When it rains!

When it rains-I feel happy!

When it rains..i remember my soulmate…

When it rains…I come to my balcony and enjoy drops of rain…

When it rains…l listen my favourite song…Badal Barse tarse maan…

When it rains I wet myself and enjoy it….

When it rains..i enjoy tea with pakoras….

But when it rains in baglikheda village- people come to school building with their luggage!

When it rains….in baglikheda…people thinks why it rains!

I heard from my family members and friends that last day it was raining in Delhi..people feel relaxed..some of them came to their balconoies and enjoyed rain…..yes we all love rains….In India if two things we love…is one…one our soulmate/better half of life and other rain….probably both gives a new life to us to live!

…but this may not be case for farmers ( yes I am talking about farmers) of baglikheda village ( Bareala tribes) of Shehore district ( one of our JEEVIKA project village). People also their also love rain but in most cases not…they are small and marginalised farmers…and think its better not to have rain…..

On 13th June 2013 night ( it was about 20.00 hrs) I was with ANWC-Bhopal ( our partner organisation for JEEVIKA development initiative) on the way and nearing to Baglikheda village inside forest….it was heavily raining with heavy wind….bit fear was there of tree fall and any other mishappening because of heavy rain and wind….in 10 minutes we reached baglikheda…but not able to enter village…as our vehicle cant go…because road was not good…we came out of vehicle…again with bit fear..and yes it was with about 20kms speed we ran and reached a pink colour cemented building…..it was school building and we surprise many people were there…and all are from the same village –Baglikheda..after bit chit chatting we sat down and had informal discussion with them, that now they have rain and its good for their crop and probably they would enjoy….for me surprise when a women said…when it rains..we are without houses….when it rains we are in pain…we do not have more land…..but we have big families and for us houses are more important in rain….we can make our survival through daily wage ..and from forest produce…but when ever rain come…we come to this school building….sometimes with our groceary and other important items…..

For me..it was 1st time a farming community saying …we feel pain when it rains! But probably their pain was genuine….when I am in Delhi…and when it rains…I enjoy with tea…samosa..pakoras….and feel ahhh..its relax…now there is rain….some times listen my favourite song….Badal barse tarse maan… but here scenario is different and why because I have a shelter with proper roof…but they do not have….

With all this and knowing our JEEVIKA development in baglikheda…not happy but atleast convinced that in this much of interir village with deprived Barela tribes we work and with join effort of community mobilisation with PRI at least in last three months 4 households have pucca houses under Mukhya mantra awasa yojana…also with community and PRI JEEVIKA team is thinking of sustainable houses which could face heavy rain….and give a better living to people….and probably could be build up with local and cheap resources…..thinking is on …..because every one cant get Mukhyamantri awas yojana..!

Vinod Pandey ( Caritas India team member)