About 40 kilometres from Kolhapur, in the Kagal block, lies Valave Khurd – a small village with a big lesson to share. In the previous phase of Mulyavardhan (2016–20), something beautiful began here, in an open plot beside the zilla parishad school in the village. The plot was dry and unused. But after Mulyavardhan sessions, a question sparked in the minds of the teachers: “If values can be taught, can they also be grown?”

And so began a journey.

Teachers, students, and villagers came together for an experience in learning about nature and beauty. They planted saplings of rose, jasmine, champa, and coconut in the open plot. Children watched as the elders dug the soil, removed stones, mixed manure, and watered each plant. The children were not asked to work, but they were invited to witness the process. That made all the difference.

Day by day, something changed. The land bloomed… and so did the children.

No one needed to remind them to water the plants, keep the space clean, or avoid plastic waste. The garden quietly taught them responsibility, dignity of labour, respect for nature, and pride in caring for public spaces. Learning stepped out of textbooks and took root in real life.

Teachers felt this change too. Some of them shared that they truly understood Mulyavardhan only when they saw the children nurturing every plant as if it were their own.

From the soil of Valave Khurd, a powerful message blossomed:

Values don’t just need to be taught. They need to be lived, felt, and grown – just like a garden.

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