fromthefield – Gram Seva Sangh

Development to Displacements on the right-bank of Tungabhadra

Day 13
11 February, 2018
Hampapattana

The stretch from Mariammanhalli to Varadapura, our first pit-stop seemed like a land of transition, along with the landscape even people’s accent and food habits changed. For the first time in our journey from the North, we come across people who eat ragi, but not as much as those who live further south. Most people we spoke to, said they also eat other millets like Navane (Foxtail millet) and Same (Little millet).

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Marching through the Hand-sculpted Historic landscape

Day 8
06th February, 2018
Kanakagiri

We moved from the Nawabs ruled Hyderabad-Karnataka region to the Vijayanagar empire as we moved towards Kanakagiri. We could see the change in the landscape, crops and architecture of temples with Sufi influence still existing but not as prominent as in Hyderabad-Karnataka.

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Towards Tungabhadra…

Day 9
7 February, 2018
Gangawathi

Just after we set from Kanakagiri early in the morning, we met two Kurubas Jamanna and Lingappa carrying their drums as they were waiting for a bus to their village. They perform drums in village festivals but their regular work is Shepherding, most communities earlier had one or other performing art skills.

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The Handmade Splendour of Hampi

Day 10
8 February 2018
Hampi

We set off at 6 am as usual, and with the breaking of the dawn we found ourselves traversing an undulating landscape. We did not meet too many villagers but saw more paddy grown along the way. We also saw a small shrine of Huligemma and a woman priest too. Continue reading The Handmade Splendour of Hampi

Hand-crafting in Dotihal

Day 5 of Padayatra, 
03rd February, 2018 
Dotihal

Culture of Prasada (Sharing of food)

As usual we woke up at 5 AM. At prayer today, in addition to the usual “Raghupati Raghava Rajaram”, there was a beautiful rendering of “Vaishnava jana to” by our volunteer, Nishanth. We left Kandagal at 6 AM. As we moved towards the centre of the village, some people who had gathered near a tea shop enquired about our walk and offered us tea. They also asked us to have prasada today in their village. Sharing of food with guests is considered offering prasada. It is a gesture of warmth.

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The Vibrant Kushtagi Santhe

Day 5 of Padayatra
4th February, 2018
Gumgeri

We set off from Dotihal in the morning, with our heads still reeling from the engaging weaving demonstrations we witnessed.

Around 10am, we reached Kushtagi, which is at the junction of National Highway-50 and State Highway-59, about 50KMs from Koppal. Today being Sunday, the entire town was caught up with the Santhe (fair). In what might have been a large fair, is now divided by the National Highway, and an unheeded flyover at the junction. One side of the Highway is the Cattles section of the fair, and on the other was all farm produce, Millets to Vegetables, Kitchen Stoves to Earthen pots, cleaning items like different kinds of brooms for different types of floors, Apparels, Footwear, everything you will need if you want to settle down in a village.

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Under the shining Super Moon | Tracing Manteswamy’s Route

Day 3 of the Padayatra
1 February 2018,
Saranamma Tayi MaTha, Sajjalagudda

Starting from Jawoor while the “Supermoon” was still setting, we walked along the high-walled dam area for a good 5km! On the other side of the road were a couple of villages stirring into motion along with the rising sun. Being close to the dam, few crops were grown here, most significantly Paddy, Cotton, Jowar and Chillies.

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On the Banks of Krishna | Tracing Manteswamy’s Route

Day - 2 of Padayatra
January 31, 2018
Jaawoor

Greetings from Jaawoor! We reached here walking 13 Km from Jogundabhavi. On our way, we stopped at Narayanapur, a displaced village by the Basava Sagara Dam across River Krishna.

We spent most of the day at Kori Sangameshwara Gudi, a picturesque shrine by the banks of the river.

Under the shade of one tamarind and two Neem trees, this shrine is another example of harmony. The deity is worshiped by both Hindus and Muslims and the sanctum sanctorum is one of the most unique sights we have seen.

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