The village school

Towns, cities and villages in Uttar Pradesh have many things in common - large human populations, poor sewage, and garbage everywhere. One other thing is the presence of schools. Children going to school - be it in a small group on a dusty village road (top), or in droves on a newly-metalled main road (bottom) - is fortunately a common sight each morning.

However, not all schools have good facilities (middle two photos). Children crowd into one room jostling for space on the few benches, or huddle up in small groups - each group being a different age group. A very small number of teachers move among these groups handing out assignments.

Some people think these photos are rustic. I think some of these are pathetic! Though the number of schools is gratifying, the apparent lack of basic facilities in most is deeply distressing. How can we talk about wildlife conservation to these children whose future may already be compromised by lack of good education?

Bamboo flag mania

Each Mar/ Apr - and as other occasions demand - villagers in western Uttar Pradesh carry out what I term the bamboo-flag mania. Entire villages scour their area for the tallest standing bamboo, cut it down, festoon the thin end with art paper, and a prominent flag. This is then transported amid much fanfare and music - on a tractor or on foot - to a diety deemed holy by the village. The young uns hoist the bamboo pole as the priests hum and haw, sprinkle holy water, and provide a holy snack. Everyone returns home feeling really good! The reason for the event is to pay obeisance to the diety to thank Her/ Him for a good year, and/ or request for a good one. The stack of bamboo "grows" into a mini forest quite rapidly. In the good-old village tradition of "re-use when possible", children come by each evening to strip the bamboos of their decorations, which are sold off in a nearby market, and the bamboos are taken home for a variety of uses. In some areas, where people are more fervent, bamboo is very rare. I wonder how old this practice is. (Photograph date: Apr 5, 2009; Mainpuri district)

High-tech tilling

The bond between machine and man takes on novel shades in Uttar Pradesh. Young and old alike participate in weighing down a plank of wood dragged by a tractor to cover up soil after seeds have been broadcasted by hand in a field. Apparently injuries are very few. (Photograph date: Nov 20, 2008)