Two is better than one.
Humans are social beings that are known to function optimally when others of their kind surround them. Over time, humans have moved from living in solidarity to moving together in numbers to protect and sustain themselves. Across the various landscapes, instances of varying scales and kind are examples of the people coming together to achieve a common goal.
01. Growing food in Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh
Farming in the ziro valley is a community effort, where although individually owned, resources and preventive measures are a community effort. The terraced flats are watered through a series of water channels between the farms through the valley’s length. The channels are community-owned and maintained to provide equitable and continuous water distribution and reduce nutrient loss through soil erosion.
02. Sharing the fire in Saur, Uttrakhand
The distance between the market town of Chamba and the village of Saur was a major driving factor towards the way people used the resources within the village. Matchstick was a luxury that needed a trip to Chamba; thus, reducing the trips was important. The houses in the village shared a fire by passing a lit lot through the village every evening to cook dinner and provide warmth through the chilly nights.
03. Building a roof to protect against the rain, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh
Over the centuries, communities like the ones in Pasighat have equipped themselves with the skills to build. House building is a skill everyone possesses and isn’t restricted to a specialist. But building for a family required multiple hands; thus, the community came together periodically to lend hands and fasten the building process.
04. An animal rearing collective across the country.
Several pastoralist communities across the country, whether traversing the dunes of the Thar or the slopes of the Himalayas, often come together to collectively take the herd grazing each season. Ensuring additional security and the support of multiple families considering the treacherous journey that lies ahead.
05. Maintaining and building water bodies across Rajasthan
Traditionally the building and maintaining of lakes, check dams, wells etc., was under the jurisdiction of the village. It wasn’t an individual but a group of individuals who conducted regular checks, periodic maintenance, and initial labour during digging. If someone couldn’t provide physical labour, they participated in helping bring food, water and encouragement to the group working on the lake. It was a good deed to assist in the construction or maintenance of a water body.
Communities across the world are still dependent on one another to survive and thrive. Standing together through small and big things sometimes planned otherwise unprecedented. It is okay to ask for help or look for someone to ease the burden. Cause together, there is nothing impossible.
