SUBMERGENCE VILLAGE SONDUL, MADHYA PRADESH
… The wood sellers used to go to the Nisarpur market to sell wood, they would also tie fodder in bundles and take it there to sell. We used to take them across (the river) to the market and bring them back also, along with the supplies that they would buy from the market. We used to row across the Narmada River and take them to the market. They used to bring anjan fodder from the mountains, they used to carry wood, charcoal, everything to the market …there used to be boats plying from Rajghat too. Jeeps, motor vehicles, etc. were all carried in boats across the river at Rajghat. There was no bridge at Rajghat, earlier. So, the boatmen at Rajghat used to earn a good income, the boats used to row throughout the day…
Chaganbhai Kevat
Belonging to the Kevat community, those whose livelihood depend on rowing boats and taking passengers and goods across the river, Chaganbhai explains how his and other communities of his village Sondul lived on the banks of the Narmada River. The Kevat community like the Kahar community have their livelihoods directly linked to the river and so it is important to understand how any disruption in the river affects these communities the most.
The photographs in this clip are of the Narmada River and the boats used in both the upstream and downstream of the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
Interview Duration:
00:30:00
Language:
Hindi , Subtitles in English
Subtitles can be switched on and off by clicking ‘CC’ button at the bottom right of the video