The real India is not Bombay or Delhi. India consists of villages. There are only a few cities in the country. Villages are present in every corner of the state. Thousands of villages are still without any change. What doesn't change them?

According to the 2011 census, there are about 649,481 villages in India and only 593,615 are inhabited. About 70% of the Indian population lives in villages. Indian villages have complex social relationships and institutional structures. They face the outside world together as a group or a family. Not all villages are the same. Every corner of the country has its own distinct identity.

Many rural places are still not on the map of India. Instead of star hotels, villages offer an experience of living with villagers, thousands of greenery, rivers, fresh air, etc. Villages are the best example of unity in diversity. They cooperate and co-exist.

Remembering Indian villages

Have Indian villages been forgotten? Indian villages are still the most important part of Indian society and culture. Studying Indian villages helps us to understand India. Sociologists and anthropologists have a keen interest in the study of rural India, particularly villages. But many people or youth are not interested in village studies.

Villages are the best place to know how beautiful and touching human relationships are. We find ourselves here. They reflect our basic values in life. The ceremony is held in one house but the whole village takes part in its preparation. On the other hand, in cities, no neighbors come and help in the preparation like a family.

The systematic study of rural India was started by an anthropologist D.N. Majumdar and was followed by N.K. Bose, S.C. Dube, and M. N. Srinivas.

Social institutions like marriage, kinship, family, and caste are deeply rooted in the life of rural people. An Indian sociologist, Andre Beteille wrote, “the village was not merely a place where people lived; it has a design which reflected the basic values of Indian civilization”.

Gandhi’s view on Indian villages

Mahatma Gandhi said, “The soul of India lives in its villages”.

“The future of India lies in its village”
- Mahatma Gandhi.

If the village dies, India will die too. India is what villages are. India does not live in its town but in its village. According to him, the construction of an ideal village is very simple. His ideal village has features such as proper sanitation, cottages with necessary lighting, minimum dust in the streets, and the availability of primary and secondary schools and panchayat institutions for settling disputes and solving economic and political issues. The village people have their own grains, vegetables, fruits, and of-course Khadi.

Why do the Indian villages matter?

Keep in mind that two-thirds of India's population still lives in rural areas. Rural and urban are not separate from each other, there is a connection. Most people migrate to urban areas because of the mindset of the rural people that very few opportunities exist in rural India.

During the pandemic of COVID-19 people migrated from urban to rural. Why do people go back to their homes in villages in times of crisis? This proves that despite being less developed, rural areas are important shelters in times of crisis. Or we can say that due to less development, rural areas remain safe in times of crisis.

Rural India is agriculture and agriculture in rural India. Cities emerged from villages. They have a sense of belonging which is rare in cities. Rural India provides authentic and scientific evidence of the traditional social order and its changes over time.

Challenges

• People see Indian villages as the home to caste discrimination but it is also found in urban cities. People do not pay attention to the collective life of the whole village. Villagers are always ready to help their neighbors which are hard to find in cities.
• Lack of education and knowledge- Due to financial burdens, education is the second priority in the villages.
• The lack of facilities in rural India leads to unhygienic conditions.
• Rural-Urban Water Conflict- People are migrating to urban areas due to which water requirement is met by taking water from rural areas.
• Rural inflation- inflation impacts rural India more than urban areas.
• Unplanned migration
• Lack of Fiscal Autonomy – Gram Panchayat has very few powers concerning the development of villages.

Rural India vs Urban India

There are different living standards in both rural and urban India. The economic gap is still there and we can see through the lack of basic amenities in the villages. On the other hand, the urban people have such facilities which the village people would have never heard of.

The size and density of the population are less in villages as compared to cities. Unlike urban life, rural life is more connected to nature, such as the land, animals, and plants. Their main livelihood is based on agriculture.

Better education is available in urban India than in rural places. Even now there are some villages where there is not even a single school. This contributes to the high illiteracy in the villages.

According to some surveys it has been found that there are still some villages where electricity is not available even today. If this is the condition of electricity then leave the matter of internet in the villages.

Many non-profit organizations are working with the government to bridge the gap between rural and urban India. The government is also focusing on the improvement of villages in the field of education, digitization, electricity, water supply, employment opportunities, proper health facilities, etc.

Way forward

We can say that real India resides in villages. The urban is seen as the future of India and the rural is seen as the past of India. Our villages need the attention they need and deserve. We have a lot to learn about the people of the village.

We not only learn new experiences in villages but also connect with our roots. Nothing made up or scripted. It is a type of experiential learning. The villagers show us how to smile and keep the show going despite all the struggles. Perhaps this is what we call the pursuit of happiness.

We need to discuss villages along with cities. The villages are not going anywhere. They are an important part of our culture. They are the root cause of the existence of humanity. There is a need to take a common responsibility to effectively develop rural India. We should be in this together.

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