Village Life

On the last day at Mundra three of the girls took us to their farms to meet their families and  show us their houses.

The main crops were dates, cotton, chikoo ( a fruit) and sugarcane. They also grew fruit for their own use such as lemons and coconuts. Every farm also had buffalo, which they raised and sold at the markets. The baby buffs were very cute.

At the first farmhouse we were offered chai, which was quickly boiled over a fire using dried coconut palm as fuel,and made with buffalo milk. It was delicious.

At the next farm one of the girls used a scythe on the end of a long stick to cut down three coconuts which were quickly opened for the juice, which we drank. It was then chopped up for us to eat. Can’t get fresher than that.

On the way to the last farm we chewed on some freshly cut sugar cane. You need very good teeth for that! It was delicious and surprisingly juicy. When we go t to the last farm more chai was made, this time using cow’s milk.

One of the girl’s sisters was wearing heavy anklets made from silver. These were specially made for her for her engagement and weigh up to 2 kg each leg. The first few days that girls wear them they get quite physically ill because of the weight. Once married the engagement anklets are sold and new marriage ones are put on, which are kept on for the rest of their lives.