Visit to a Kutch village
Cylindrical houses with roof made of wild grass is typical of a Kutch house. Women kept their small dwellings clean despite the desert being dusty and facing acute water shortage. One can find a hundred pots in their homes to collect water to get through the dry and tough summer months. For those of us used to running water in taps, air-conditioned homes, microwaves and refrigerators, unlimited Entertainment, hospitals, malls and coffee shops, Kutch life can be a boot camp. Satisfying their basic every day needs (food, water, electricity to light home and run a fan) is living life luxuriously.
Beauty and creativity showcased with pride
Kutch women wear three piece clothing and also keep their heads covered to prevent their brains from getting fried. The front piece of their clothing is beautifully embroidered with bright colours and mirrors embedded into simple designs. they compliment this with big nose rings and bangles that go till their shoulder. lack of fashion education or lack of beauty parlours and urban life hasn't robbed them of an opportunity to showcase their beauty and creativity with pride. It is a feat to watch a decked up kutchi women.
Ever changing ground under the feet
Once the monsoon rains arrive the parched desert is inundated with water and the high tide also brings in salt water inland. Over the next few months the salt water evaporates leaving behind white salt deposits that shines beautifully against moon light. To ride the salt desert on a full moon night can be fun and the ambassador of the desert aka the ship of the desert, the camel, ferries a cart load of lazy and curious people along the salt desert giving them a joy ride.
Indo-Pakistan rekha
A four hour ride from Dhordo via Khavda takes you to the Indo- Pakistan border. Beyond Khavda only Indian nationals are allowed and mobile phones, radios, cameras and other electronics need to be surrendered with the military. One needs to get permission in advance to go there and the bumpy and deserted road can tire you out easily. But all that changes when you arrive at the border.
While explaining about the border the jawan shared some interesting information.
1. Only a portion of the border with Pakistan is fenced while remaining is WIP
2. 150m land beyond the barbed fence brings you to the "no man’s land" and there is similarly a 150m buffer land on the Pakistani side before you hit their fence. But Pakistan has not bothered to fence their border with India.
3. Two layers of barbed fences guard the Indian boundary and they are electrified from sunset to sunrise.
4. Surveillance cameras and alarm systems also help the officers to guard the longest and the most unsafe border we share with one of our dangerous neighbour.
5. Twice a day officers travel by trucks in the 150m region beyond the fence to examine any activity on the border.
6. Government spends rs 10,000 to get a tanker of water from Khavda (60 Kms away) and it was impossible for any civilians to exist here.
Life on the front line
While at the border, I decided to strike a conversation with a jawan whose name tag read "T. Sankaran". It is a common Tamilian name and the very moment I asked him if he was from Tamilnadu he stood up and greeted me with a wide smile running ear to ear and also offered me a glass of water. How long can a jawan stare at the dry and hot border devoid of greenery and even birds and animal life? When I heard his response to my question on the weather conditions and daily routines, I wanted to post those who complained about their jobs and hated bosses here for a week.
The jawan said the months of May and June were horrible with mercury touching upper forties and the desert wind showering them with mud and also reducing visibility to less than five meters. "Once the monsoon arrives it inundates the desert and turns it into a flood plain and a short walk along the border becomes treacherous", he said. Summer, monsoon or winter all bring them challenges, but their focus is to guard the border.
Saluting the real Barath Ratnas
When i asked about his family he said his eldest was in 10th grade and the Absence of cellphone towers in the vicinity makes it impossible to stay in touch with his wife and children. He needs to find a ride on a military truck to the nearest village to make a call and that is once in ten days. since the culture of writing letters is lost back in the cities he says every news that he hears from his wife and children is music to ears, even if stale and 10 days old. When he said he visits them once in 2 years and this was his 18th year in service guarding various borders of India, I admired his courage and commitment to protect the citizens of the nation though he was absent for his wife and family.
After hearing the sacrifice and hardship they had to go through to guard the border, I stood up in respect and awe. Do they guard the border for the peanuts Government of India pays? Do they complain about bad meals and weather conditions and no yearly raises? Aren't these the real Barath Ratnas? Don't confuse these with those who try to lobby for their Barath Ratnas in New Delhi. These are indeed the real ones.
Introspection before Feedback
That night comfortably lying on the bed and tucked between layers of wool in my tent, I replayed the cribs from my fellow riders during the visit to the border. Bathing in lukewarm water, having no television in the tents, and walking 500m to the dining hall seemed so frivolous and inconsequential compared what our jawans had to endure. In the meantime I heard a voice from outside my tent asking if he can come in to hand over the feedback form. He promised to come back and collect it the following morning.
What feedback do I write about a Government that empowers youth, conducts Rann Utsav for the 7th consecutive year, turns a fallow desert land into a three star facility for 45 days, creates temporary jobs opportunities for local people, and also an opportunity for travellers like me to understand the life of people in Kutch and sacrifices made by our jawans guarding the national borders. Next time when you plan a vacation with your children or friends, think of the Rann of Kutch and the Rann Utsav festival held in December/January.
On the hindsight, why doesn't India make it mandatory for all the students to serve in the army for a year or two before they can take up jobs? Wouldn't that bring about appreciation for soldiers, commitment to their jobs and nation, bring about discipline to their lives and turn the entitlement generation into responsible citizens capable of cleaning up their country and guarding them against corrupt Netas? Let’s realize we have duty to deliver towards this nation though we may not be on the front line.
Here is the link to the pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/108289564546757100555/KutchTripDec2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCLaQwqD6vtjAhwE
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