Thrilling experience, reaching a native village in Uttarakhand after lockdown

While the entire world is in the grip of deadly Corona virus for the last three months India too is now trying to live with this desease, especially after the lockdown of 70 days , when the governments at the centre and states have no option but to revive the falling economy by giving maximum relaxations. While at the national level, we are likely to reach near a two lakh figure of Covid infections in the days to come despite so much of precautions and restraints, there is no choice but to learn to live with this pandemic.

This critical phase of Covid 19 contagion has witnessed thousands n thousands of migrant population becoming jobless n homeless during the past 68 days of lockdown due to the prevailing pandemic thus compelled to repatriate to their distant home towns, native places n villages from cities n metropolises of the country. Those who’d come to meet their sons, daughters, relatives and for seeking private jobs as casual labourers working in construction business or shops etc or running petty businesses in cities n metropolises n various states had no option but to return back to their villages n native places after relaxation and running of trains n buses though partially. There have been reports that millions of the migrant laborers, pregnant women, senior citizens n children had to march on foot, rickshaws or other mode of unreliable transport covering hundreds of kilometres starving n thirsty during the lockdown.

In the hilly state of Uttarakhand thousands of people stuck in Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan etc returned back to their state after arrangements by the government for their safe transport through buses n trains were made though quite late. Majority of them were quarantined for 14 days before being allowed to stay with their families.

There had been cases of few deaths as well in these quarantine centres. Till now more than 2 lakh Uttarakhandies have returned back to their villages but there are others who had been trying hard since long to reach their villages. About two lakh migrants had registered themselves in the Uttarakhand government’s website expressing their desire to return back requesting the state government to arrange for their transportation.

However, despite so much of prevailing pandemic and apprehension amongst the people, the life is smoothly coming back to normalcy though gradually. The hard working and dedicated women of Uttarakhand villages are busy working on fields to arrange sustenance for their families unaware of the risk n danger of the prevailing pandemic. The dignified women power ( Matri Shakti) is the backbone of Uttarakhand who not only work hard 24×7 for the survival of the family but are also enhancing it’s name n prestige nationally. Bachendri Pal was the first woman conqueror of Mount Everest who hails from Chamoli, Garhwal Uttarakhand and the chief of globally famous Chipko andolan against deforestation n environment protection Gaura Devi n her colleagues of Tehri Garhwal.

My social activist and musician friend from Uttarakhand living in Delhi namely Narendra Panthri who’ve gone to his village in Garhwal, Uttarakhand to see off her old aged mother who had been stuck in Delhi due to the lock down. His mother whose entire life was dedicated to the hills working hard in the agricultural fields of Uttarakhand Himalayas would have definitely got a new lease of life on her birth land, full of serene beauty, fresh oxygenated air and greenery all around. Narendra Panthri after reaching his native place in Garhwal has posted several impressive pictures of his village with farmer and working women in the agricultural fields including pics of the traditional copper utensils, village tenements and pictures of village huts etc in social media.

According to Panthri : My 76 year old mother had come to Delhi in one of the relative’s marriage in the month of March in Holy and got terribly stuck due to the pendamic n lockdown. She was worried that her house is locked for the last three months and was longing to go back home to open the house n be busy in daily chores. Panthri’s one brother is in England and another in a state service. Therefore the entire responsibility has now been shifted on his shoulders.

The responsibility of farming and maintenance of the village house is awaiting me n my mother says Narendra Panthri. After a lockdown since March he with his mother are now in the village away from the risk of contagion says he. It’s indeed a thrilling experience after a lockdown since March in Uttarakhand Himalayas. Here are some pics clicked by him after reaching his native village. It may be recalled that Uttarakhand which has witnessed lakhs of inhabitants migrating to plains in search of jobs, health facilities n better avenues are now repatriating in large numbers during this pandemic from various states of the country. This is indeed a welcome intiative n trend say people.