No Well, No Visit

It's Sunday today. So the well-diggers did not come. And there's no village visit this evening. Bhola and Sharad have gone to Agiya Mor market. They took the project bike. There's a bicycle that Bansi or Nilambar could use to go to the market too if they want. But no one seems to want to cycle all the way in this heat.

It's hot today. It's usually hot during the day. But the nights are pleasant and the early mornings are still quite cold. I stopped using the quilt, but I do shiver! However, at that time, one does not feel like getting up to cover oneself.

Sharad, Nilambar and Bhola went to Cheo today. They drove up to Tetaria village. Parked the bike there and walked up to Cheo on the fair-weather motorable road. Even then, they found it very tiring! I told them they made the trip in relative comfort. Most volunteers walk all the way to Cheo from Roldih and come back the same way. All three were quite impressed by the fact that Dakshinayan has a presence in such a remote place. And they find it amazing that I did actually live and work in Cheo for so many years. And actually, when I look back I realize that the amount of work I've done in Cheo was a lot more than I've done in Paharpur and Roldih combined. I'm now old and tired.

When I was in Cheo I was young and "driven". I walked to every village in the hills. Entered every home. Opened schools (which the villagers built) in 10 village and trained as many teacher-activists who would hold classes at night. Initially I had to go with them to these villages because they were afraid of ghosts. So I'd take the team and go from village to village dropping them off and coming back alone through the dense vegetation (all gone now) terrified of being attacked by a bear or bitten by a snake. When I look back, I can't believe I did all this.

I can't believe that I had to hitch-hike from Godda to Sunder Pahari. Then either walk or borrow a bicycle and get to Chandna. There I'd buy food (rice, dal and pototoes) and trek up to Cheo. I can't believe that in order to keep the team on their collective toes, I'd often go away in the morning and climb back up the hill at noon during summer months. They wouldn't expect me to be back before sundown because of the heat! The expression of shock and awe on their faces was worth the climb!

In the beginning they'd all goof-off the minute I was gone. But after a few of these "surprise returns" they didn't dare goof-off! I was nicknamed "khepa-Siddu"-- mad Siddu (a local hero and legend). Then grudgingly the nickname changed to "bedo-mala" -- the "big man". At 5' 10" I used to tower over everyone in the region where the average height was 5 feet nothing! And the area was so isolated that no outsider used to dare go there.

I don't go to Cheo any more. Partly because of what happened in Paharpur. And mostly because I can't bear to see the changes. All but a few of the gigantic jackfruit and mango trees have gone. The hills are bare and in and around Cheo the few remaining trees will live as long as I do. They "belong" to me. The day I die, they die too. No one dares touch the simul, kathal and mahua trees that surround the project. I "bought" them years ago. I can't even remember when and for how much! They dare not touch them because they still remember I tied up half a dozen woodcutters from the plains to the trees they can come to chop down! I don't have the courage nor the energy to do that any more. But they don't know that!

There weren't many children at Cheo school today. Ramnath told the team that most had gone to Church. The remaining few were busy fetching water from Telo to clean the project. Ramnath and Chandrama were busy sand-papering the doors and windows and preparing to paint them. The paint is still lying in Roldih. The group forgot to take it. I guess Chandrama or Ramnath will have to come down for it. Bhola estimates that they will require more than the 4 litres that we have brought. I guess we will get more if they need it.

While Sharad and company were gone. Bansi and I set up one of the solar panels on the school roof. I also re-arranged my room. It's quite hot indoors. But it's nice and pleasant outside. There's a nice breeze blowing and it's cool. In a few days this breeze will become hot and dry. I'm praying it will last a few days longer.

I did not get too many responses to yesterday's blog. But I have finally decided that the project will remain vegetarian. Those who wish to eat meat are most welcome to go wherever they like and eat it. We won't cook it on the project. It's the best solution.