Vigyan Ashram

Vigyan Ashram is a centre for educating young people in agriculture practices, such as raising livestock or aquaponics, as well as agricultural technology and frugal innovation development. Its large workshop for wood and metalwork also houses a FabLab. It is a popular site for students to attend Fab Academy, as the projects must be oriented to benefit the residents of the ashram and/or the local residents of Pabal, which is largely agricultural. Engineering students who have studied at e.g. Mumbai or Pune take further training at the FabLab in order to learn how to materially realize projects and deal with local clients.

  • photograph of various inventions and prototypes displayed at the Technology Demonstration Park at Vigyan Ashram, India. visible is a large slanted vegetable dryer table, a large solar reflector disk, a dome for mushroom growing and various material stacks such as styrofoam and bricks.
    Technology Demonstration Park, Vigyan Ashram, India, 2017
  • photograph of the Technology Demonstration Park at Vigyan Ashram, India. an agricultural tractor-like vehicle painted bright green is visible, sitting under trees. one of the trees is flowering bright pink blossoms whose petals also cover the ground.
    Technology Demonstration Park, Vigyan Ashram, India, 2017
  • photograph of a large solar reflector disc on display at the Technology Demonstration Park, Vigyan Ashram, India
    Technology Demonstration Park, Vigyan Ashram, India, 2017
  • photograph of part of the Technology Demonstration Park at Vigyan Ashram, India. at the centre are stacked ceramic pots while in the midground and background are various implements and agricultural tools.
    Technology Demonstration Park, Vigyan Ashram, India, 2017
  • photograph of part of the Technology Demonstration Park at Vigyan Ashram, India. a green bicycle is visible, which has been converted into a tool that looks like a lathe. other tools and plants surround the bicycle and in the background there are materials such as stacks of styrofoam.
    Technology Demonstration Park, Vigyan Ashram, India, 2017
  • photograph of the Technology Demonstration Park at Vigyan Ashram, India. there is a basic concrete building in the photo with a sign saying Technology Demonstration Park. the building and gates are painted green, pink and yellow. the sun is strong and casting shadows. the technologies displayed are visible in the background, as are other various buildings on the ashram.
    Technology Demonstration Park, Vigyan Ashram, India, 2017

Students learn how to set up and maintain large aquaponics systems for growing food, cooking and baking, animal husbandry and other agricultural skills.

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Aquaponics and hydroponics systems at Vigyan Ashram
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Large aquaponics system at Vigyan Ashram
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Growing vegetables at Vigyan Ashram
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Growing vegetables at Vigyan Ashram
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Food Lab at Vigyan Ashram
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Chicken raising at Vigyan Ashram

Geodesic domes are also built as used as housing, for growing mushrooms and for other experiments in self-sufficiency.

  • photograph of a geodesic dome being built in Vigyan Ashram, India. the dome structure is in place and is covered with a slightly transparent textile. there are trees behind the dome and a couple of buildings visible on either side.
    Dome building at Vigyan Ashram, India, 2017
  • photograph of the yard area of Vigyan Ashram, India. the sun is lowering and creating strong shadows from the trees. a pink dome for shelter/housing is visible in the centre and another dome with a green triangle shaped door is visible further away. implements for plants such as plant pots and crates can be seen
    Vigyan Ashram, India, 2017
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Dome at Vigyan Ashram

Vigyan Ashram has a large workshop building for the metal and wood workshops, where students work on rural technology development.

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A display about Vigyan Ashram that will be on display at an educational fair.
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Vigyan Ashram’s workshop building
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Workshop at Vigyan Ashram
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Rest area in Vigyan Ashram’s workshop. In May-June temperatures can soar to 40-45°C and work is done only in the mornings and evenings.
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Workshops at Vigyan Ashram

See further posts and galleries about Vigyan Ashram and its Fab Lab.

Vigyan Ashram