Friday, June 5, 2015

Durga, kumkum, teertha, snakes!

Today we traveled to a small village in the Raichur district, stopping at a Durga temple along the way. We visited the government lands where the TCB (trench cum bund) system was introduced and learned its various advantages, recharging ground water being one of the most important.
Ever seen traffic stop to let hens peck their way across the street? No? Well, here in Raichur, we did.

We started our day by traveling to a small village in the Raichur district to see the TCB (trench cum bund) system.

On this car ride, we saw cows decorated with paint and their horns colored a shade brighter than the sun. The car swerved in various directions to avoid hitting the cattle meandering on the road.

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A mile away from our destination, we stopped at a Durga temple. According to the people living there, not stopping at the temple before traveling along the path is said to bring bad luck.

The students seemed fascinated by the kumkum and teertha provided in the temple. We then visited the government lands where TCB was introduced and learned its various advantages, recharging ground water being one of the most important.

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One of our guides from the Samuha organization found the skin of a type of snake common in the area. The flaky skin was passed around and was to be used to freak out a few people. Unfortunately, we had to get rid of it before the scare fest.

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In the small village community, on the occasion of "Vanmahotsava," the students were asked to plant saplings as a sign of respect. With the mud being washed away from our hands, another trip to the village came to an end.

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