Its rather strange that I am posting this personal post on arbitSpecs today.
I’ll tell you why. My village, Nandan Bigha can be any other village of rural India. It has no unique personality of its own. Or, if you allow me the liberty to say this, it enjoys the personality of every typical small village of the rural India.
And hence, I wanted to display a rural side of India. Much beautiful than the urban one, to say the least.
This is gonna be a photoblog, thanks to my Sony H Series DSI camera, and I will try to show you my village through my eyes. (Or my camera’s. :D)
Nandan Bigha, is a sleeping village; like any other village of Bihar, the people have lost interest in agriculture. Well, most of them. I was taken aback to know that there is no farmer in the village from my father’s generation, let alone mine!
But the village is not dead yet. My grandfather’s smaller brother lives with his wife. And so do other grandfathers of the village and their wives. They have been farmers throughout their lives and they would never even think of leaving it. The village has a small school where some children of the extremely poor villagers study. They would be here till their fathers earned enough money to call them in Patna and get them admitted in better schools or colleges.
The Village School.
There used to be a small library in the village. But now it has been converted into ‘Anganbari’… the tot lot. Notice the dilapidated condition of the structure. I wonder how it is still erect. And functional.
We the inhabitants have moved on. To cities. To malls. To multiplexes. We have left our village, the soil that nurtured our ancestors during the times they needed it the most.
Progress. From villages to cities. From darkness to light?
I try, but can not take yes as an answer.
However, Nature, as I could unmistakably notice, has bestowed Nandan Bigha every bliss it ever needed. See it through the lens’s eyes yourself.
My grandfather’s Sugarcane field.
The Neem tree with its bittersweet fruits.
The Oxen.
The well in the compound.
Bricks and Greens.
My Grandfather’s Spirit.
The road and the tree.
Peace.
My village trip made me contemplate about what I am doing to my heritage. And what we are doing to ours. Acres and acres of fertile lands go on being barren while the labourers go to cities like mumbai and delhi where they are insulted and thrown outside by people like the MNS.
Why don’t we take this insult as a challenge. why don’t our laborers come back to their lands and grow. Grow happiness. And slap this agricultural happiness and satisfaction hard on the face of the people of the likes of MNS?
A very strange thought came to me. How about myself settling down to such a job that I operate on a laptop over internet from my village only, trading across the world by sitting close to the oxen. Can it be done?
I try but I can not take no as an answer.
Anyways, I also took some random pics of the household as well as the outside. See, and comment.
The Wall.
Grey silence.
(And this one is for my architecture fellows…) and the brick says, “I want to be an arch.”
Old, consumed, tired and lonesome.
“Will come back ultimately.”
Lastly, my own pic in my own land. I normally don’t post my own pic on this blog (anymore). But this pic ought to be here.
I like it and I want to share it with all my loved ones.
Folks, This, is my place, and here I stand, close to my roots.
Alok K.
July 11, 2010.
I’ll tell you why. My village, Nandan Bigha can be any other village of rural India. It has no unique personality of its own. Or, if you allow me the liberty to say this, it enjoys the personality of every typical small village of the rural India.
And hence, I wanted to display a rural side of India. Much beautiful than the urban one, to say the least.
This is gonna be a photoblog, thanks to my Sony H Series DSI camera, and I will try to show you my village through my eyes. (Or my camera’s. :D)
Nandan Bigha, is a sleeping village; like any other village of Bihar, the people have lost interest in agriculture. Well, most of them. I was taken aback to know that there is no farmer in the village from my father’s generation, let alone mine!
But the village is not dead yet. My grandfather’s smaller brother lives with his wife. And so do other grandfathers of the village and their wives. They have been farmers throughout their lives and they would never even think of leaving it. The village has a small school where some children of the extremely poor villagers study. They would be here till their fathers earned enough money to call them in Patna and get them admitted in better schools or colleges.
The Village School.There used to be a small library in the village. But now it has been converted into ‘Anganbari’… the tot lot. Notice the dilapidated condition of the structure. I wonder how it is still erect. And functional.
We the inhabitants have moved on. To cities. To malls. To multiplexes. We have left our village, the soil that nurtured our ancestors during the times they needed it the most.
Progress. From villages to cities. From darkness to light?
I try, but can not take yes as an answer.
However, Nature, as I could unmistakably notice, has bestowed Nandan Bigha every bliss it ever needed. See it through the lens’s eyes yourself.
My grandfather’s Sugarcane field.
The Neem tree with its bittersweet fruits.
The Oxen.
The well in the compound.
Bricks and Greens.
My Grandfather’s Spirit.
The road and the tree.
Peace.My village trip made me contemplate about what I am doing to my heritage. And what we are doing to ours. Acres and acres of fertile lands go on being barren while the labourers go to cities like mumbai and delhi where they are insulted and thrown outside by people like the MNS.
Why don’t we take this insult as a challenge. why don’t our laborers come back to their lands and grow. Grow happiness. And slap this agricultural happiness and satisfaction hard on the face of the people of the likes of MNS?
A very strange thought came to me. How about myself settling down to such a job that I operate on a laptop over internet from my village only, trading across the world by sitting close to the oxen. Can it be done?
I try but I can not take no as an answer.
Anyways, I also took some random pics of the household as well as the outside. See, and comment.
The Wall.
Grey silence.
(And this one is for my architecture fellows…) and the brick says, “I want to be an arch.” Old, consumed, tired and lonesome.
“Will come back ultimately.”
Lastly, my own pic in my own land. I normally don’t post my own pic on this blog (anymore). But this pic ought to be here.
I like it and I want to share it with all my loved ones.
Folks, This, is my place, and here I stand, close to my roots.
Alok K.
July 11, 2010.
12 Comments:
Beautiful, that was the first word that came into my mind. After a really long time I got see so many green things, though only photos, but yes, it's nice to see that light green fresh leaves and white colored pure atmosphere really exists a few kilometers away from my place; thanks to you.
And your photography skills are awesome.
First Scroll and i wanted to yell
"THIS IS INDIAAAAA...."
Awesum lens work :-D
Deja Vu .. I guess its not new for a person to find his own village in some other village. Beautiful. Wish I had a cam when i went to mine. Nice sharing.
Some of the photographs \m/
:) Thanks all for appreciating.
@Mohi... even I got to see this much greenery after a long long time.:)
@Pranav...Yes Man, this is India, and this is Bihar. Yo! :)
@Anvesh... Agreed man. I was sick of trying to find my village in other places; and that's why I went to mine. :D And I know you mean it when you say you regret not taking ur cam when u went to yours... I know your photography skills, dude. :)
Next time when you go, don't forget ur cam.
Thanks for sharing man. Totally loved it. Amazing photography, and a beautiful thought.
In fact, when I read the line about settling down in the village and operating from there, I could not help but remember my own such musings each time I go to a beautiful hill station.
I might not really like Gandhi, but what he said about happiness being dependent on what you do, and how simple your life is, rather than on how much money you have, always touches my heart. I am sure the villagers in this part of India are as happy, or likely even happier, than CEOs of multinational corporations earning hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. In fact, the tranquil of life in Kharagpur, as placid as it is during vacations, is something I'm going to miss somewhat when the semester starts, and a lot when I am no longer in this place.
"Happiness is dependent on what you do, and how simple your life is, rather than on how much money you have." Indeed this feeling can only be felt. and its great that you felt it too.
@ Rahul...Thanks for such a beautiful and insightful comment. And yes, Kharagpur looks a lot better nowadays. :)
the desaturated pics....awesum...can relate to ur village thru those pics bttr....
amongst the top lot...I like 2 of them ..the opening pic(grass in macro mode)..& the sugarcane field....
Arch vaala caption is the best.. dood... inspiring caption for 1 one of ma pics...others could have been a bit less generic or wat would u call, less obvious....
Somewat it seems..that u hav given all ur soul to the desaturated ones...so the top lot seems a bit neglected....
& ya ur internet idea...reminds me of ur ringtone...gotcha !
wd luv to visit ur place...gud work...wud like to see more of them !
If you care for an excursion, take a train down to Bishnupur. Its not very far from here; just about two hours. Its a village with lots of medieval temples. More than the temples, though, you will be touched by the poverty, as well as the selfless helpfulness, of the people.
@ Anonymous...
:) You seem to know me really well. And still chose to be anonymous. That makes me wonder. What makes you think that I cudn't recognize u... :D
Anyways, thanks dude for appreciating the pics.
They say you have to have bad ones to appreciate the good ones better.
My personal fav? The Wall. :)
n yes. Swadesh is a heck of a movie. It inspires.
@ Rahul. Yes, I have heard bout Bishnupur too. (From where, I don't remember...)
I am waiting for the CAT to get over, and then I will roam. Roam around to my heart's content, wid my cam...
Btw, I am thinking about choosing the subject of my thesis set in a rural background. Let's see...
Same thought came in my mind when i visited my village which is noway different from yours.
but how long this will persist........
hard truth presented with awesome photography ..
it stirred my emotions ..
Thanks
@ Gaurav... Stirring somebody's emotions is the toughest job. Great to know that my photography was able to do that.
Thanks for the comment and the appreciation.
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