This is a story of the other side of India, one that we hear about, but don’t often see. While this homely hut in Buriakhop in West Sikkim may seem dreamy to many of us, it’s home to two hard-working, humble farmers.
Raju, his wife and their teenage son live in this house. While their son attends school, the couple works tirelessly on their farm everyday, from sunrise, to late in the evening. Most of what they produce, they sell, and the rest they eat.
All the houses in the sleepy little village of Buriakhop look similar – painted in bright reds, blues and greens, and adorned with a variety of flowers. Being farmers, they spend most of their time outdoors, and know no pleasure in being indoors, staring at a TV screen!
The love for flowers and all things ‘nature’ comes effortlessly to Raju and his wife. While placing their flower vases and painting the wooden walls of their home blue, they probably didn’t realise how delightful a sight this would be for city dwellers.
Raju’s wife works on a corn field all day, every day; along with taking care of her home, cooking for her family and occasionally catching up on football tournaments in a nearby school. “The better quality corn”, she said, “would be sold in the market, around Sikkim and West Bengal.” Visit her at her home any day, and she will serve up butter popcorn, with salt-tea.
The lives of Raju and his family is that of millions around the country. These are the people responsible for the food we eat, something we can’t live without. Yet, they are the ones who live out their lives in manual labour, and often hardship.
The families here are not bogged down by their fate of being farmers. They genuinely love their lives, and live it out in peace and contentment. Many work to be able to provide their children with a better future.
‘Houses of India’ is our weekly photo-story project, where we discover one home, and its story. Follow us on Instagram @housingindia, and join us on this beautiful journey across the country.
