LIFE ON THE MOVE…

          I always wondered since my childhood, how these people travel from far off places of Rajasthan and Gujarat to different parts of country especially Maharashtra with their camels, cows and hundreds of sheep together. They carry their whole life with them. We usually see them in our area at the beginning of summer and when the crops are harvested from the fields. The fields are empty during hot summer.

          When we are told not to go out in the hot sun except in case of an emergency, these people spend whole day in a tent, raised in the hot sun. They do not care for luxury life, what we enjoy at home like television, ACs, coolers, cosmetics and other stuffs. They just carry their essentials like beddings and clothes with them. They are the nomads of Rajasthan.

          There are about 32 communities of nomadic and semi nomadic groups with a total population of about 35 lakh. They have no homes or even spaces for the burial for their dead. Many of these communities have traditionally earned their living moving from place to place, making weapons, performing on streets, herding livestock, selling traditional medicines made with herbs or hunting wild animals and selling their parts. Their biggest asset is their livestock.

          The worst affected of all are their children, who are kept away from schooling. Their childhood has been stripped from them. They too have to wander with their parents. No formal education, no uniforms, no sports, nothing for them. How can I forget their innocent smiles? When I asked them for photos, one of the children asked me if I would give her 'Lakh Rupees', then only they would pose for the photograph. How innocent was she!

          We are an independent country now. We have our own constitution. We boast, state is for all. It's going to be 70 years since our independence. Have we ensured a decent life for all of our fellow countrymen? Do they not belong to us, to India? Do they not exist? I even wonder, whether they are counted in census!

          Reports say, members of these communities, after so many decades of independence have no documentary evidence of their citizenship- they hold no voter identification or Aadhaar Cards, no Ration Cards, nothing to show domicile proof.

          We talk of Shining India, Digital India, Cashless Economy, 4G and many more technological advances, but we failed at this front. We failed in bringing them to mainstream, as a society, as a state. We failed our constitution.

          We are least bothered, it may be because of we are the lucky ones, we are fortunate enough that we are not at their place.
"The future belongs to the common man with uncommon determination."- Baba Amte, Indian Social Worker.

The Sun getting rested in the lap of thorny bushes!

Sunset seen from the road when we travelled to go to Ramtek.

This Autumn Break we(off-course Dr.Ganesh Dhamodkar and me) decided to go for weekend to Ramtek and places nearby it. I just had reached to Nagpur that day(on 2nd October 2011) and had not rested for a while, Dr. Ganesh reached home and without getting late anymore we decided to leave the place because we wanted to reach the destination before getting dark. While travelling towards Kamptee we could see the beautiful sunset from the road. I thought to have some snaps and one of them I am posting here. We had a lot of fun and all the memorable moments have been captured in both of ours cameras.

A Puppet Dance is being Performed in Annual Day Function of KV Jamuna Colliery.

The Annual Day was held in April 2011 in KV Jamuna Colliery.
Many dances, acts and cultural activities were performed during the function.
As per KVS guidelines every year Annual Day is to be conducted in every Kendriya Vidyalaya across India.

KV SECL Jamuna Colliery

Kendriya Vidyalaya SECL Jamuna Colliery.

This Kendriya Vidyalaya is in Kotma Taluk of Anuppur District of MP State.
It is a Hard Station declared by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi.
A place is full of nature's beauty, peace everywhere, pollution free and less populated.
Though it's a Project School of SECL(South Eastern Coalfields Limited) it is completely dust free.
The nearest railway station is Kotma(about 7 kms) and bus stand Badra(about 4 kms). It's approximately 40 kms away from Anuppur. State Bank of India has it's branch in Jamuna Colliery. Nearest Gas Agency Indane is just 4 kms away at Bhalumara.

Kalidasa Smarak, Ramtek.

Kalidas Smarak, Ramtek.

Kalidas Smarak, a memorial in Ramtek Taluk of Nagpur District.
It is said that Kalidasa completed his epic Meghdootam, one of his most famous works  here. Inside the Smarak there are few paintings of Kalidasa's Works.
Now a days it is a tourist destination in Ramtek. Now there is an another Om Smarak is developed into which some inscriptions of Kalidasa's Meghdootam are written.