The costumes of people in rural areas of Kutch, Gujarat are known for their vibrant colours, intricate embroidery, and unique designs. They reflect one-of-its-kind richness in culture and traditional craftsmanship of the region. Both men and women wear locally...
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The November Of 2023
I plan my trips well in advance and always leave room for some delay in departure or arrival. This time, I had come to Delhi for India Fellow training, with a similar thought. I reached a day early so that I have a few hours to relax even if the train was delayed....
Common Facility Centre And Wool
A Common Facility Centre (CFC) is a shared physical space for a group of individuals or businesses to conduct mutually beneficial activities. These facilities aim to offer collective spaces in an efficient and cost-effective way for multiple people instead of each...
A Job Still Not Worth Its Salt
Life hasn’t changed much for small-scale salt pan workers known as Agariyas in the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK). It continues to be as harsh and predictable as the landscape. For centuries and generations, from as long as they can remember, it has been the same. These...
मासूम ख़्वाहिशें, अनोखी बंदिशें और घटते आंकड़े
कम्युनिटी सेंटर पर रहना यानी आसपास स्थित समुदायों के सभी खुले-छुपे और छुपाए हुए अंगों को देख पाना है| अगर वे अंग एक नज़र में न भी दिखें तो धीरे-धीरे नजर आ ही जाते हैं| कम्युनिटी सेंटर आखिर है क्या मैं फिलहाल लखनऊ के बरौरा नामक क्षेत्र में 'सद्भावना ट्रस्ट' के...
Going Back To The Good Old Times
"अरे, उन दिनों में हम ज्वार, बाजरा और माल की ही खेती करते थे, और जंगल में बाकी के अनाज ऐसे ही मिल जाते थे। और उन दिनों में हमें कभी भी बीमारी नहीं होती थी, हमारे गांव में बहुत से बुजुर्ग लोग कभी अस्पताल नहीं गए क्योंकि उनको जरूरत ही नहीं पड़ती थी..." - किशन लाल, उम्र...
Embracing Sacred Activism: A Global Movement For Water And Life
For me, life is sacred. I'm thankful that I am able to see and walk, that my consciousness to perceive what's sacred is growing. Hearing Aida Shibli, a peace activist from Palestine made me think about sacred activism. As Andrew Harvey put it, "Sacred Activism is a...
गुमनाम बिरहोर समुदाय
हम किताबों में, कहानियों में, कुछ जगह घूम कर या लोगों से सुन कर आदिवासी समाज के बारे में जानते हैं. सरकार के लम्बे भाषणों में भी उनके विकास और हक़ की बातें सुनने में आती हैं. ऐसा भी कहते हैं कि आज के समय में उन्हें सारे अधिकार मिल रहे हैं और उनकी ज़रूरतों पर ध्यान दिया...
The Struggles Of Sheep Shearing In Gujarat
Winter is here and it comes with warm sweaters, shawls and rajais. Sheep wool, and perhaps camel, rabbit, and yak wool, mostly make these winter clothes, according to common knowledge. However, this belief is not entirely accurate. The majority of contemporary winter...
Gandhi Jayanti At Gram Swaraj Sangh
Early in the morning, all the residents of Gram Swaraj Sangh (GSS) campus and the students of the school assembled at the ground. The gardening hoes and brooms were put in line. All of us divided ourselves into groups and self-assigned the tasks. This was how we...
When Charity And Kindness Meet Complexity
This particular incident unfolded on a Sunday around 10 am, when the sun radiated as if it were noon. It was a crowded junction in the city, where six roads converge. The place was teeming with people, particularly around the vegetable and fruit shops. Each person was...
Chhath Puja In Bihar: A Celebration Of Four Days
What is Chhath Puja? Chhath Puja is an yearly four daylong celebration. It is celebrated in the Bihar, UP and Jharkhand. Over the years the prevelance and celebration of Chhath Puja has increased around the world due to Bihari migration across the world. It is...
Suman Meravi: Mudghusri’s Self Made Woman
Here is the story of Suman Meravi, a young woman from a Mudghusri village of Chhattisgarh. During a field visit, I got to met her and get to know her story. Her village has 302 households and comprises of predominantly tribal population. She belongs to a joint family....
Rise Of Fever Clinics During Monsoon
Monsoons in India bring the greenery and calmness back into town. I love to relish on those pakoras and sip hot chai. However, this season also gives rise to plenty of illnesses and diseases specially in areas where hygiene is low or absent. Some of the common...
हैंडीक्राफ़्ट के दाम इतने महंगे क्यों है?
हैंडीक्राफ़्ट यानी हाथ से बना सामान। जब भी मैं इनके बारे में सुनता हूँ तो एक ही बात ज़ेहन में आती है कि ये इतने महंगे क्यों होते हैं। और जब मैं इनको बनाने की कहानी और मेहनत के बारे में सुनता हूँ तो लगता है कि हैंडीक्राफ़्ट का सामान खरीदना चाहिए और उसे बढ़ावा देना...
Facilitating Dialogue – Choice, Opportunity and Rights
The Gram Panchayat often tend to be a traditionally dominating body and can have complex systems that make it challenging to have a coordinated system of governance, with planned and holistic facilitation. At the same time, it can also create space for advancement in...
The Many Shades Of Rajasthan
I had thought of Rajasthan as the largest state of India and a land of camels. After coming here and looking closely at various aspects, it revealed to me its different shades. As an India Fellow, I'm exposed to several social and civil landscapes. For me, Rajasthan...
जैविक खेती और कुछ पुरानी पद्दति का विश्लेषण
जब हम अपने आस पास खेतों में लहलहाती फसलों को देखते हैं तो लगता है कि हमारा देश कितना अनाज उत्पादन कर रहा है और मान लेते हैं कि हर घर में लोगों के लिए पर्याप्त आहार है। लेकिन हम कभी यह नही सोचते कि जो अनाज उग कर हमारे पास आ रहा है उनमें से लगभग सभी फसलों में रसायन का...