With the Kids of Kojawada

Yesterday after meeting a SHG, we went out for a walk in other part of the Kojawada Village. It is mainly resided by Patels, an upper caste in the area. 

We got some small kids along to show around the village. They started introducing us as their school teacher to people in the village who were curious to know that who are these 4 girls roaming around in their territory. Unlike Pareda, which has only mud houses, People in this village were bit well off socially and financially. There were some concrete houses, electricity connection and other facilities. There was Kirana stores, one milk collecting dairy, schools, temples and other things.

 These small kids were really entertaining. They explained so innocently about the feuds about the temple we went to. How some people took away 7 lakh rupees from Temple's account and how those people are banned to enter temple now. I loved it the way when they were  hanging on the tree and swinging their body. They told us ghosts stories.

 This was a Hanuman temple. Girls do not enter it. They told it is not good for girls to enter it as something goes wrong if done so. The small kids talked about ghosts and ill spirits.

 One thing I was bugged by was  the health of these kids. These  3 are in 7th standard, but hardly looks . Their height, weight do not match their age. They looked far smaller than a 12-13 year kid. I was wondering if something could be done about these kids. 

The things, which city people always take for granted, are not so usual. There is a life without most of those privileges that we are taught to be as our fundamental rights.

From Kojawada Village of Udaipur,

Nidhi Bansal