Day 4: Village Life in Rural India

On our fourth day in India we took a two and a half hour bus ride in search for a village where a group of weavers contracted by the Jaipur Rugs Company reside. From our hotel in the heart of Jaipur, armed with cameras, bottles of water, scarves for protection against the elements, and loads of sense of humor, we headed northeast to visit Narhed, a small village community in rural Rajasthan. The primary objective of the trip was to see sustainability impacts of the company's business model especially in the lives of women weavers in the countryside. Significant impacts were indeed observable and I commend Jaipur Rugs for embodying social responsibility in its organizational framework. But what left lasting impression on me was the vibrant colors of the Indian countryside and the loveliness of its rural dwellers, their sense of contentment and the glistening smiles in their eyes.

A view of a lonely country road from our moving bus.

So off we went, stopping on various points of interest along the way including a small marketplace several miles off the main highway. There we picked a man to help clear the road for us as we tread deeper into the heart of rural India where roads are narrower and rougher. The bus had to stop from time to time to wait for the road to be cleared of rocks. Finally, the road ended and branched into tiny streets that could only be entered with single motorbikes, carts, or by foot. It was a hot day but parts of the streets were muddy and we had to be careful where to pass in order not to dirty our shoes. It must have rained the previous day.

A residential complex with large courtyard for animals to sleep and children to play. 

The water buffalo relaxes under a shade while the other animals enjoy lunch.

The residential structures in the village of Narhed are varied in size, materials, and design. Some houses are large and made of bricks and mud with good size courtyards for animals to stay and children to play. While some houses resemble that of a makeshift hut with mud walls and thatched roofing. Most houses regardless of size are well-ventilated and with decorated facade. I don't know about the economic dynamics in the village but looking at the residences, one may see that life in the village is not created equal for everybody. To add to this, one may observe that some have large irrigated farmlands and herd of cattle that supply milk; while others who aren't lucky enough to acquire such property have to seek employment or learn a trade. Most of the inhabitants of this village belong to the latter. Agriculturally landless, they have to work as hired laborers to those with land, an unstable source of income as farming is seasonal, or learn a sustainable skill that could support the family year-round. In this village many learn the art of weaving, a two-thousand year-old cottage industry that supplies quality hand-woven rugs to luxury homes worldwide. Jaipur Rugs Company has several looms in Narhed that continuously run year round, providing employment opportunities to agriculturally-disadvantaged villagers. These weavers are fairly remunerated and given various opportunities to mobilize themselves upward socially and economically.        

A smiling woman welcomes us to the village and pictured at the right 
are two ladies hard at work in the fields under the noonday sun.

   
A big brother happy to look after his younger sibling. Pictured on the right is a
 weaver looking through an unfinished carpet while taking a break 
from work to smile for the camera.

 

A young weaver happy at work and a curious woman 

carrying a  jar (probably containing lunch) checking out 

newcomers to the village.

Reflection: Though I hail from a third world country like the Philippines, I have very little exposure to rural life and this type of lifestyle always fascinates me. I was curious to see how people close to the earth live and how they manage their day to day affair. This fascination on rural living also stems from my belief that simplifying our lives, trimming down complications and going back to the basics, is one of the keys to happiness. The trip to the village confirmed this to me and strengthened the truthfulness of the adage that the best things in life are free. We need very little material goods this world has to offer in order to be happy, as proven by the smiles glistening in the eyes of the village folks especially the children.

School children smiling and waving for the camera.