I spent approximately six months in Maheshwar, living cashless and relying...
Understanding and Power: Exploring Parallels with Sudhir Kakar
"In another, more dynamic formulation to which I would subscribe, the...
Encouraging Curiosity And Imagination Through Children’s Literature
Working and learning with children is about meeting serendipitous joys! While...
My First Rain In Kutch
First three days in Ahmedabad at the main office of my organisation, Samerth...
Families Migrating From Kushalgarh In Distress
The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying, the only thing more...
सामुदायिक पुस्तकालय – एक अनोखा संगम
कहानी, कविता, पाठ्यपुस्तकें, नाटक, शायरी, चुट्कुले, विज्ञान, सामाजिक विज्ञान...
From Fear To Empowerment: Navigating Gender Politics And Insecurity
I had just finished my day with receiving appreciation for the depth achieved...
How Climate Change Affects Migrant Workers
While traveling in and out of towns or cities, I have often observed a...
From Adding Numbers To Adding Values: The Story Of Two Reckless Learners
On a sunny Monday, I entered the class carrying the same jhola and wearing my best ever smile. The kids joined me with a grin. A 16-year-old boy, 5ft 2inch tall, with broad shoulders, is currently studying in 9th standard. I remember how his eyes that have never gone...
Searching For Feminism In Rural Uttar Pradesh
About three weeks back while I was sitting in my balcony, observing the commotion on the road and thinking about the last 8 months that I have spent in Kantain village of Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh, several thoughts ran through my mind. It was a mixed bag, of...
Vittyasaathi – A Lifestory
A bleak light begins to flicker in one of Kathotia village’s households at 3 am. A long day awaits Sabo Devi*. She brews herself some tea, feeds and cleans the cow, gets ready and is on her way to work by 5 o’clock. Her daughter, Julie*, takes care of every other...
I Do Not Ask A Child “If You Go To School” Anymore!
Among them was a baby girl aged 10 months (however appeared to be no less than 3 months old). She was suffering from both Severe Acute Malnutrition and Tuberculosis. It was an image that has distraught me till date.
The Kind Of People I Meet During A Sale
One of the best things about being a sales person and selling products is the variety of people you meet. From easy going and generous to the most fussy and reluctant. Happy children wanting the laddus to old people volunteering to help; it has been a very different...
Why Did 9-Year-Old Bright Faiz Drop Out Of The Village School?
Faiz Parveen, a 9-year-old studying in primary school at village Daniyalpur in Munger District of Bihar was excelling in his studies. Faiz was studying in this school since 3 years and was always on time for school. It was the month of October (2018), when Faiz was...
One Scary Night At The Prerna Tribal Girl’s Hostel In Bihar
During my second visit to the Prerna Hostel at Danapur, Patna I got the chance to be closer to Sudha ma’am and learn much more about her girls. What had surprised me in the first visit was their daily routine. They would wake up everyday to the ring of the bell at...
The Unwritten Rules For The Binary Genders
In Kanpur, six months of my fellowship has been about marketing organic products by the farmers. On a random working day, I was involved in a sales campaign, customers were coming to ask about the organic products that we were selling. A middle-aged man wearing kurta...
संशय से आत्म-विश्वास की ओर
A story on how a curated red diary is making a difference in the lives of semi-literate or illiterate women entrepreneurs. झमकू बाई 'क्यारा' नाम के एक छोटे से फले में रहती हैं. इस मनोहारी गाँव में लगभग 20 परिवार रहते हैं. उनके पति, जो पेशे से रसोई कारीगर हैं, काम की...
हम लड़ेंगे साथी, गुलाम इच्छाओं के लिए
मैंने खुद को 'कुंचोली' पंचायत के एक छोटे से गाँव में पाया, जहाँ एक मकान निर्माणाधीन था. उस दृश्य को मैंने तस्वीर में कैद करने की कोशिश की. अवतार सिंह संधू 'पाश' पंजाबी कविता जगत के जाने - माने - चाहे जाने वाले कवि हैं. पंजाबी भाषा के सीमित ज्ञान के कारण, मैंने उनकी...
मैं और भालू
प्रिय मित्र काशीपुर से में भोपाल के लिए रवाना हो गया हूं। वही पुराना घर! अब तो घर क्या है कहां है इसकी समझ कमजोर पड़ गई है। खुले आसमान ने हमें इतना अपना लिया है कि दीवारें पराई लगने लगी है। यह तीसरा और आखिरी खत काशीपुर के सबसे अप्रतिम भाग के बारे में है। यह ना होता तो...
Feeling So Exotic!
On 21st January 2019, i went to Pune for an exposure visit along with a few people from the villages of Khopoli and Paned (in Raigad, Maharashtra). The visit was to a company that sells vegetables and fruits in collaboration with the farmers giving them a price higher...
Kantabai: The Story You Don’t Get To Hear
One day, as I was walking via my usual route to the sabzi mandi (vegetable market), I noticed a group of people sitting in a flimsy yellow tent. I had actually been fascinated by this yellow tent for a couple of weeks, as I could see it’s movements from the window of...
When I Finally Grew Comfortable Being Their Teacher
One of the farthest schools from Kandbari in Panchrukhi education block is Rajot. I recall saying a few months ago that I had to hold on tight to my excitement of conducting a class during the hour long ride it takes to reach the school along the narrow winding roads....