Stories from Odisha: Ajay Sharma

Contributor: Ajay Sharma

Its been a month I have been in the tribal lands of North Odisha, and I am finding joy in most of the things I am doing here. In the earlier days when I will go to the field, villagers will gather around me, observe me closely and my reactions to what they say. I try to probe into their minds and hearts and I can only do it through a "smile". I have started enjoying these fresh contacts with people every day and observing events that form a part of the story that I am at this time. Maybe I choose to come here or I was bound to come. I trusted the first thought that came to my mind and just boarded the train to reach this land.

I think you will find more meaning in what I am trying to say through my experiences with these two people with whom I spend my most of the time here:

Tutu Ji works as a technician with me and the time spent on the field with him is really special. We are working on a carbon-credit project here in a village with a clean cookstove intervention. We are monitoring the use of these improved cook stove in the households and giving monthly carbon credits in their bank account for reducing the carbon emissions and deforestation. I think Tutu Ji has mastered the art of explaining things and fixing things. He comes early at 6 and then we both go to the field. On the way, he will train me how to ride, how to speak Odiya, share his opinions about what's happening in society, asking questions about my life in the North. He sustains the same amount of energy throughout the day. He has so much urge to learn new things which I think is vanishing in my generation. He has been given a tablet in which he can monitor the data remotely. He mastered it within a week, started downloading, using various apps, even he has a FB account now. Lat day he learned how to write an email. I mean this is the level of curiosity Tutu Ji has. Being around him is pure joy. I think is it me who get along so easily or is it Tutu Ji who has triggered it.

Tutu Ji at work :)

       

Nino Didi- All the meals I had from last one month have been made by Nino. She is the most important person in the small organisation where I work. She has never been late in preparing a meal no matter how many people are to be served. Apart from this, she also handles most of the finances in the organisation and keeps a track of all the expenses. As she doesn't know Hindi, we only communicate through actions and smiles. After having my first meal, while washing the utensil I said "Thank You" to her and she just smiled. I started coming to the kitchen, when there is no work, and just say a word "help?", and she will handle me something to peel or chop. In the night we will both make chapatis. She keeps on sharing things in Odiya which I partially understand and she keeps on nodding to what I say in return. Language is not an issue at all now. I remember one day she said, "Ajay tum meri bahut help karte ho Thank You". I just could not stop smiling and she shared that she knew some Hindi but did not speak. She has a son and her husband is no more. She visits him once every two months and nowadays she has gone for Durga Pooja. Before leaving she shared that I am one of her best friends and she will miss me when I leave. There is so much more about Nino- A Durga in the true sense.

With Nino Didi

I hope you will find some meaning in these lines for yourself. It's really hard to put in words what I am experiencing here. 

" Manzil mil hi jaegi bhatakte hi sahi,

gumrah to woh hai jo ghar se nikle hi nahi...."