It is a wonderful hilly type area with great scenic places. I am very fortunate that I was asked to do survey on the Adivasi people of Jhabua which is my personal interest but not feasible alone. I am thankful for creating a platform so that I can achieve my interest. The maize fields, weather when we visited the place is what a traveller wants.
Myself as a traveller and Sociology student found that it is the best place to study about Society. I was deeply moved for the love the villagers shown us. For the food they offered and what not. But it made me sad looking at the living conditions they have. The problems they face to make their living. They hardly have an electric bulb and there was nothing which in our daily life has. They weren't given chance to grow. Opportunities to develop.
Agriculture was their main occupation and maize is their main crop. They yield some other crops too just to make self-sufficient for their living. All these was the information we got when we followed our methodology and questionaire.
The main problem I faced in the field was that of language. I cannot understand what they speak. However I managed it with my friend who knows Hindi and to a some extent he understood and helped me in filling my questionaaire which is part of our methodology to study. But the royal way they treated their guests(us) the great varieties of food they offered was beyond my expectations. I liked their food. Maybe because of the purity of their hearts and the way they served us. Though some of my friends were bit uneasy with maize ki roti I liked that one. When I interviewed people I get to know that they won’t remember or does not give importance to their ages or birthdays. But people celebrate festivals like holi diwali teez etc..
The people out there have a very small world. Their city is Jhabua itself and many have no idea beyond that. There are many members in the family. Though most of the elders do not have education even until fifth standard it made me feel good that they give importance of their children to study. I was amazed to see that small children who are hardly to my waist in height are handling huge massive bulls!!!!
Children out there help their family in farming. Some children whom I met were not going to school but looking after their father's farm. I felt shameful that I hardly help my father in his work. They play some new kind of games apart from Cricket, Foot Ball or so. I suggested my friend a lad who accompanied me guiding me house to house which were a mile distance from each other to go to school and explained the importance of education. I was contended with his positive answer.
But the fact that they have to walk 4km to reach their school is not good. People here in Jhabua face many difficulties regarding their health they believe in some superstitions too. But there are some people who doesn’t believe superstitions and go to hospital for the cure of their diseases. Their main reason of borrowing money from the shopkeepers in Jhabua with a huge interest is mainly their health. They participate in some of the events. Some of them frequently go to panchayats. They get their disputes settled in the panchayats. Some of them do not know their leaders but many do.
Many people were having bank accounts opened recently. Some people do not know about the incentives given by government to them as pension. Some people do not know about the ration shops where they can get their ration. They are almost disconnected with the outer world as they do not have televisions or radios in their home. Interestingly some people do not know about the prime minster of India too.
All these facts were not so good which India doesn’t want to hear but it is there and it is true and it is majority of India. In spite of all these odds some of the families are happy. It thought me a great lesson that happiness does not lie with richness it is with people, among people and inside people. Learning some great things from these people sharing a bit from my knowledge with them feels like contended heart. With this trip I am now keen and carried with me a task of how to help them to live the living they want whenever I am able to do so.
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