Just recently the founder of gandhiwarming (Tippy Tippens) has been featured in GOOD Magazine as part of 2013’s GOOD 100. While checking out the print issue she noticed this at the lower portion of the page of her feature – LOVE! Go go Team gandhiwarmer, can’t wait to do this again this year.
By Christophile Konstas, gandhiwarmer Atlanta 2012
Thank you team Gandhiwarmer!!!! You all are simply the best, love you : )
Thank you warm, wonderful people in Atlanta, we absolutely loved meeting you & had the most delightful time visiting your amazing city. I think this may have been the most intimate warming to date, this year’s felt smaller and more personal, we feel honored to have met you.
This was also our first warm weather warming & I must admit that it was kind of nice to not get a touch of the frostbite or climb an icy ladder on a sheet of ice : ) Although we’ll be happy to do it again, not complaining a bit.
Special thanks to Kashi Atlanta for letting us in even though they were closed in order to get a candle for the warming, so very kind! And to the sweetest hosts and new friends Charlie & Jamie, we are all so happy to now know you!! Thank you for bringing us to the most amazing spots around town, had the best time at Radial, Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room, & Daddy D’z bbq – we all fell in love with Atlanta.
We traveled in from Richmond, VA and New Orleans, LA and those that couldn’t make the trip this year we missed you! Team gandhiwarmer is made up of the fabulous K1-D2 and myself & is a collaboration of lots of warmth, scarf sections for Gandhi, Gandhi’s hat, gift hats & scarves, and knit flowers from members in RVA, Portland, Philly, and the Virgin Islands. : ) ..please notice the beautiful heart included in this section knit by Lisa Hardin Gay [below, it’s in the lower portion of the end of the scarf]
This year’s warming was held at the MLK center and in honor of Troy Davis. There was actually a meeting at the center on the same day held in honor of Mr. Davis and discussing the death penalty. There were over a hundred people gathered, many wearing cyan shirts which said ‘WE ARE TROY DAVIS’. It was incredibly humbling to be there and at Martin Luther King Junior’s site.
Some of the best parts of gandhiwarming each year are seeing who picks up the scarf that you made to give away, seeing the delight on someone’s face when they see Gandhi in his handmade woolies.. it’s a magic and basic joy, a goodness that you feel from performing this simple act. After the warming ceremony and celebrating with a beer down the street, Nikki said ‘All is right with the world’ and for those moments you truly feel it is so. We all know there are good things and bad things simultaneously around the world at every moment.. but following gandhiwarmer you do simply feel a calm and at peace.That the goodness which we just created actually made the good pile a little higher if you could actually stack all of the good and the bad in the world. The amazing thing is that this goodness is really so simple and it actually creates joy that easily spreads and other people want to do more of the same.
Part of it too is getting out of the routine, doing something that breaks the typical cycle. Highlighting that it is indeed possible to change the way that things ‘are’. I know that we all feel an actual buzz for weeks afterwards and are already excited again for the next year!
One of the most moving moments was with a woman leaving the Troy Davis meeting, when she saw Gandhi-warmed she stopped in her tracks and spread her arms.. declaring how wonderful! She asked who did this and I went up to talk with her, she then asked me why I did this and I explained the backstory to gandhiwarming, she was just so touched by it and said ‘You keep on doing what you’re doing woman’. Thinking of it makes me tear up again, she was so heartwarming. I watched as a tear slowly rolled down her face, actually glistening in the sun & thought, it is a beautiful world – so incredible to have this powerfully human moment, with someone I’ve never met before. Our paths met for those moments, sometimes feelings are stronger than anything you can actually say, words can actually muck it all up. I think a lot of those moments tend to happen in tragic times, so it’s wonderful to have them in a positive and hopeful light. She brought me to tears that day because she was so moved and so open and so.. loving.
It’s such an honor to simply give Gandhi a gift,
and truly I think this image shows the joy we felt best : )
More images and movie coming soon.. thank you
[photos shown here by holly brown, christophile konstas, & tippy tippens]
Love when i get to meet my giftee : )
We also were humbled to meet the fellows in the image far left, who gathered for the warming. They were from all over the world including Pakistan and Afghanistan and in training for combat at a local military base. The young man we met from Afghanistan asked to take a scarf as a memento of the warming, then swiftly and beautifully tied it into a turban on his head. All the best to you men from around the globe and please may you stay safe : )
This will be our third annual Gandhiwarming! The date is January 28, 2012 & will be at 3pm at Gandhi’s statue at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Atlanta. We decided to have this year’s warming in Atlanta in order to dedicate to Troy Davis. Please join us in honoring Gandhi by coming to the ceremony! Please bring hats, scarves or winterwear to give as gifts to cold passers-by.
We are still seeking a musician to play – if you’re interested we would love to hear from you! Also, yarn shops and local knitters we’d love it if you’re interested in participating – leave a comment here or on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/gandhiwarmer
Looking so very forward to this year’s gandhiwarming.
Check out the beautiful gandhiwarmer 2011 video by Christophile Konstas!!
Love it, warms my heart again and again : ] YAY gandhiwarming!!
Today is an incredible day, the sounds of people celebrating in Tahir Square is ..awe inspiring on a basic level of humanity. Five zillion cheers to their dedication, solidarity, and courage!!! ‘Finally we are free’ – a quote from this article in the BBC, says it all and is profound in its power. I have been trying to define the emotions this brings up for me today, because freedom should be so basic shouldn’t it and the feeling I get in hearing their rejoicing is hard to pin down. I know I am filled with awe, inspiration, pride for the people of Egypt as a fellow person, glee for their new freedom, and excitement for their new possibility to take steps for change which are now finally ahead. Another quote that is sticking with me from the BBC broadcasts is from a young woman interviewed about her involvement in the peaceful protests, she said ‘You can do it, but you must want it badly enough.’ Heartfelt cheers from New Orleans, I can only imagine the sheer elation and tangible energy going through the cheering crowds.
Hooray! Gandhi’s toes are still toasty! Thank you for the great pic DC SUPER SLEUTH! : ]
I’m still feeling warm myself from last week’s event! Also still thinking about where to do the next warming as well as what to do with Gandhi’s gear since we had to take it down. Gift it to the embassy, re-gift to another Gandhi, exhibit, then re-gift….hmmm
Still feeling warm from this past Sunday!! It was another heartwarming success, hooray dear amigas of K1-D2! : ]
In NBC Washington! ‘Altruistic Celebrate Gandhiwarming ’11’
Gandhitopia – repost of NBC’s article
The 42, ‘Gandhi-warming, Commemorates Non-violent Indian Leader’
Times of India – Repost of the 42
This Chickadee blogspot, All you need is warmth
The Prince of Petworth – 5pm post
DC Centric on WAMU – A gandhiwarming on Sunday
Thank you for all of the wonderful write ups, beautiful documentation, and also for all of the tweeting warmth!! : ]
Photos by:
Megan Williams/Myself on flickr
The second annual Gandhiwarming was another heartwarming success!! The warming took place at 3 pm on Sunday and we were really lucky with the weather yesterday, not tooo cold and it was a beautiful sunny day. [Today got so much colder, was dipping below freezing as I was leaving DC shiver, shiver] With some pre-warming needs to take care of after a delicious breakfast by the amazing Megan and Erik! : diwas dishes to find [i forgot mine in nola, ack!], ladder borrowed from Erik’s studio, he also made a handy long hook while there in case the ladder wouldn’t get close enough, hat fitting adjustments, flowers to buy, and finishing off my scarf to give away, Sunday morning was filled with things to do pre-warming.
Gandhi is right in front of the Indian embassy and the area doesn’t seem to get too much foot traffic, a lot more car traffic. After we ran around town a bit looking for the odds and ends listed above, we parked near Gandhi, made some last estimations, and settled in at Kramer books so that I could do my knitting and hat fitting and Team Gandhiwarmer did some flower shopping [so many places were closed on sunday!] As 3pm neared we rolled on over to Gandhi and gathered the ladder and hat and scarf giveaways to assemble. Pretty much right as we set up the ladder next to Gandhi – he is 8’8″ on top of a 4′ stone pedestal – a police car rolls up.. we had just layed out the hats, gotten the diwas going.. I was thinking, should I jump up on the ladder and get the scarf and hat on before he stops me?! I decided to go over and talk to him, turned out he was with the Secret Service – he did allow us to put the scarf and hat on him, – Thank you kind sir! but with the agreement that we would also take it down. [wonh, wanh]
Gladly we proceeded with our warming plan and got the ladder situated right – and then got the hat on with a little adjusting.. I had tightened the hat a little too much [I thought it looked a bit too big when standing on the ground, but indeed it turned out to be that big! 40″ in diameter!!] But it got all settled and nestled on his lovely bronzed head, being careful of his delicate glasses. Hat and scarf on, we proceeded with setting the diwas at his feet, flower petals spread, then beautiful flower garland and pom garland made by the amazing ladies of K1-D2! All the while Rishi Dan played his bansuri flute beautifully [also a knitter btw, yay Rishi!], the soft music set a peaceful and cozy mood for the event. People passing gathered and we had an awesome group of peeps to spread the warmth!
It’s hard to beat the warming feeling of Gandhiwarmer, it truly feels so good to honor Gandhi and revive a bit of his spirit in the cold winter air. Your heart really feels warmed by the happiness you see on everyone’s faces and the people who pick up scarves or hats, filled with the joy of receiving a present. Today I stopped back by to see what might be left, to my surprise everything was still there! While snapping a few photos a couple of women stopped who needed some scarves. To my great surprise, one of the women picked the one I made!! I told her I made it and she said “I can really have it?” I said yes, yes!! Then she said, “Gandhi helped the people right? Maybe he can help me.” I was really touched and said I sure do hope so. We all need a little Gandhi in our lives don’t we?
It was a quick weekend trip and it was so great to see all of my amigas and a great honor to be able to have accomplished another Gandhiwarming, I’m so looking forward to next year’s already! Thank you deeply to everyone who came, Team Gandhiwarmer, and to Gandhi.
HE LOOKED SO COLD!! 