Yes, this was something I never seen before…. Everything teaches us something new…. And so was this one…. I am a kind of person who loves beauty and I adore it by heart….. Whenever I get a chance to spend some time with nature…. I grab it…. this journey was somehow different….Yup, I was lost in the beauty of hills and greenery of Rajaji National park but apart from that I came across a lifestyle…. Which was new to me….
Where people think before spending 1 rupee…. for whom 100 Rupees means a month’s income….. People who don’t even have fans where I can’t think of being without AC….. Where 95% people are illiterate and children don’t want to study….. Though I have read about such villages in India but this was my first practical experience and am sure this was not the last one…. This will definitely not gonna end here…. It touched me internally….
It was a 5 day trip to Dehradun in which I visited Rasoolpur twice….. Inbetween I also interacted with 7 guys of the same village who are staying in Dehradun for their vocational training… And we played cricket, had conversations…. And of course work…. :D
Dehradun is a beautiful place… Perfect blend of a city life with cool weather…. You won’t feel anything missing… from Barista to Levis…. Everything is there….
After reaching Dehradun I realized that I was not carrying any Indian outfit for village visit…. So I went to the market to buy a suit… but see my hard luck that was election day and entire market was closed then in the evening I luckily got one shop and had to buy whatever I got with very few options.. :(( and only I know how I managed that….. but that was too fun…. :D
In between my trip I touched Massurie too…. I said touched coz I went there for just 2-3 hours… Went there had lunch and came back… Then again work….
But I loved my journey…. Had long drives which I just love like anything…. Drive to massurie in hills, to Rasoolpur through Rajaji National Park….. It was just wonderful….. The beautiful scenic beauty throughout the journey….
I have so much in my mind… but I can say am feeling kinda speechless…. Dunno from where to start…. It was all so perfect….. From morning till evening…. For all 5 days…. I wish to explain every bit of it…. From the very moment I reached there…..
Okey let me try….. It all wanna come out of me…. I reached Dehradun…. It was Election Day… A car was waiting… I went to my hotel…. Refreshed myself and went to the office…. There I discussed the entire project with the head of the organization….. And decided the schedule for the next four days.... And here started my work….
Next day was Rasoolpur visit…. It was a memorable experience……. but somehow it was very disturbing to see people in such condition…. Then came the evening…. I don’t remember much… I guess I went market…. Umm… yeaa I went market…. And had my favorite ‘Hot Chocolate Fudge’ :D…..
Next day was in Dehradun when I interacted with village guys and we played cricket…. Then had meeting in the evening with project officer….. And the day ended…. With of course many other things :D
After that I got one day for making report in which I decided to see Massurie as well… :))
The day was really good and the weather was just awesome…. It rained as well…. :D
And here comes the last day when I had to catch train…. That day I went Rasoolpur again…. Had interaction with people…. Discussed the project going on there…. And rushed back to catch train….
Overall I had a good learning experience…. though it was very painful to see people in such condition…
I remember I asked God before few days… I wanna see people who really need my help…. And I got my Answer………..
You know what God!! You always do this when I ask something you just show me the reality…. which at times hurt me too…. But then…. I love you for that…. Now just show me the path to walk upon…. Just help me to be ‘Human’…...... I just wanna be a human…..
Yup, this time I got time for photography too......
Just clicked :)
I dunno its name.... :)
Hard life.... :(
Plastic is everywhere.... Spoiling environment :(
Meenu(in pink).... people preparing turmeric powder :)
Barren land due to the lack of water..
Women group meeting....
Cattle life ;) 
Rasoolpur Lifestyle.....
Rasoolpur.... An afternoon
Village Cattle
Temple in Rasoolpur
Rasoolpur.... 
Massurie.... A Road through hills :)
Beautiful hills of Massurie
My Cricket team..... Don't ask me the names :P
Dehradun... Rajpur Road Market
Dehradun.... An evening....
People prepare rope from grass for which they are largely dependent upon forests....
48 comments:
pictures and your words tell a sad story of contrast between the rural life in backward villages of India and the modern glittering cities.
It is not just fair.. I am sure you'd be touched internally as even the pictures are capable of doing that let alone a real visit.
I hope that soon, rural India too,is empowered and for that, education is indispensable.Literacy will surely spark other positive outcomes.
As for your photography, it is absolutely awesome.. you seem to have captured varied elements of Rasoolpur in 5-6 pictures :)
It is fun to read about your trips
Cheers,
Sharad
ur description of the beauty of nature is driving me crazy.. it makes me want to leave behind all this btech shit and all and go on a trip, a long trip where i can get closer to nature and have some peace of mind.
abt the pictures, i never imagined there would be places like these.. i have seen such pictures only in movies abt old remote villages that i never thought existed for real. i mean, its not bad or anything but the first three pictures.. its so beautiful to be real.. something Ive only seen in paintings n all..
abt the 5% literary rate, i dont know wat to say.. we still believe we are developing when such villages still remain unaffected by whatever changes that has been going on.
its really nice of you to have atleast thought of helping them
all the best for ur work :-)
Excellent Description Dear :) It really touched......Cant even imagine, how people over there, r managing with a extreme limited facilities.....Well, thanks a lot for sharing ur experience :) While I was reading, it was like a video:)
Feeling like running away to these places.
All The Very Best Success :)
persuasive... would go 4 a village visit myself next time i m at dehradun
btw i suggest forest research insti or rajaji national park 4 u - frm ur writing i think u cud hav caputured the nature in words :)
I love traveling. Beautiful pictures. Seems to be a lovely place. It's sad though how people litter though. but then again, they are illiterate so we can't blame them :)
Amazing blog. Loved your post!
Take care :)
Ya thats what life is all about...experience!!!
The pics were i think awesome..believe me!!! Which are u using???
@Sharad
Thanks.... :)
yup its really sad to see ppl living in such conditions and the worst part they are not ready for change :(
@Amal
he he he... thanks.... don't worry do try this out after your exams :)
This was first time for me... up til now i have just saw pictures and all.... it was really sad...
And literacy rate was just 5% that can be improved but the problem is ppl dnt want to study :(
Thay first need proper counselling....
@Creativity
Thanks.... its no doubt hard to live there.... without water and electricity...
@Smarak
Thanks.... :)
i wouldf love to go for forest management or something adventurous... but now m into MBA... but then too i can go for it :)
Life is all about doing what you really want to do :)
@Cursed
You know wat they need to b blamed at certain point cz they dnt want to develop they are happy with illegal trade and no literacy... Govt is giving them financial aid but they dnt want to utilize it :(
They first need counselling and encouragement....
Thanks for visiting my blog.. m glad that you liked it :)
@Nazish
Yeah its life... but it needs to be improved when it can be....
it was a learning experience...
M using Canon powershot A530... :)
Thanks :D
a travel to the unknown horizons.. pics are interesting.. a bit more care in composition will make it more stunning and expressive
@Sachi
Thanks for ur visit.... i'll keep your suggestion in mind... :)
Truly, life can have a very sad picture and it requires to be in such places to actually realize it. I have had such experiences before more than once (perhaps those were even worse). I had been to a three-day visit to a village for an educational tour (for research purposes that was part of my course) during my Master's. People there lived in extremely miserable conditions.
Later, I had other experiences also. I don't intend to promote my blog (I'm mentioning it because it is somewhat related) ... i have written a post ("Stigmatized and Marginalized") about my experiences of working in a research project in which I had to interview people who are stigmatized and marginalized. Here's the link:
http://lifepsychologyandalotmore.blogspot.com/2008/10/stigmatized-and-marginalized.html
I'm glad that you had such an experience because it will surely change your outlook towards life :) (as you have said yourself that it has touched you internally).
What is good about you is that you enjoy your trip even while you are on duty. If you want to see real India, go to villages. You will be touched.
Nice pics ... really, i didn't even read the full blog ... Will be back soon and will criticize you full on .. dn worry, kidding !!! ;)
Keep happy :)
wonderful sharing Deepika :)
really real and true to life!
:)
@Saif
It was a good experience for sure.. this was my third field work trip but it gave me a complete different picture..
i'll surely check out ur post very soon.. am eager to know about experience.... :)
@Vijay Sir
Yup... i love my work as well.... I would love to learn more in this field as well... And would try to work for this too...
@Sourav
Thanks... Never Mind :P
u missed it :P
@AD
Thanks :)
I shall be visiting my parent's villages soon. Going back to the roots is a touching experience and humbling too. Puts things into perspective. Correctly said ,Mind-boggling is the word :)
With all those awesome snaps and your wonderful description, anyone can really take in the feel! :)
Not every society in the world is living with all extraordinary facilities. But it's great that god still gives happiness to everyone in the same amount.
And I envy you in having a chance to visit such vivid places and refresh your mind! :D
I have lived in dehradun for 4 years and it was one of the better places I have lived in...
There is a big gap between our lives in the urban areas and in the ones of those in the rural parts...
i truly admire wat u do...i wish girls in this country were more like u...standing for what they feel like...n do what they feel like....in front of anyone!
nice posts..great snaps..do let us know ur other adventures in the future.!
Tk care!
Amit
@Brown
Have a great time.. :)
Thanks
@et
Thanks...
he he its about personal choice of work.... And seriously i love it...
Be jealous.... very jealous ;)
@Mukund
true.... its fine place to live...
Yup there is a big difference in rural and urban lifestyle in India.. And the worst part is ppl are not ready for change in rural areas... They still need time... but i still hope.... :)
@Amit
Thanks for the encouragement...
i'll surely come up with more :)
beautiful one mate...
reading it... makes me feel like I cant wait to hit on my road trip...
Back ..!
Read ..!
Felt ..!
Imagined ..!
And now trying to write ...
I'm too stressed up with my work these days, hardly get time to do what I love the most ... blogging !!
But anyways Deepika coming back to ur post, this is real India, such places are our roots, Delhi, Mumbai, Dehradun, and all other metros are places, which is only 25 % of our country... there are thousands of Rasoolpurs, I remember visiting one place near Lucknow, where people don't even have the idea of electricity and appliances, girls get married, widows burnt to ashes in full public view, a practice called Sati, which still exists ... where girls are not allowed move out of homes... and men are cattle !!
It hurts, yes it does !! :(
If this is democracy, I wish we could have been still ruled by British, Govts come and go, some for 5 years some for less, what do they do ??? CRIB, PLAN & FORGET !!!
What do we do...analyze ...analyze and feel pity ... will it help them ... NO !!!
Somehow your post has provoked me to write soon on those khadi-clad money-hoggers !!
Anyways ... that was a wonderful trip, I know how travelling on the mountain cut roads, the view from the top, the pine trees, the soul-refreshing air can jive one up !!
Nice-post Deepika, content was strong, though could have been a lil longer and touched on few more things .. pics were PERFECT ... over all a post with evrything ... one of ur best !!
Keep blogging .. !
You are best dressed, when you wear your smile :)
Ohh I forgot my blog link . . .
http://sourav-pandey.blogspot.com/
I'm a marketing student ..keep visiting !! :P
i think that wat defines our country...a coffee at CCD for 100 bucks compared to someones whole months income...
d stark reality as they say...d paradox within d society...
i have neva been to a village ever but i've seen a few while travellin in trains...with nothin wid em...no light, roads water...yet if u c d smiles on d faces of ppl in d pics u have taken...thats genuine...we live in d best of d world yet we live behind a facade...
so waz more important...happiness or man-made pleasures??
@Arv
Thanks :)
@Sourav
Well said except that 'british rule' thing.. i don't agree with that..
i still hate the fact that ppl in India value English more than Hindi and they feel ashamed when they can't speak a 'Language' which not their own national language....
I hate the fact that the education system created by those morons is just theoritical though in their own country its much more practical... here children study like bookworms and their creativity fails to develop...
i hate the fact that even being an independent nation we are still slaves of foreign habits n brands....
i hate the fact that ppl wanna run away from their own country for their own benefit... They act like they crave for going abroad... And love showing of!! huhh!!
And trust me... i hated it wen u said that 'british rule' thing... coz watever u may say... about politics n stuff of India... i know it needs a drastic change but if educated ppl like u will talk lik this who'll bring the change...
Remember: "koi bhi desh perfect nahi hota usey perfect banana padta hai"....
Always be positive and have faith.. And take a pledge that on my individual level i'll do my best for my nation... Amen..
@Mayz
Definitly.. happiness....
Thanks :)
Clarifications : I am not a show off, neither am I ashamed of my language .. I hate ppl who wish to go abroad just for the heck of it, be it studies, work, anything !!
And when I said British rule, I meant a rule by Indians only, which is not following a Democratic System !
Aur Deepika, mai hindi hi use karta hu jab baat karta hu mostly, I prefer that language over any language in this world. But consider this irony, we still have to use English !!
Anyways Deepika... I am doing my best for India, by not going abroad and making my country lose an exceptional talent, thats me ! :D
And i'll keep doing so .. by the way mai bhi saal me ek baar apne gaon jata hu :)
@Sourav
fir theek hai... :)
you said
"If this is democracy, I wish we could have been still ruled by British, Govts come and go, some for 5 years some for less, what do they do ??? CRIB, PLAN & FORGET !!!"
So thats y i felt bad.....
Good that you gv clarificaions :)
Lovely post.made me nostalgic. i love to visit haridwar rishikesh every time i am in india. i am not a religious person. but sitting on the bank of the river ganges or seeing the arti on har ki paudi. wow.
next time do visit.
@Sudhir
you are right.. that feeling of calmness of composed holy river cant be expressed in words... Thanks for visiting my blog :)
i dint read the lines but the clicks are awesome :) you got the click !
Thanks Shravan :)
The pictures are Spectacular!!!!
I remember when I first visited a village in India. It was such an experience. It's been 4 years and I still talk about it all the time.
interesting!!!
A refreshing view specially for a kid who grew up in a city. The hills of masaurie are a great visual treat. The village afternoon photo is so calm and serene.
Education will pull India out of its poverty. It's just a matter of time.
Excellent post.Hope to see some more.
$warup
This is a great travelogue and gives us all the important and the most valuable information about the real India. This post is most authentic and useful as well.
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