Humans of Nakthan Village

Dinesh and Manish, 3^rd graders in Nakthan Village, Kullu had just come from school and were playing. Nakthan is a small village located in Kullu Tehsil of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh.

Below is a conversation with their grandfather. 

-      Kaha se hain aap log? (Where are you from?)

-      Ji, Dilli se (Delhi)

-      Sirf 2 tarah ke log hote hain, dil wale dilli se and paise wale Mumbai se (There are only 2 kinds of people, people with heart from Delhi and people with money from Mumbai)

-      Nai Nai. Hume ye jagah kaafi acchi lagi and log bhi. (No uncle, we really like this place and people here)

-      *to me* Aap inki biwi ho? (Are you his wife?) *pointing at my friend, Abhishek*

*we both look at each other and feel embarrassed before responding*

-      Nai uncle. Hum sab padhte hain saath. (No, we study in the same college)

-      Kitne saal ki ho? (How old are you?)

-      24

-      Abhi tak shaadi nahi hui? Humaare yaha ladkiyo ki shaadi 18 saal mei hi ho jaati hai. Aurat ka kaam sirf ghar sambhaalna hai. (Aren't you married yet? In our village, girls get married at the age of 18. Only men have a heart. Women’s’ work is to manage household chores)

-      Nahi uncle. Mujhe career banana hai shaadi se pehle. (No uncle. I wanna make a career before marriage)

-      Koi faayda nahi. Aurat ka kaam sirf ghar sambhaalna hai. Sirf mard ghar ke liye kamaa sakta hai. (No point. Women’s job is only to handle home. They can’t do anything else like men, who are the sole bread winners of the family)

-      Meri mummy ne 2 bacche bhi sambhaale and job bhi nahi chori. (My mom handled home, raised 2 kids and worked simultaneously)

-      Haan toh unke jaise bano but zyada padho mat. Faayda nahi. (Be like her, but no point studying so much. Handle home only)

-      Aajkal aurat aasmaan mei jaa rahi hain. Kitna kuch badal gaya hai (In today’s world, women are going to space also uncle. They can do so much more)

-      Accha, gayi hai? Par koi faayda nahi uska. (Women have gone to space? That’s true? Irrespective, it’s of no use)

I chose to end the conversation there. The conversation which would have agitated me, in normal circumstances, seemed funny to me then.

Even though the man had a narrow thinking about women and their contribution, he was very warm and welcoming to me. Not once it felt like he was trying to impose his ideologies on me. It seemed like he simply accepted that there are different worlds – his and ours. And he seemed fine with it.

Made me feel okay about mine.

Travelling teaches you so much.