THE PRECIOUS HARVEST ( Non-Fiction)

 It was post summer when we had left for the wedding ceremony of the sister of one of my close friends . It was me , Samar (my friend) , Kirti (Samar's sister whose wedding it was) , Pia (Samar's cousin) , Samar's Mom and Dad and two of our other friends , Lavanya and Raj ; who had decided to go to the destination a week prior , for making arrangements . The wedding destination was Samar's own native i.e. Pali in Rajasthan , around 60 kms away from Jodhpur town . We boarded a train from Mumbai that night and were supposed to reach the destination next morning and looked forward to catch a bus from Jodhpur to Pali which was a journey of about 2 hours . We reached Jodhpur and caught the bus for Pali early morning by around 7 am . Jodhpur was more like a city and while travelling to Pali we could easily notice the changes in various aspects say topography , climate , lifestyle and many other factors . It was very new for Lavanya , Raj and I as we were the first time visitors . We actually felt the real Rajasthan heat and the atmosphere which probably we had only read in books earlier or may have heard from someone . Jodhpur was more like a town but Pali was a typical Rajasthani village . While advancing to Pali we could notably see two things ; one were the camels carrying water on their back in huge waterskins and the other was women carrying potful of water on their heads and in their arms just as we had seen those paintings portraying the Rajasthani lifestyle . We spoke to about this to Samar's dad and he explained us about their water problems . It was not that we didn't know about water issues in desert regions , but it was much dismaying to see their second-rate conditions live. It was like they had to walk miles and miles to get few pots of water which they used for atleast three days . It was very shameful of us (people who live in cities) who waste water like it has no value . 

Soon we reached  Samar's house there in Pali . The house had turned very dusty and tained as it was unopened for several days. There was only one barrel of water in the house which Samar's dad had arranged from someone as we were about to go there . We used half of the barrel to clean the house and half of it for bathing and washing that day . It was obviously not enough to clean both of us , but unconditionally we had to manage.The taps were totally drenched as they had no water since a lot of days . I could spot four huge barrels of water at the roof of the house but unluckily they all were empty . Kanta , a lady from that neighborhood had offered two pots of water for us for drinking and cooking purpose as they considered us as their guests . Such a good human she was ! We could manage with those two pots for two days but our water requirement was extreme . On top of that working for the preparations of wedding , we used to get extremely exhausted . Raj out of frustration exclaimed to Samar , "Why the hell did you chose this adverse place for Kirti's wedding . That lady Kanta , was listening to our conversations when she was drying her spices in her courtyard .  Samar who was used to this calmly answered , " It was my Dadisa's wish to have the ceremony here and let's enjoy the adversity ! We may turn out good humans tomorrow , you never know anything may happen ! " . Just to pull Raj's leg I exclaimed " What say , it may rain tomorrow ! You never know" . And we all laughed together on the not so good punch of mine . 

We were out of water , however Samar's dad had ordered two barrels full water from town side for present . There were more people to come on the wedding day and we couldn't let the guest suffer , so Samar's dad had already ordered eight more barrels in advance which were to be delivered on the wedding day itself . As the demand was more , the water barrels took away a lot of amount . Unfortunately we couldn't do anything and we could just ask the almighty for rains. We slept that day and the next morning the heat was at peak and the water consumption had increased . In the afternoon , when we were having our lunch , out of nowhere , black clouds started gathering and all of a sudden it started raining . It rained there almost after one and half year , as said by the villagers . Kanta told all the villagers that the Raos (Samar's family) are too fortunate for our village and narrated all our conversations which she had heard.  The villagers were so happy and obligated over us as if we had brought the rain from our homeland .We felt very privileged as we were the reason of their happiness . The villagers filled all the containers they had available with them , with smallest of the smallest pot till the biggest of the biggest barrel . The ponds , wells and the reservoirs were filled with water as the rain poured continuously for three hours with harsh thundering .

     

 The village mukhiya had announced that the harvested water was enough for the whole village for around seven to eight months . Even "we" had harvested water in the tank on the roof , in the seven barrels we had and few pots borrowed from the villagers . Additionally the water was pure as it was direct rainwater and it had solved our problems for the wedding ceremony. In Rajasthan , pouring before any auspicious ceremony is considered as a good omen and a blessing from lord for the ceremony . We saved a lot of money which was spent largely on water . 

The wedding ceremony in short went very serene , untroubled and joyful as water was the only problem faced and rest things were prepared at their best . We returned home after the enjoying the wedding . But thereafter we never failed to respect water and valued it more than we did before . In all the " rainwater harvest experience " was well educating and one of the most pre-eminent one in my life .