Secrets of the Smoke - 04: Hands

All in a day's work in Kurlod and Anwir.

Hands that can weigh a drop of water.
Soles that feel the heartbeat of the earth.
Ears that decipher whispers of the wind.

Fingers that point to a time-tested future.

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For a city dweller like me, connecting with the natural world around me often takes a conscious effort. Unless there is a storm, a heat wave or a significant change in the weather pattern, the natural world outside is peripheral to my vision and other senses. Clocks are more important than where the sun is in the sky; water flows when I open a tap, and a similar wrist turn lights the fire I use to cook. 

In sharp contrast are people's lives in Kurlod. Before visiting it, I would’ve probably described the place as off the grid. They collectively grow most of, if not all, their daily food, which depends on the weather and the monsoon for the crops. The world around them is always in focus, and the online world I am hooked to for work and entertainment is on the periphery of their vision. Water for daily use is from the river that flows seasonally or from the groundwater, and fuel is harvested by hand and axe over countless woman hours. 

Secrets of the Smoke

Nitisha

’s smokeless cookstove, which burns fuel efficiently, took me to Kurlod and Anwir. Still, this stove or any stove must find its place among the thousands of other things that evolved through the understanding of nature and the lives of the people who use it and pass it down to the next generation.

Read more: Kurlod and Anwir.

The Little Things

Here are the images of a few things that make life what it is in Kurlod and Anwir.

Sweat.

I am probably the one who is off the grid—from nature. They have a connection I never had. It’s a connection that doesn’t come easily. It consumes nearly every waking minute for a woman, man, and child from before dawn and often late into the evening. They are not alone, too. They are a community where hands work together for livelihood and care for each other and the next generation. This makes the touch of their rough, calloused hands gentle compared to the rough edges of my soft hands.

Unlike me, Nitisha has been working with women across India and better understands this world. She said, 
How can we stay humble and act with precaution in the face of uncertainty and constant change? (I am ) Learning from Adivasis - deep listening, less talking and smiling through adversity.  

If we had a closer relationship with nature, would we see and interact with the planet like we do now? Would a closer understanding lead to a better way to reduce the cost we extract from the earth? 

If our hands can weigh a drop of water,
Feel the heartbeat of the earth with our feet.
Our ears decipher whispers of the wind.

Can our fingers shape a different future for the planet?

More Secrets of the Smoke from Kurlod and Anwir here:

Woodstock and Fuelscape in Kurlod

Fodder - Kurlod

Palms, Toddy and Fences - Anwir