India is predominantly a land of villages. A major portion of Indian population resides in villages because agriculture is the main occupation of Indian people. Today, there are more than six lakh villages in India. An Indian village reflects the real picture of India.
An Indian village, as a matter of fact, is the very epitome of India’s progress after the attainment of independence. The government in free India paid much attention to the lifting of the standards of Indian villagers.
An Indian village is still confronted with various problems that range from lack of education to improper sanitation. No doubt during the last eight Five Year Plans much has been done to uplift Indian villages. However, the majority of them are still affected by the evils like ignorance and illiteracy.
An Indian villager is a rough diamond. He still sticks to the old superstitions customs and conventions which have become obsolete and irrelevant in this modern era of science and technology. An Indian village, in the truest sense, is still made up of huts with thatched roof and kutcha mud.
We are still having unmetalled roads, leading to and coming from the village Its surroundings are green because of the crops and other vegetation. The streets are usually narrow and dirty due to the open drainage system that gives out foul smell. During the rainy season, the entire village gives out a very foul smell.
Here is the description of a village I recently visited. Outside the village, there is a pond where cattle drink water. There are some big and shady trees on the outskirts of the village where farmers and others take rest during their leisure Under these shady trees, they hold discussions, smoke and talk.
Some take their lunch there. Outside the village, there is a well from which villagers draw water for drinking. The scene at the village well in morning and evening times is worth watching. The village belles, dressed in their lovely and multi-coloured costumes with pitchers on their heads come to draw water from the well.
To watch them chatting and talking while coming and going is an alluring sight. The village women are still victims of the customary veil. There is a school in the village It has two or three rooms where only one teacher teaches all the classes. The students of the school are ill-clad and rough. They sit on the floor.
So, they become all the dirtier. An Indian village lacks various amenities like the police station, the post office, the health centre and the rural dispensary. So, all of these features make an Indian village a rough and tough place Further, many bad characters move about scot free.
Anyhow, there is a watchman who keeps a vigil over the village and reports all the matters to the panchayat. But every dark cloud has silver lining Indian villages have some merits as well. People enjoy free air.
The open fields with lush- green crop present a beautiful sight. The diet is very nourishing Milk, curd and other foods are abundantly available. The villagers have sound health. They live in the bosom of nature.
The cool and fresh breeze of the morning the scenes of sunrise and sunset with the farmer going to their fields along with their cattle and the tinkling of the bells tied around the necks of the cattle producing charming music are the sights, scenes and sounds that are very attractive and enchanting.
But the Indian village needs Improvements in many fields.
