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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.