Avarahali
Located in the Magadi district of Bangalore, amongst the beauty of the nature is a village named Avarahali. Recently I had the opportunity to visit a training camp situated in this very village. The interaction with nature was very exciting and the training camp itself was very insightful.
But what struck me the most was the village itself. Avarahali is situated 42 km from central Bangalore. That makes it almost inaccessible. The only main road is the Bangalore – Mysore highway. This village is what i would call primitive and extremely rural. Cattle farming and agriculture are the only source of income for many people here. Brand names like 'Nestle' and 'Godrej' are all new words. Mobile phones are an invention of the outer world.
This scenario made me think of the very basic division of India. India of the 2010 and the India 50 years back both existing in the same time period. With the government constantly trying to bridge the gap between rural and urban areas, the modern India a.k.a. the urban population is also advancing in a very fast pace. The problem here is that, for villages like Avarahali to come in sync with the frontline of industrialisation and technological advancement, they will have to move forward in a very impractical pace, which pushes them further behind into oblivion.
Extreme measures are being undoubtedly taken by the government to help these rural areas come under the limelight of economic development. But somehow 55 years of independence has failed to make an impact on these villagers.
Just like a trekking group, as the leader moves ahead, the last person should be able to keep up. Else he gets lost. Avarahali and many other villages in India should not get lost in India’s haste to reach technological enlightenment.
But what struck me the most was the village itself. Avarahali is situated 42 km from central Bangalore. That makes it almost inaccessible. The only main road is the Bangalore – Mysore highway. This village is what i would call primitive and extremely rural. Cattle farming and agriculture are the only source of income for many people here. Brand names like 'Nestle' and 'Godrej' are all new words. Mobile phones are an invention of the outer world.
This scenario made me think of the very basic division of India. India of the 2010 and the India 50 years back both existing in the same time period. With the government constantly trying to bridge the gap between rural and urban areas, the modern India a.k.a. the urban population is also advancing in a very fast pace. The problem here is that, for villages like Avarahali to come in sync with the frontline of industrialisation and technological advancement, they will have to move forward in a very impractical pace, which pushes them further behind into oblivion.
Extreme measures are being undoubtedly taken by the government to help these rural areas come under the limelight of economic development. But somehow 55 years of independence has failed to make an impact on these villagers.
Just like a trekking group, as the leader moves ahead, the last person should be able to keep up. Else he gets lost. Avarahali and many other villages in India should not get lost in India’s haste to reach technological enlightenment.
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