A few days ago, the cyclone Tauktae in Maharasthra brought a night and day of rain to us, accompanied by the loudest thunder I have ever heard in my life. We enjoyed the few days of unseasonal breezy coolness in the middle of May, usually the hottest and driest month of the year. The other result, though, was of a mini-vacation, as the excavators and tractors stood still in the mud, and we ourselves could barely cross the canal that separates our land.
Things are back to normal now – hot, sunny, dry – the ideal work conditions…?!
Where we are located
We own land in two different villages, Betawar and Chhitauni, separated by a nala (natural canal), that flows to our land from many villages. We are right on the banks of the river on the northern side. The western side of our Chhitauni land borders the nala. Beyond the nala is Betawar village and our remaining land, on which we have our existing buildings.
Our Betawar land totals about 2.5 acres. There we have road and electric access, some buildings, including the school and our own apartments, and our kitchen garden.
Our land in Chhitauni is close to 7 acres, without any access to a paved road or electric connection. We have an underground connection to our Betawar electric meter for lights and fan, and a solar panel for our bore well. We have a set of rooms – an office suite with bathroom and kitchenette, a store room, and a guard’s room.
The Nala
It’s beautiful. Trees and shade, with a wild feel. Especially lovely when dry and we can explore it. It starts flowing with water with even a few hours of heavy rain. Late in the monsoon, it gets filled up with 20+ feet of water, and is totally unapproachable.
(right) Getting ready to cross.
(left) During the dry months.
Shaping the land
(below) What people around us like: a levelled, neatly ploughed field.
(on the right) What we like: the natural slopes of the land.
The challenge: Maintaining the slope but managing the water so that it does not carry the soil away as it flows. We want to plant on the slopes and create some streams/water channels and ponds.
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