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<\/figure>\nThanks to the birth of my daughter and the support from my employer, Pulse Energy<\/a><\/strong>, I spent quite a bit of time in my village Bhattugudem<\/strong>, near Bibinagar<\/strong>, just outside Hyderabad<\/strong>. I saw something that made me stop and think about the life in city vs village.<\/p>\n Farms were being worked on, yes, but only by the elderly. And the locals?<\/p>\n They are gone.<\/p>\n Moved to the cities, like I did, in search of a better life. But in the six months I spent in my village, I started to see that maybe this move is doing more harm than good.<\/p>\n Let me explain why I feel this way.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to build a community in the city, especially if you\u2019re from a middle or lower middle class family. In cities, it\u2019s the opposite.<\/p>\n Everyone\u2019s in a hurry. But I felt this hits the children the most. In the three years I stayed in my previous flat, I barely saw kids play around or ride cycles together. In my childhood, I knew where our milk came from. That relationship is now lost.<\/p>\n City kids don\u2019t even know if the milk they drink is real. <\/p>\n Few years down the line, I won\u2019t be surprised if the answer is Swiggy Instamart or Blinkit when you ask a kid where milk and veggies come from.<\/p>\n They just eat what they get without a thought about where it\u2019s coming from. This would open up dangers of synthetic food being served without their knowledge because they don\u2019t have any connection with the process of growing food.<\/p>\n In villages, festivals have a purpose. But when we move to cities, we carry only the big ones \u2014 Diwali<\/strong>, Ganesh Chaturthi<\/strong>, Dussehra<\/strong>.<\/p>\n What about the others?<\/p>\n Most people don\u2019t even know the names of local village rituals. Folk songs, dances, and instruments are already disappearing. We are slowly letting go of things that made us unique.<\/p>\n We think moving to the city is about comfort and luxury.<\/p>\n But the real luxuries are back in the village.<\/p>\n The cities are uninhabitable because so many people migrate to the cities. And then we indulge in meaningless activities just to keep ourselves engaged and entertained. We left so much behind for jobs and paychecks. My father knew most of the village rituals. I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n I only remember the big ones. If I don\u2019t change something now, my daughter may not remember even half of what I do.<\/p>\n And once we forget, it\u2019s gone forever.<\/p>\n I believe there is still hope. The number one reason people leave villages because there is no money or livelihood. We need to look around and ask \u2014 what can our village offer?<\/em> It could be:<\/p>\n We can build something around that. Something that gives people pride and income.<\/p>\n Not every village will have something unique. That\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n But every village has land and people who know how to grow.<\/p>\n So why not start with natural farming<\/strong> or permaculture-based<\/strong> farming?<\/p>\n This type of farming:<\/p>\n When done right, this can be a great model. It can generate steady income throughout the year instead of the two-time spike in the current model. And slowly, we can create a network of villages that are alive again \u2014 socially, culturally, and economically.<\/p>\n We all left our villages for a reason. Not just to live there, but to rebuild. I don\u2019t have all the answers. Maybe it\u2019s time we paused. P.S: These thoughts triggered in my mind when I met Sumesh and the team from Suyatri. Suyatri is doing some amazing work in community-led tourism. The larger aim for the group is to bring sustainability IN<\/strong> tourism. So that everyone from local community members all the way to the tour operator can sustainably grow the itinerary in a meaningful way. Hit me up if you\u2019d like to join the group.<\/p>\n What are your thoughts on the whole city vs village life? Share it in the comments or drop me a message on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Let me know what your village is famous for.<\/p>\n Few of my other thoughts that might be of interest to you.<\/p>\n Fountainhead: The Book That Gave Me the Courage to Follow My Soul<\/a> and Mana Valley \u2013 Places I wish I visited in my 20s<\/a><\/p>\n
Construction sites were full of workers from Bihar<\/strong> and UP<\/strong>.
Shops in the village? Most of them now run by Marwadis<\/strong> from Gujarat<\/strong> and Rajasthan<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThe Damage We Don\u2019t Talk About<\/h3>\n
1. Social Structures Are Disintegrating<\/strong><\/h4>\n
In the village, everyone is your uncle or aunt, cousin or sister, even without being blood-related.
You know your neighbors. You share food, water, problems, and joy.
More importantly, You don\u2019t feel alone.<\/p>\n
Everyone\u2019s behind closed doors.
And Everyone\u2019s afraid to trust. For instance, I spent more than 6 months in my previous flat without ever interacting with the people staying upstairs. And mind you, it was an independent building. Once my wife, Spandana, joined me, I only then knew more about them. Lucky for Spandana, they were from Andhra, so language wasn\u2019t a problem.<\/p>\n
Most grow up without real friends or relationships.
No one to call their own, except their parents and maybe a school friend or two.<\/p>\n2. No Relationship With Food<\/strong><\/h4>\n
I knew which farm gave us the veggies and fruits.<\/p>\n3. Culture is Fading<\/strong><\/h4>\n
There\u2019s one for every season. Every harvest. Every occasion.
They aren\u2019t just days to wear a new Kurta Saree or eat sweets.
They bring people together and remind us that we\u2019re part of a larger community.<\/p>\n
And the next generation? They may never hear about them unless we make an effort to preserve and, more importantly, participate.<\/p>\n
Local languages and slang are dying.
No one teaches them, and no one speaks them anymore.<\/p>\nWhat We Think Is a Luxury Is Nothing But That<\/h3>\n
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We take the money cities offer, but give up the life that truly matters.<\/p>\nWhat My Father Knew, I\u2019ve Already Forgotten<\/h3>\n
He understood why they happened, when, and how.
He carried the stories.<\/p>\n
And even those are becoming just another holiday to rest or travel.<\/p>\nSo, What Can We Do?<\/h3>\n
But it needs concrete action.<\/p>\n1. Make Villages Economically Strong<\/strong><\/h4>\n
If we can create jobs or businesses in villages, people will stay.
And some might even return.<\/p>\n
What is special here?<\/p>\n\n
A small program. A local product. A tourist experience.<\/p>\n2. Start With Organic Farming<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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It can become a model village and conduct farm tours to interested students and people alike.<\/p>\nFinal Thoughts On City Life vs Village Life<\/h3>\n
But maybe it\u2019s time to return with a new purpose.<\/p>\n
Not to repeat the past, but to shape the future.<\/p>\n
But I know that the way we are going now \u2014 we are losing more than we are gaining.<\/p>\n
And looked back.<\/p>\nLike this:<\/h3>\n