Wednesday, May 18, 2011

 Some old guys going down the road, just as we are heading out of our village.....I see scenes like this every day and some how my eyes just feast on them....I live in the most interesting place for just looking around.
 These photos I took afew weeks ago and have not had time to mention them, I think they are special as this is the little festival that builds up in Ghanara, a village half way between us and Pushkar....so just down the road really.....the local school is used as a centre for payments at the end of the Government's 100 Days Paid Labour block.
 This is a scheme started by the governemnet a few years ago now, to help alleviate poverty....as I may have mentioned there has been a lot of debate a different times- should we not just give hand outs?
The governement has stuck with the idea of this scheme [ I am so thankful too].
100 days paid labour does a lot to keep a family keep going in tough times. People here are workers, to survive with so little they have to be so resourceful, yes they need money to survive, or until a regular job comes along,  or until monsoon and hopefully busy in the fields.
They do not need handouts and charity, they do not need to be taught to stand in line and take a number, jump to the government's list of requirements and learn to be bored waiting around on dole quues like I see in Australia......all people should have a right to work, supporting themselves through their own efforts.....and the opportunities to develop that experience, even if that means a kick up the bum- get up mate and do something!
Any way off the soap box....
Here at the end of a session is a big payment day, everyone in these photos have just receievd their money and a half kilogram box of sweets as their payments.
I love the though of the sweets- everyone was walking down the road clutching their box.
What a nice touch, I bet they are laddoo. These are most favoured by Ganesh, the remover of obstacles and bringer of god fortune, always assisting Laxmi the goddess of Prosperity on her journey into people's lives.


May Ganesh help you remove all obstacles from your life and open the doors, light a candle welcome Laxmi the Goddess of Prosperity into your home and heart.
Happy day to you

1 comment:

Sue Dennis said...

I'll light a candle in my sewing studio. I also have a ritual of burning incense at the start of a studio day, the smoke hangs there & permeates the fabrics.