Preparing this report is to provide a broad picture about “Gangigati” village of kalghatgi taluk. This village chosen by “Deshpande foundation” as a part of the fellowship programme, to understand the actual rural life by staying in the village for few days.
On 21-07-08 I reached Gangigatti village to stay in this village for next 3 days to understand and observe socio-economic status. During 3 days I met with old people, self help group members, villagers, farmers, backward area people, officials to know about village background and their economic status of family. To get the total picture it was necessary to cover other things as well by informal discussions with them. Though the central focus is to capture the total picture of the family as well as village physical condition briefly. Meeting with some persons in their houses always caused some interest in the neighborhoods and in children. They expressed their curiosity to know about me. The accommodation that was made available to me in the village. In order to get the However I have some experience while conversation with the people. For instance, this enabled to me to observe things and learning. In other words by village stay we can stay rapport with some of villagers and only a small part of data produced may be used for introduction of that particular village.
Gangigatti village belongs to Kalghatgi taluk of dharwad dist, is located 12 kms. Away from taluk place. This village has 1448.80 ha of geographical area. Paddy, soya bean, maize, red gram, sugarcane are the main crops and sesame, nicer and castor are the fencing crops. When I was walking in the village streets, at one place, a man is working for preserving the grains. I surprised to see that and increased curiosity to know about that technology.
So, I had started conversation with that old man. He also explained the preserving method and precautions. They are using another method for preserving paddy.
I want to know the sources of livelihoods of the families. I interacted with a woman headed family. It is a landless family. During conversation I exited because she has different sources of livelihood varies from seasons. In summer, she is making leaf plates, in rain season she works as an agri labor. Only these two sources could not survive her family. So she will migrate to cities for 3 months in a year. She recalled starvation days at a point of time. Finally she shared with me that their children are missing from education because of her low income. She makes involve them in the work of livelihood. Later I visited 5 more families.I learned in rural area people will give the first preference which uplifts their economic condition.
I requested her “shall I see your kitchen”. It is an old house. She felt happy and invited me in kitchen. The walls turned in black because of smoke in the kitchen and there is no ventilation. I surprised how these are cooking in like this type house. What will happen to their health? By seeing this situation of her family, I surprised how she is struggling to lead life. Some other families also like this situation. When I was came out of her kitchen outside neighborhood gathered and watching me. Among them one woman questioned me from which dept you are coming? Is there any scheme? If you have any scheme please include other families also because we are backward families. Whenever they saw a new person in the village they query about that person why he came for? And other questions regarding personal particularly about caste.
In the afternoon I visited some fields to know the soil and agriculture pattern of this village. The soil is red sand soil with lot of clay also with black patches. BIRD-K(sister concern of BAIF) an NGO made a good impact in this village. They fallowed the method of tree based farming system. I visited one such tree based farming model in the field and took photo graph. One farmer who is just aside us is watching us. After some time he came to us and take his field photo graph. I shocked and asked him why? He told that I came from Govt. dept which is planning to give something to the farmers who had crop loss. My crop has been losing. If you have planned to help, please include my name. Surprising left up to me. I realized how schemes are making people charity. This village has 8 natural tanks among them 5 tanks are useful for irrigation. In the evening I met with 3 old people to know the history of the village and about the tanks. One old man is about 82 years, told that this village Gangigatti name coined by one prophet 3 centuries ago. Very interesting is most of the villages have the history behind that name. I met with another old man, is about 83 years he explored about the back ground of hirekere. It was built at the time of british ruling and it took 4 months for making tank. This tank is the main water source for the village and irrigating 350 ac . Of land.
One fine morning I faced problem of bathing. Because in their house women are more. For that she felt difficult to say to me. I feel a moment very bad. Then I decide to take bath in the village pond.
Infrastructure: the village has good basic infrastructures like power supply, sanitation and linked with 6 surrounding villages by good thar roads having good bus facilities from Hubli and Kalghatgi. For financial purpose has vijaya bank. Had education facilities like 5 pre education centers and one higher primary high school and one ladies hostel. I found that pre education centers are the source of place which can have some data about population, education, health, nutritional status of children, women health status data.
Sources of livelihood: most of the families depend upon agriculture and agri laboring, trading , family specific activities like black smith, welding, carpentry, some of the families selected as part time livelihood sources are involved in leaf making, bangle selling, cosmetics selling etc.. Mostly females are involving in the activities. In this village a milk producer’s co-operative produces 350 liters/day. Considerable families are working in the brick industries and the brick industries are the main economic source in the summer.
Status of women: There are many biases against woman which decides their lives by the society. Education in not necessary beyond primary or secondary education to the girls and that can be even neglected. Kitchens seem to be neglected most of the houses without ventilation and kitchen never has decent flooring. Obviously women have drudgery which affects their health. In this regard BIRD-K worked for reduction of drudgery by establishing smokeless chullahs. Those who had taken up this activity seem good ventilation and clean. Now it is not difficult to cook in the kitchen with less fuel wood. Some of the families aware of using gobargas units. Absence of latrine made women go for open defecation at the road sides. Now BIRD-K established the toilets. Even some of the families they have tendency to go outside. Even bathroom are very rear in this area.
Women need to work in different fields like agriculture, rearing livestock, cleaning the house, utensils, cooking made them spending most of time. Totally 11 women self help groups are functioning. These groups made big change in women lives socially as well as economically. I personally interacted with them in the self help groups. The groups involved in savings, credits and other cultural activities. There are very few women who are considered as earning members of the families. Such few women are involved in vegetable trading, petty business and curd selling. Chewing of tobacco is found common both by men and women in this village.
Brick industries are the main income source in the summer. The system of top soil selling has been existing in the village,@Rs.1600/ gunta. (The calculation is 100 guntas/Hactare). I surprised how the farmers are selling the land. The people used to stay in different parts of village on community and cast based settlements.
When I was in the village, I believe that I was playing the role of an observer. I focused on the social status of the village rather than collecting data. In the village, I met with officials, villagers, community groups, women, and gram panchayat officials. Overall, BIRD-K has made tremendous economic changes for some families, in agriculture, for people’s organizations, and in livelihood sources. In brief, the village stay provides a reflection of our thoughts, even when what we think about villages is totally different than our perspective. I have deliberately retained the script; some passages in it could be shortened, omitted or revised by what I got in this two and half days village stay. It has given many experiences, which I will remember forever.
