Life in a village is an unvarnished (not shining) tale. Iliad, ill-housed, ill-fed illiterate, a villager passes his days
A villager is generally a farmer. About 95% of the villagers live on land. Only five per cent pursue other occupations like the army and civil service, business and trade. Life in a village is very hard. His womenfolk also work along with him in the fields. All of them work very hard day and night, and yet it is difficult for them to make both ends meet.
Besides the economic distress, a villager also suffers from a number of social evils. Litigation is very common in a village. People fall out even over the slightest pretext (cause), Quarrels and litigation mean the waste of time, energy and money of poor villagers. Superstitions are not uncommon and rumours and scandals are only too frequent.
Moreover, a village lacks most of the amenities of modern life. It affords very few amusements. It has no library where a poor villager may learn something about the world around him; it has no place where he may find recreation. Medical facilities in many cases are not properly available. There is no civic and hygienic sense among villagers.
The life of a villager is often dull and unattractive. The only things which come to break the (dullness) of his life are a fair, a scandal or a dispute, a death or a marriage. It is a life steeped in ignorance, superstition and poverty.
Another aspect of human life villagers has seldom developed. Living amidst the scenes and sights of Nature, it is a pity that they cannot appreciate them. Greenfields, leafy trees, moving herds, singing birds and bubbling springs would delight a city-bred person, but rarely a villager.
But recently the lot of a village has begun to improve. Schools and dispensaries have been opened in most of the villages so that illiteracy and disease may be removed. There is generally a Panchayat Ghar where the petty disputes of villagers are heard and settled.
There is a radio-set along with a loud-speaker which amuses the villagers with songs and gives them the latest information about the weather conditions, the market prices and tips to improve agriculture.
Landlordism and the Jagirdari system have been abolished. The land has been given to the tiller. The price level of agricultural products has gone up. Food-grains, vegetables, fruit, milk, etc. all have become dearer with the result that the lot of villagers has begun to improve.
Now common things like a cycle, a radio-set, a watch, etc are no longer beyond the reach of villagers. Sanitary conditions have begun to improve. Electricity has been provided to most of the villages and a network of roads has been spread to connect villages with their nearest town.
Every village is now connected with the outside world through the tele phone. It is hoped that the life of villager will be made still better, happier and stronger in the near future.
