Save the Hills
“Pranam Dadi,” chorused the six children. They bowed low and touched her feet.
“Pranam, Pranam…God bless you all,” Savita Kaki said. “How are you all? You’re coming from school?”
“We’re good, Dadi. Yes, we’ve come directly from school. We miss you and Sarpanch Dada,” Jai said respectfully.
“We miss both of you and your amma. We have such good memories with her,” Savita Kaki said smiling.
“Come on in all of you. You must be hungry after school. Shambhu Maharaj has prepared pyaz ki kachori.
I’ll tell him to pack three parcels for your parents also. Come… Come… Don’t be shy!”
“Where is Sarpanch Dada?” Sneha asked, looking around.
“He left after lunch. There’s some panchayat meeting and then he’ll go to the fields,” Savita Kaki said leading them into the kitchen. “Sit down. I’ll serve you the kachoris. They’re still quite warm. You’ll eat it with kadi or chutney?”
“We want kadi and chutney,” Jai and Gopi said.
“And, you? Gauri? Sneha?” Savita Kaki said, serving the kachoris.
“We’ll eat it with chutney, Dadi.”
“Somu, what about you and Jyoti?”
“Dadi, we’ll have plain kachoris,” both of them chorused.
“Very well. Here…” Savita Kaki served them the kachoris. “Now eat. And, don’t feel shy. There’s lot more.”
“Hmm… Yummy!” cooed the children. “Very tasty.”
“Shambhu Maharaj is awesome,” Gauri said, licking her fingers. “These kachoris are very khasta.”
“Crispy! Yes. Hmm…” Somu agreed, tucking in.
“Dadi, what happens in a panchayat meeting?” Sneha asked, chewing thoughtfully.
“All adult members of the village attend the meeting where they discuss and debate on certain problems or requirements for the village and the people,” Savita said, spooning some kadi onto Gopi’s plate.
“Can we also go and watch what’s happening?” Jyoti asked.
Savita shook her head. “Children are not allowed.”
“Accha. What will they be discussing today?” Somu queried.
“Hmm… I think your Sarpanch Dada mentioned something about the hills,” Savita Dadi said thoughtfully.
“The hills? Which hills?” Jai asked, pausing mid-bite.
“Arreyy… The hills around our village,” Savita said, placing another kachori on Somu’s plate.
“What about them? Why are they being discussed?” Gauri questioned.
“Your Sarpanch Dada received some letters from the city. The court has passed some order that will bring danger not only to the hills but also to our village and all the other villages around. So, they’re going to discuss what is to be done,” Savita Dadi said, adjusting her purple odhni on her head.
“Ohh… Can we do something to help, Dadi?” queried Jai.
“About that I have no idea, Jai beta. You’ll have to ask your Sarpanch Dada,” Savita Dadi said.
“Alright. Where do they have this meeting? We’ll see if we can meet Dada on the way to the fields or somewhere around…” Jai said, biting into his second kachori.
“It’s usually conducted under the huge banyan tree near the fields. You’ve seen that one surely,” Savita said, pouring water into copper tumblers.
“Yes, yes. I know which one you’re talking about, Dadi. We’ll take Jai and Sneha there,” Gopi said, wiping his mouth.
“That’s good,” Savita Dadi smiled at them.
“Thank you, Dadi for the delicious snacks. Please tell Shambhu Maharaj he’s truly a magician,” Somu said, standing up.
“Yes, Dadi. Thank you so much,” chorused the others.
“Sure, I’ll tell him. Here… Keep these packets in your bag. These are few kachoris for your parents,” Savita Dadi held out the parcels wrapped in newspaper and tied with string.
“Thank you, Dadi. See you soon.”
The children waved goodbye and started out towards the huge banyan tree.
~ ~ ~ ~
“There is the tree,” Somu pointed towards a huge tree spreading out wide and far.
“That’s huge… I mean really… really big,” Sneha said in awe.
“How old this tree must be?” Jai asked.
“I don’t know,” Somu shrugged his shoulders.
“I know. My grandmother says its hundred years old. Maybe even more,” Gauri said.
“Ohh… that’s a very long time,” Sneha said in amazement as they continued to walk towards the tree. “It appears to keep getting bigger as we get closer.
“That’s basic science,” Jai said in his best elder brother voice.
“Hmm…” Sneha agreed, her eyes focused on the green roof of the banyan tree.
“There’s Sarpanch Dada,” Jyoti pointed, as they got closer.
“I think the meeting is over,” Gopi said. “Everyone’s going away. They all look so serious. I hope there’s nothing to be worried about.”
“Hmm… You’re right. Everyone looks quite serious,” agreed Gauri.
The children stopped at a little distance away from the chabutra made around the tree and waited.
Sarpanch Ji who was speaking to a man in trousers and shirt suddenly saw the children. He beckoned to them. The man also turned to look at them.
“Pranam, Dada… Pranam, Uncle Ji…”
The children bowed low and touched Sarpanch Ji’s feet.
“God bless you. May you prosper and grow,” Sarpanch Ji said with a smile. “What are you all doing here?”
The children looked at the man in shirt and trousers.
“Don’t feel shy. This is Jagdish, he’s a newspaper reporter from the big city. Earlier, his family lived here in our village only. He has come to help us in our purpose to save the hills,” Sarpanch Dada said.
“Dada Ji, we also came to ask you about the same thing. We had gone to visit Savita Dadi. She told us about your meeting so we came to ask you is there any way we can help you and the others?” Jai queried.
Sarpanch Ji and the newspaper reporter looked at each other.
“That’s a very responsible way of thinking. I’m amazed,” Sarpanch Ji said. “Even adults aren’t this interested.”
“Dada Ji, what is all this about?” asked Sneha.
Sarpanch Ji laughed fondly, “Arrey wah! Our little Sneha also wants to help? Alright! I’ll tell you. See… Some big people in the big city have passed an order that our hills can be used for mining and construction.”
“But how is that dangerous for us?” asked Jyoti.
“Hmm… If our hills are used for mining and construction materials the land will become honeycombed. What I mean is that huge pockets will be formed underground. It will make the upper layer of earth unstable. Plus, the hills that stand as a huge barrier to prevent the desert sand from spreading and stop the rain clouds from flying away will lose its height as a result our villages will slowly and steadily get destroyed. Many rivers that are fed by rainwater will change their course or dry up and our fields will become dry and barren, there will be no foodgrains to feed us or our families. The animals and birds that live in our forests will either leave or die… Our local trees and plants will also die and finish off forever…” Sarpanch Dada counted on his fingers.
“Oh no! This sounds terrible,” Jyoti said.
“Dada Ji, can we do something to help?” Jai asked again.
The man who was dressed in the shirt and trousers answered. He said, “As children you can spread the word to others in your school. You can make posters and banners or get signatures on a letter from your principal, teachers and other students saying that this order should be stopped. I can organize a meeting with your principal and teachers with my cameramen. The posters, banners and letter can be shown on the news. We can think about sending the letter to the prime minister. This will show that even our children, who are the future citizens of the world are so vigilant and eager to save the land and the environment which belongs to them.”
Sarpanch Dada nodded in agreement. “It sounds good. We can involve the school and the children of our villages. They should be aware that these lands, hills, forests, fields, birds and animals belong to them and their future. They must take care of them if they want to enjoy their beauty in the years to come.”
“I’m so happy these children came here, Sarpanch Ji. Their help will add another interesting and beneficial angle to our mission of saving our hills,” Jagdish said.
“The Aravalli is our mother, Jagdish. We won’t step back even if we have to sacrifice our heads like Amrita Devi and her three daughters,” Sarpanch Ji said with a look of determination in his eyes.
The six children looked at him in awe.
~ ~ ~ ~
“Amma, who was Amrita Devi?” Sneha asked when her mother switched off the bulb and lay down between the two children that night.
“Amrita Devi? Who are you talking about?” Lata queried perplexed. “Where did you hear her name?”
“Sarpanch Dada said that she and her daughters sacrificed their lives for our hills,” Jai said, raising himself on an elbow.
“Ohh… You’re talking about Amrita Devi Bishnoi. She and her three daughters had been beheaded when they tried to save the khejri trees,” Lata said cradling Sneha.
“Amma, please tell us their story,” Sneha requested.
“Yes, yes. So long… long… ago there was a king…” began Lata.