The Vikatan Reporter.

26 December 2016 at 18:42 ·

A young lady has called me up and said she wished to interview me for a magazine. My impulse was to brush it aside, but anyway I let it be. She came today, and we had a nice chat. I requested her to table the village only, and that people like me were just so incidental and small that it should not matter. She understood that, and I was glad.

 I explained the livlihood crises, and the water crises. And the essential richness of a village, its culture, its generosity, its rootedness. I told her that unless both are seen, the point is lost. She was young but smart. She understood. She agreed, and said that ignorant people call villages 'pattikadu' ('backward places'), and that is what we also need to counter by showing the strengths of a village.  

She asked me what all 'successes' we had over 20 years. I honestly said none. When the water table in 20 years falls from 200 feet to 1000 feet, and agriculture halts, it is only a giant failure that stares us all in our faces.

We can claim our small steps in helping some children through school and college, establishing ayurveda, working on livlihoods and water harvesting. But if looks at the overall picture, our village and every village has lost vast ground, as betwen climate change and a disappearing water table they are cornered. Totally.

I told her that vast policy interventions were in order to protect village livlihoods. That is the first and last need today.

She asked me what the main problem in the villages was. I asked this to Varalu who had come from the village. She said 'panilu' (work). Livlihoods. Vanishing livlihoods.

The reporter asked 'Caste' ? I asked Varalu. She asked what I meant, and I explained 'kulam', 'She wants to know if the farmers oppress the Malas (SC)'. She laughed, 'Adu aa kaalam lo' ('That was in those times'). Now the SCs take no nonsense.

And the rural economy breakdown has finished both labourer and landowner today. And in a ironic way, levelled.

The reporter asked 'Patriarchy ?'. I asked Varalu, 'Do the men oppress the women.' She said 'Hee-hee'. The women in our village shout back as loudly as anyone.'

Yes, drinking exists, and that destroys families, but that is another story.

I told the reporter that academics and activists sitting in ivory insitutes spin many theories. And requested her to believe those only if the esteemed academic has spent five years living with and in the community he/she speaks of.

That Varalu is clear that livlihoods is what needs to be addressed, and that Caste and Patriarchy they will handle.

The reporter asked me what I thought our daughter had gained from growing up in an SC village.

I did not need to think. To her Varalu is Varalu akka, Eashwaramma is Eshwara pedamma. All respected and loved and valued elders. And Kavya and Sasi and Rohit wonderful playmates and friends and confidantes. Through life when she meet poorer people, they will never be someone to be condescended to, or pitied, but wise people, wonderful people, who have been wronged in a society that celebrates wealth and permits disparities.

This is the most valuable inheritence i can give. Apart from that sweeping the home daily, washing dishes without expecting a poorer person to do so for her, is a learning which can only be had by doing through growing years.

The reporter in the middle of our chat reminded me that the photographer was coming. Catching the hint, I washed my face, put on the kumkum, and changed into an uncrumpled saree. She was surprised to see me ready in 3 minutes.

The photographer came and looked at me, and suggested to do a facewash. Maybe that meant powder and lipstick, neither of which I have ever possessed. I firmly told him that this was how my face was. And that it was well washed. And I made him some tea.