Sometimes adversity is good!

It is often seen that adversity brings people together – sometimes even the staunchest of enemies. In this village in Bundelkhand, which is probably facing the worst drought in the country, the crisis has managed to blur lines of caste.

Given the complete lack of water in the region, thanks to the NGO, Parmarth Samaj Sevi, the setting up a community kitchen has brought together the brahmins, Ahirs, Adivasis – all cook and eat together.

What happens is that these 18 villages in the Lalitpur district have formed small self-help groups and the most needy are fed. After drawing up a list of supplies, it is purchased in bulk from Talbheat, the nearest nagar Panchayat city. Then women from all parts of the village, old and young, gather at a square and cut vegetables and knead dough. As they chat away, water worries recede temporarily. They cook and feed those in dire straits.

The langars at Punjabi Gurudwara's and many temples across India, already do feed the poor and needy. But this is a great coming toegther of villagers, leaving beind all diffrences, bound by only the need to placate hunger.

After 13 droughts in the last 15 years, crops have repeatedly failed in Bundelkhand, causing acute food scarcity. Driven by hunger and thirst, many have chosen to flee the region. An estimated 9.8 crore people are affected by the water crisis in Bundelkhand and migration has increased by 65 per cent in the last few years.