(2)
My village lifestyle
What
was the rural lifestyle in which I was grown up? It would be interesting to
recall, particularly in modern era. It was between 1940 and 1955.
There
was no electricity in our village, almost all the villages. I graduated by
reading under dim light of kerosene lamps at nights and in daylight. As there
was no electricity, the domestic appliances were out of question. The house was
made of tiled roof on wooden planks. It was a low rise single story house with
adjoining yard, where we carried out work relating to harvesting, keeping
cattle (cow and buffalo for milk and oxen for ploughing fields). The earthen
floor was smoothened with the help of soil and cow-dung. The walls were made of
earth and also plastered with soil and cow-dung. When it rained heavily, the
water percolated into the house from broken roof tiles. Our house was situated
only about 500 meters from the bank of a river. When there was heavy rains, the
flood water spilled breaking river banks and many times our backyard was
getting filled with flood waters. As the residence was on higher levels the
waters never entered the house. Our village was situated only about 10-12 km
from seashore. When there were high tides in the sea, the adjoining river
brought sea water upto our village and the river looked as if it was flooded.
Sometimes the tide water also spilled and the ground on the backside of our
village was flooded with sea water. The advantage of the situation was,
however, felt in summer. We never felt the need of fans even in strong summer,
as the cool westerly breeze was as soothing as air-conditioners.
Winter
was the time when the crops in the fields was ripening, so it was the the
season of harvesting, picking of vegetables and fruits from the fields. This
kept all of us busy. The only means of protection from cold waves was woollen
clothes and fire places. We children quarreled for sitting near fire-stove in
the morning. But for doing homework and reading we also used morning sun-rays,
which were very comforting.
Before
selling the products of the agriculture farm, the requirements for the whole
year, was stored. Some cash crops like cotton, chilies, groundnut, castor etc.
were also grown. Income in the family was only from sale of farm products and
milk - milk preparations, produced. This income was not regular. Farming
depended solely on monsoon rains. There were no facilities for irrigation. The
river flowing near our home and farm, carried salty water after the rainy
season was over, because of the tidal seawater, which flowed from sea back
up-river and in reverse direction as tide receded. Our village was famous for a
special variety of chilies in the district. Some crop of green chilies was sold
for early, but mostly these chilies were allowed to ripen, get red before
plucking. These red chilies were spread in our backyard for drying. It was a
feast for eyes to see vast area covered red with chilies. When they were dry,
they were filled in sacks and sold. Cotton was plucked from cotton shrubs and
was sold for ginning.
Farming
was done with the help of oxen (bullocks), and farm equipments made for use with
bullocks. We used to have two bullocks. Whenever the cow delivered male, we
treated it like prince. When it reached 4-5 years, it was sterilized and
trained for agricultural use. As children, we enjoyed nursing them, like
bathing them at the pond and river, tying colorful belts with bells and ribbons
in its neck etc. In rainy seasons, the animals (cows, buffaloes, oxen) were left
for grazing in open fields. There was danger of poisonous snakes in such field,
more so in wet season. The bells in the neck kept them away, while animals were
grazing. Also when the oxen were running at fast speed, the sweet sound of
bells was like a tune of good music. The special belt prepared with brass bells
tied in it, was the necklace for these creatures. Depending on the size of
bells the sound also differed, so it was easy to identify whose animal was
there.
Bullock-cart
was the general ride for people in the village. For traveling to other villages
(to relatives, friends and for work) we used bullock carts pulled by a pair of
bullocks. I had obtained the skill to drive such bullock carts in early
childhood. I also used to help my father while ploughing the field and other
agricultural work. When I look back to those days, I am convinced that the
bullocks were the best mode of auto-driving in those days. When there was dark
and nothing could be seen, or when we missed our path to the destination, these
bullocks were capable of driving us safe and sure to the destination. The
bullocks never forgot the road, they were driven on once. When people needed to
have long drive at nights, they used to sleep in the carts and the bullocks
kept moving towards the destination. A cart pulled by a pair of bullocks normally could carry up to
5-6 quintals of load or the people, equal to that weight. Sometimes while
joy-riding in such carts, we used to have race with other carts also.
Because
of seasonal income, there were always financial crisis and borrowing during the
other season was almost regular. We always had to compromise on our
requirements, sometimes even basic requirements, even though our requirement
was minimum. I used to have two or three pairs of clothes and a pair of shoes,
generally chappal. New clothes were bought only when absolutely necessary,
mainly during Diwali festivals Ready-made clothes were available only in cities
in very few stores and were costly. So we used to buy cloth and get our clothes
stitched by a tailor in the village.
. It
is obvious that cooking was done on wood fired stoves. There was no standing
kitchen. Mother used to seat beside the stove for cooking and prepare loafs,
rice and other eatables. Like majority in India, as Hindus, we were and are
vegetarians. Meat, fish etc. including eggs were strictly prohibited and never
consumed in our house. We have this practice even today. Ours was traditional
Indian simple food containing boiled rice with pulses’ soup (called ‘dal’) and
seasonal vegetables. Vegetables were generally grown in our farms. We used
flour of coarse grain called ‘juwar’ (millet), for making loaf (roti - bread).
There
were grinding machines, run on oil engines, where we used to crush our wheat,
millets etc. But we also had domestic grinding wheels in our house, which we
used to grind small quantity of pulses etc. Pulse-flour was used for preparing
‘papad’ and some other delicacies. My mother used to grind such things on these
wheels which were round. The lower stone
was fixed in a wooden case. There used to be a hole in the centre, where the
axle was fixed. The upper wheel was mobile. in the centre there was as hole and
small opening. The axle of lower stone would seat in the hole. On upper surface
of the upper wheel, there used to be a small handle fixed. When this handle was
pushed, the wheel moved round, With one hand mother used to push this handle in
round direction and with the other hand, she used to pour a handful of the
pulse (or whatever was to be ground). With 2-3 rounds the pulse would get
crushed and spill into the wooden case
from between the two stones. We were said that, before the mechanical mass
grinding machines come to the village, most of the families used such domestic
grinders. The sound of such domestic wheel is still live in my mind when I
remember those days. I also learned this art of grinding and helped mother
sometimes.
On
special occasions, we also used wheat flour for making bread known as Bhakri or
roti, or fried version known as puri. Milk was normally got from our own cow or
buffalo. On occasions the sweets made from
mik known as ‘Dudhpak’, ‘Basudi’ and from curd known as ‘Shrikhand’ were
prepared and it was always a festive occasion. To add more taste mother also
prepared fried pakodas or bhajia, which is a preparation from gram (chana)
flour paste and slices of potatoes, onions or other vegetables. Such occasions
were, religious festivals (festivals are many in Indian society), events like
marriages and arrival of some important guests.
In
season pickles from mango and other beans were made and stored, to consume
during the year. Our dish was incomplete without pickles and ‘papad’, a special
preparation from flours of pulses. This was also made and stored for the whole
year.
The
main items for food, viz. grains and pulses were grown in our own farms and
were stored to last for the whole year. My father had no fields for rice, which
we used to buy for the whole year. To preserve the grain for the year, the rice
and wheat were cleaned and coated with small quantity of castor oil (which
prevented these grains from rotting). To store ‘juwar’ (millets), we used
mercury mixed with cow-dung, made small cakes and dried. Sometimes while
preparing such cakes, the mercury touched golden rings on the finger and the
ring was immediately breaking into pieces. Some people also mixed dry neem
leaves to preserve the grains.
Milk
produced from cattle was source of additional income and also a part of our
daily meals. Mornings began with tea (Indian tea in which tea leaves are boiled
in water mixed with milk and sugar). Unused milk was used to make curd (yogart)
by fermenting. Within 3-4 days good quantity of curd was gathered. This was
churned in a large earthen pot. After churning good quantity of white butter
was produced, which we used to eat with bread. From such white butter, mother
prepared ‘ghee’ (butter-oil) by boiling the white butter. In Indian tradition
ghee is considered the most nutrient element. Many sweet delicacies are
prepared with ghee as the fixers. Ghee is so much the part of Indian meal, it
is also made from vegetable oils, by dehydrating them. This is a cheaper
alternative and used when the real (pure) ghee is a costlier option in parties,
festivals etc. and also by the people who cannot afford to buy real ghee. Ghee
is also used for lighting lamps in prayers before God.
While
churning the curd, there also remained butter-milk (residual curd diluted in
water known as ‘chhash’). It is also considered healthy drink and is also
tasty. From such butter-milk, mother cooked ‘cari’ or ‘kadhi’ which is also a
very popular variety to be eaten with rice. Butter-milk is popular after-meal
drink in India
even today. To make it tasty, normally little salt and jeera is mixed with it.
When I was child, I used to join father or mother in such churning. Two ropes
were rounded around a broad pole. Beneath it there used to be a wooden churner
dipped into the curd. Two persons held two ends of their respective ropes and
pulled, so that the churner moved round - to and fro which churned the curd.
There
was a garbage pit in the backyard. The cow-dung and other wastes were dumped
into that. After harvesting when the farms were clean such pits were emptied
and the compost fertilizer from such pit was spread into the farms. We hardly
used chemical fertilizers.
Whenever
such churning was done, I used to move around our neighbours inviting them to
collect the butter-milk, if they needed. Such invitations were also
reciprocated when there was churning at neighbours’ places.
For
fire stoves, woods were normally cut and stored from the trees on the border of our farms. The dry shrubs of
the harvested grains also used for burning. We also had practice of preparing
dried cakes of dung mixed with waste in the cattle-yard for burning with woods.
Cooking gas was not available anywhere in those days. Sometimes, however,
kerosene stove was used. Kerosene was basic necessity, because it was the only
means of lighting lamps at night. When I was child kerosene was imported
commodity and even today, major part of our requirement is imported.
Our
village, like most villages, was almost self-dependent. There were skilled
people like carpenters, blacksmith, goldsmiths, barbers, tailors, shoemakers,
oil-extractors, priests residing in the villages. The economic cycle was
wonderful. For example, like others, our male members of family used to get
haircut and shaving, but had nothing to pay. At the time of harvesting the
barber got his cut of grains and other requirements. Similar was the
arrangements for most of other services, for most of the families. Shopkeepers
allowed credits till the harvesting season.
Roads
in our village and to the nearby railway station and other places were uneven
and dusty. During rainy season they used to turn into ankle-deep mud covered
roads. We could not navigate such roads wearing shoes in those days. In other
seasons they were quite dusty and when a bullock cart or cattle or any other
vehicle (rare occasions) passed, a cloud of dust was created.
I have described
the life-style in which I was born and brought up in previous part, so that I
do not have to explain many things, I am going to write hereafter.
