Dressed in sombre black, with long hair reaching his shoulders, 53-year-old Shetab might pass off as any other villager. But a rectangular black flag in his hand sets him apart. As does his powerful and sombre baritone voice, which reaches you before he arrives at your doorstep. Holding the flag reverently, Shetab walks from door… Continue reading Muharram mourning – the village way
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Mass marriage party in Jharkhand
With wedding season around the corner in India, couples up and down the country are preparing to tie the knot. But for many tribal communities, marriage between couples is not a concept or custom they follow. Although the Supreme Court of India recognises live-in relationships, the rights of women and children over inheritance, family wealth… Continue reading Mass marriage party in Jharkhand
“Our lands used to lay wasted”
Can you imagine what happens when the rainwater can’t be used? We couldn’t grow any crops. That was the situation we were in. In our village in Gujarat, the soil has become saline. So, when it rains for a whole week in August, our fields get flooded. But the water can’t seep through the soil… Continue reading “Our lands used to lay wasted”
The inception of Village Square
The makers of modern India were all deeply affected by the poverty and human degradation of rural India. Even if they couldn’t agree on the value of the Indian village. “The love of the intellectual Indian for the village community is of course infinite, if not pathetic… What is a village but a sink of… Continue reading The inception of Village Square
Mahatma’s dream in a digital world
Rightly stating that India lives in her villages, Mahatma Gandhi preached the idea of Gram Swaraj. To him this meant that the village would be almost completely self-sufficient as far its daily needs were concerned. Gram Swaraj also implied a vibrant and sensitive self-governance mechanism, which would ensure equitable development for the whole village. We… Continue reading Mahatma’s dream in a digital world
Village Square launches “Her Life”
A village woman is not just at the hearth of her home, but usually tilling the fields and earning a livelihood to keep her family fed. She is often working tirelessly for her community, helping others. And, more often than not, she is at the sharp end of a cause, driving forward progress and equality… Continue reading Village Square launches “Her Life”
Village shelter for animals in distress
For the cows, dogs, horses, donkeys, monkeys, chickens and ducks of CYRO Kingdom, the day starts slowly but early. But when this menagerie hears the rev of a certain motorcycle, they are all up – jumping and fluttering – ready to greet their master, 28-year-old Cyrus Maclure. As the only child of a single-mom, Maclure… Continue reading Village shelter for animals in distress
Ingenious farmers breed new fruit varieties
When you think of apples in India you think of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Both are synonymous with apples, which need a temperate climate for its trees to blossom and bear fruit. You don’t think of India’s hot plains or tropical forests. But thanks to farming innovations, apples are now grown even in the hot… Continue reading Ingenious farmers breed new fruit varieties
Walnut market a hard nut to crack
On the lush outskirts of Srinagar, where green trees turn yellow with the onset of fall, Ghulam Mohammad Dar stands guard amidst his ancestral walnut grove. The moment a crow or any other pesky, nut-cracking bird dares to fly near one of his 17 trees, he waves his hands and shouts them away. It’s a… Continue reading Walnut market a hard nut to crack
Life skills videos are a lifeline
Getting information about health and sanitation was never more important than during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world turned upside down and India went into the most rigid of lockdowns, there were many marginalized people who were cut off from the most crucial information, particularly tribal minorities who live deep in remote jungles and forests.… Continue reading Life skills videos are a lifeline
30 hours to literacy
Abdullah leads a hard life. Every day, in the darkness of early morning, the seven-year-old boy washes down the previous night’s leftover roti with a large cup of hot tea. Armed with a big, empty gunny sack, he and his mother go to work – rag picking. It’s a hard and risky business, scavenging for… Continue reading 30 hours to literacy
Mushroom cultivation becomes lifeline
Nazima Begum, who lost her husband six years ago, eked out a living for herself and her teenage son by stitching clothes. It was a tedious and debilitating work that earned the Bengali about Rs 3,500 a month – barely enough to run her household. Until she discovered mushroom farming. Begum now propagates mushroom spawns… Continue reading Mushroom cultivation becomes lifeline
Barge oil spill hurting beach, mangrove and livelihoods
Purnima Meher walked with a heavy heart towards the oil-coated mangroves of her village Mahim, north of Mumbai, carefully dodging big black lumps on the sand as she went. She has never seen the trees in such poor condition. But Cyclone Tauktae created havoc along the coast of Maharashtra in May when a cargo barge,… Continue reading Barge oil spill hurting beach, mangrove and livelihoods
Sustainable honey offers sweeter returns
For decades tribal families living in northeastern Maharashtra have collected honey from the dense forest that surrounds them, by smoking the bees out from their honeycombs. But these small fires often killed the bees, never mind destroying the lush plants on which they fed. Not only did this have a harmful impact on the local biodiversity,… Continue reading Sustainable honey offers sweeter returns
Kerala’s backwater exodus
In the heart of Kerala’s backwaters Kuttanad is picture perfect with its maze of palm-fringed canals and emerald islets. Both fishing boats and luxury houseboats dot the water, while cottages and local cafes dot the islands. More than two meters below sea level, Kuttand is also known as the “rice bowl of Kerala” thanks to… Continue reading Kerala’s backwater exodus
Girls quit labor work to teach each other
Girls were forced to work in brick kilns and farms during lockdown. Educated youth have helped them quit so they can learn, and teach younger ones
Community’s conservation effort increases vulture population
With an awareness about the importance of vultures in the ecosystem, residents of Chirgaon took measures that have resulted in an increase in vulture population
Himachal government strives to boost seed production
Dependent on other states for seeds that are often unsuited for local conditions, Himachal Pradesh government has introduced a scheme to produce quality seeds locally
Eco-conscious Bishnois ensure good groundwater levels
Known for their tree-hugging environmentalism, Bishnois combine traditional knowledge and contemporary practices of agriculture to conserve groundwater
Community ensures sustenance of vital ancient ponds
By ensuring regular maintenance and by preventing encroachment, villagers who consider their water bodies as sacred, protect centuries-old life-sustaining ponds