‘Kattunayaka’ as bifurcated and translated in Tamil means forest hero. Chellan belongs to this very caste group, which is one of the prominent communities among the primitive tribes of Nilgiri. His village called Tangamalai falls into the lower plateau of Nilgiri district of Tamilnadu. Chellan…
This is a story of Chhotu. His name contradicts his age, but not his identity. Even after being around for fifty decades, according to him, he is still a child who finds peace sleeping in Mother Nature’s lap. One often comes across some people who…
At Grassroutes, at the end of every fellowship period, we have made a conscious effort to assess the impact of the fellowship on the fellow. The fellowship is aimed to sensitize the fellow about the rural sector, the challenges faced, and opportunities available and to…
Intro It was that time of the year again for the youth of this country to be a part of an extraordinary journey. A journey that takes them deep in to rural India to work with rural organisations; to discover the change maker within; to…
Mahila Vikas Sangh (MVS), based in Meora (Uttarakhand), is paragon for Self Help Groups (SHGs) which aspire to empower women across rural India. A walk through this village of 55 households can be surprising for those who think that all that rural women do is…
Lost in Music: Hari Govindan sings a traditional “Sopana Sangeetham” for us. “Right now there are a lot of concrete structures here. But I want the art to make this place come alive”, says Hari Govindanan the founder of a Kala Ashram, in the small…
Devagi, aged about 50, gets up at 5 A.M. and walks across the village to collect fallen coconut tree leaves. She rushes back by 7 A.M. to send her 3 kids to school. She then has to draw water from the public taps before it…
“Why has ‘Chirag’ given a Chaff cutter to the Sarpanch and not to me,” asked Mohan Da, a farmer based in Chaukhuta, a small village in Uttarakhand, India. Being a volunteer with ‘Chirag’ (an Uttarakhand based NGO) for less than a week, I struggled…
by Swetha SB Think about this – you have a lovely house and a great community around it. All your life you have lived in the same place. Suddenly, one day a few strangers along with a government official come and tell you that you…
The Rural Rock-stars. An unforgettable experience performing traditional folk songs with the community owned folk troupe. A privilege to have played with troupe for the village community. This summer go rock the world! Apply for the Grassroutes Fellowship Program 2011 Host NGO: Vayali Folklore Group…