Sarab Talla Visit #3 - village issues - documentary

(Grandma making puree's)

This weekend, Meenu and I went to my activity week village Sarab Talla for my third time. Meenu's grandparents came from a village and her parents' generation branched out; Meenu is the quad librarian. Anyhow, we stayed at Grandpa's house and had some really good chats with Grandma, Rita, Rina, Nagendra, and his wife. Grandpa was away on family obligations, since the village started their Diwali this weekend, a break from farming and a time for relaxation, visiting family, having marriages, etc.

(Meenu and family in the kitchen)

(Rita, Grandma, me, and Nagendra's wife)

Sanjeev and his cousin joined us. Why does Sanjeev keep joining us on these trips? It's because he is an activist in his own right, trying to bridge the gap between village life and the urbanizing world. He is the main link between the local villages and Woodstock, and like I said before, organized Activity Week for the grade 9 students. Sanjeev was part of an organization called SIDH (Society for Integrated Development of Himalayas) for 11.5 years, but had to branch out on his own to seek a higher income for his joint family (all generations) at the village. His home and heart will always be at Khaas Kudoan.

(cousin and Sanjeev)

There is a crisis. Why would a person want to stay in the village? Can a person stay in the village? What are a person's choices? Issues include: types and equality of education, influence of media, deforestation, global warming vs. traditional farming practices, health care (or lack of), caste system, water supply, need for money, gender equality, temptation of the city, etc.

I'm trying to make a documentary, to begin shooting in Jan/Feb 2008. It was supposed to be about the women of Sarab Talla and women's rights, because Grandpa had been so adamant about equality and using media to enact change. However, after repeated visits to three villages and talking with Grandpa's family this weekend, Meenu and I realized that the bigger story is about the survival of the village. I have a team of 15 hindi-speaking, female, high school students, and 5 teachers ready to make the production. Sanjeev is onboard too! In the next few weeks, I might put up some kind of a fundraising link for this project. The equipment is really expensive.

(at the family's extra house where they have oxen)


(Diwali cricket game in progress -- 10 different villages joining.

This is where we camped during Activity Week)

Well, my camera has officially died. These pictures were taken with a Hanifl Center camera. Hanifl Center is our building for environmental and outdoor education, it's so cool.

Why am I so interested in this project? Why am I so passionate about it? 1) I love the villages. The trust, warmth, and welcoming that they share is so awesome. They are the true sense of independent, but at the same time, constrained by the outside world. I feel that loyalty and integrity are so important. 2) I love nature. The villagers have a direct relationship with the trees, the seasons, the earth, water, and fire. I want to keep learning about their wisdom and knowledge. 3) Take a look below. This is a picture of a picture -- of my grandparents' old village house in China, directly in front of the skyscrapers that are about to replace it (summer 2006). I hate cement!