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About the Padayatra

Why Padayatra??? To understand this, let's start with a question.

Have you ever experienced Hunger?

Hunger, because you have no food to eat. If you have not, reflect on this. Atleast 10 million people in the state of Maharashtra go to bed hungry on most nights. That is 1 out of 10 people.

Can there be any worse sign of injustice? Children sleeping hungry and not knowing why. People not having access to work or water. Their lives perpetually on the edge of collapsing. Living in the shadow of drought all their lives, their will sapped and all hope extinguished.

That this situation should be prevalent in Maharashtra, one of the most developed and industrialized states of India, should make us hang our heads in shame.

But does it have to be this way?

The vicious poverty trap

It is our estimate that over 1 crore (nearly 10%) of people in Maharashtra do not get adequate food for more than 200 days in a year.

There are a number of reasons that contribute to this, some of which are articulated below.

The agriculture sector is in jeopardy. The revenue from the agriculture produce does not cover the ever-increasing costs. Farmers are borrowing high amounts to invest in hybrid and high yielding crops, pesticides and fertilizers, and are buried under mounting debt when yields fail. Water management is in chaos. Water is being drawn indiscriminately and water table levels are falling. Potable water is not available in every habitation. Disease and illnesses are rampant due to water contamination, resulting in high health expenditure. People find it difficult to manage this increased burden on already meager resources. When agriculture is threatened, what does the common man eat? How does he get employment? Laborers do not get wages, and in a state that gives employment guarantee, hundreds of thousands of people have to migrate in search of employment with their entire families.

In such circumstances, a bad monsoon pushes thousands of families over the brink.

This 10 million population of Maharashtra is caught in just such a cycle of poverty, hunger and unemployment. This population is increasing every day and that is a matter of grave concern. Unless action is taken NOW, the situation will further deteriorate. The core problems of poverty and hunger need to be addressed, without which the peripheral problems would not be solved. Everything is connected and dependent on each other.

So WHAT do we do?

We must look for a solution that is broad-based, yet appropriate and specific to local needs.

Poverty alleviation is the government's responsibility. But is it ONLY the government's responsibility? No its not. Without the involvement of people, it is not possible to alleviate poverty.

Models of poverty alleviation are not enough; we need a broad-based movement to alleviate poverty. In fact one can go further and say that poverty needs to be eradicated not just alleviated.

But WHO will do This?

Every village, hamlet, wasti, tanda has wise people, who know what needs to be done. There is a lot of traditional wisdom there. It needs to be captured before it gets lost in time. We need to identify these wise people, recognize them and listen to them. We need to connect them together. We need to be their friends. We need to help them to plan, to avail of government schemes and to access technologies and the latest information.

But HOW do we identify these people?

We will not find these people by a letter or command. To find them, we need to go to the people. We need to listen to them, talk to them, to live with them. The best way to do that is to walk. A Padyatra. The only way.

But WHY PADYATRA?

A vehicle prevents us from reaching out to people. Walking takes us near to them. Staying in a hotel puts a distance between them and us. Living with them helps us to reach their hearts.

Also, the common person walks. A woman walks to fetch water, often from a distance. Children walk to school. Laborers walk to work. A mother walks and carries her sick child to the nearest health center. Walking helps us to keep our feet on the ground. Walking is good for health, it is near nature. Before we had vehicles, human beings walked. It is humane to walk. Hence Padyatra.

Where did the Padyatra START?

At dawn, on the first day of 2006, the Padyatra commenced from Kasari village in Ashti block, Beed district. It ended on 28th February 2006, in Sevagram ashram, Wardha. The Padyatra made its way through 9 districts, covering 944km; 15 to 20 km every day.

The Padyatra will have day and night halts in 58 villages. It will begin walking early morning at dawn, reach the next village by mid-morning, and spend the entire day in that village until dawn next day.

Who ORGANIZEDthe Padyatra?

It was not one man's Padyatra. It was not of any single organisation or institute. It was a people's Padyatra. It was a Padyatra of all those who wish to join it, and those who want to help in its organisation.  

A number of organisations in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions have come together in the last two years as the Maharashtra Drought Forum and have initiated the campaign ERADICATE DROUGHT: SAVE HUMANITY. The Padyatra was a result of this process.

What will HAPPEN during the Padyatra?

Two days before the Padyatra reached any village, a small study group went to the village to study the problems in the village together with the people. Problems like food security, agriculture, water, health, education, women's issues were studied.

The Padyatra reached on the third day of the study. During the day, the Padayatris walked through the village and the fields, having discussions with different youth and women's groups, and met the Gram Panchayat. The findings of the study group were presented in the Gram Sabha. The guests addressed the Gram Sabha, motivated them and together, endorse the village's plan of action.

What did NOT HAPPEN during the Padyatra?

This Padyatra was neither a celebration nor an event. There were no welcomes, bouquets or garlands. Simplicity was maintained.

The Walkers did not sleep on beds but on the floor. They did not sit on chairs, or step into a vehicle. They ate what the people offered, and did not eat in hotels or dhabas. They stayed in the villages.

Who PARTICIPATED in the Padyatra?

Everyone who accepted and agreed to follow these rules participated. Not only social workers, but students, principals and teachers, business leaders, software engineers, doctors, lawyers, journalists, senior citizens participated in the Padayatra.

Hunger in Maharashtra is also a concern of the urban people.

Did the Padyatra incur a lot of EXPENSE. Who met these expenses?

The Padyatra did not really need a lot of money. There was no travel expense, since everyone walked. The villagers took care of the hospitability. Those who walked will bore their own expenses. 

Some of the expense such as postage, printing, long-distance travel of guests was supported by the PACS program of DFID. 

ActionAid India and HelpAge contributed towards the expenses of the study group. 

Many other organisations are contributed their human resources, vehicles etc.

What AFTER the Padyatra?

The work to make Maharashtra drought-free and hunger-free began after the Padayatra.

Some villages have been selected. Micro planning has taken place with the villagers. Efforts to mobilise government schemes have been initiated. Programs like watershed development, agriculture development have been planned.  

A process to make Maharashtra prosperous through social organisation, management and technology has begun through the Maharashtra Development Council.