives and trigger self-learning processes. A 40-hour workshop for instance, is equivalent to a semester-long course in university; yet it's easier for people to take a week out for some committed learning, than take six months out for it.

Who attends your workshops?

People from all kinds of backgrounds do; teachers, students, educators, ngo workers, businessmen, bureaucrats, activists, and seekers of every ilk.

What's the average age of participants?

Currently about 40 years. The actual age of participants ranges from 25 to 75.

How much does a workshop cost?

 We now operate entirely on gift culture. When you attend a workshop, the costs (mainly on food and stay) of your participation have already been paid forward by those who attended a similar event before you and found it beneficial. Should you find the workshop you attend beneficial, you may pay it forward to support the participation of future participants.  Money is never a consideration for participation in our workshops.

I was hoping to join the Gap Year College, but it's no longer running!?

Yes, the Gap Year College as an extended year-long programme is no longer running (Why?), but you can put your own gap year together. Attend a few of our workshops (these workshops were a key component of the Gap Year College program!) and you'll get ideas for a lot of projects to pursue; combine these with other meaningful places/people to visit (which too we can point you to) and you could have a very fulfilling and edifying gap year in place.

I don't have time. Can I come for part of a workshop?

 No, not unless a specific workshop is specifically opened to partial participation. Most of our workshops are of an integrated and immersive nature, and missing part of the workshop is a sure way of missing out on the self-learning processes that the workshops seeks to trigger in participants.

Why aren't your workshops shorter, so more people could attend?

 As mentioned above, apart from communicating knowledge and understanding in a condensed form, the real aim of our workshops is to trigger self-learning / self-exploratory processes in the participants. This is possible only in workshops of a certain duration and intensity.

Can I bring my friend / partner / spouse to the workshop?

 No, please don't. We would like your undivided attention during the workshop, and by long experience we find that this is often unlikely if you come accompanied with a friend / partner. Additionally, some workshops are self-exploratory in a very deep way and require you to interrogate your interpersonal relationships, and it helps in the self-exploratory process to be distanced for the moment from the immediate contingencies of these relationships.

For some workshops that are more skill/knowledge based though (like film-making, theatre, food...), it's ok to come together.

If an idyllic holiday is what you are looking for, you can come another time for a farm-stay, for which we can point you to some good options in our region.

Will my cellphone work at the venue?

 Some cellphone networks function, while others don't. In any case best to give your phone a little holiday while you attend the workshop; don't expect to run your business telephonically during the workshop.

Do you give a certificate at the end of the workshop?

 No we don't. We hope what you'll take back from the workshop will be much more valuable than any printed piece of paper. However, if you need a certificate to prove to your employer / organisation that you attended the workshop, we'll give you one.

Can I bring my child to the workshop?

 No, you may not bring your child or other dependents along to the workshop. We do not have the staff or facilities to provide care to children during the workshop. 

Can I bring my dog to the workshop?

 No, you may not bring a dog or other pet.

When will you conduct a workshop in my city / region?

 Currently we conduct our workshops only in Dharwad, Karnataka. It is highly unlikely that we will be conduting a workshop in your city / region anytime soon. People who are sufficiently motivated, do make the effort to travel to Dharwad from distant corners of the country to attend our workshops...

Who funds you?

 We are funded entirely from the contributions from participants of our workshops and by occasional contributions from friends. We are not funded by any funding agency.

So, how do you make a profit?

 We are a not-for-profit organisation; except for some people who may be hired for certain event-specific tasks (cooking, transport, logistical support), everyone who works for our organisation does so pro bono, in a voluntary capacity. However, we do desire to be self-sustaining. We usually do not end up with a 'profit'; however, any excess funds left after the costs of a workshop have been met are ploughed back into future programs of the organisation.

What's your legal status?

 We are a Public Charitable Trust, registered in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, with the mandate to conduct our programs anywhere in the country.