Changing face of Indian villages

India is a land of villages. It is said that real India lives in villages. About seventy per cent of its population lives in villages. India is undergoing revolutionary changes. Its villages are not untouched by those changes.

The changes are reflected in every walk of life. These changes have been brought by various agents. These include science, technology, and spread of education, advent of media in rural areas, industrialisation, urbanisation and migration. Hence the lifestyle, attitude and thinking have changed greatly in rural India.

In fact these factors have combined to change the ritualistic rural society into a dynamic society.

Traditionally, Hindu society has been caste ridden. Caste-based division has been prominently visible in rural India. The people of upper caste treated themselves superior to the people of lower caste. Discrimination against them was a commonplace event. People of upper caste did not eat or drink anything even touched by the lower caste people. Even they were not allowed to take water from the well used by the upper caste people.

This is a good sign.

The access of media has brought big changes in their life. Now they have realised the importance of education. They no longer hold back their girls from going to schools and colleges. They have begun to come out of the four walls of their homes. They have started sharing responsibility with their male counterpart. Naturally, it has a positive impact on society.

Agriculture, which is the mainstay of rural economy, is also being influenced by the winds of changes sweeping across various walks of life. It is no longer left to the mercy of Nature. The agrarian reforms, increasing application of science and technology are bringing sea changes in the faces of villages. Availability of safe drinking water and electricity has made the life of the villagers easier and comfortable. Mass media has also contributed a lot to change the life of the villages. Now rituals and superstitions have begun fading away. People have begun to see things in the light of reason and logic.

There is a great awakening in the villagers. They are now politically and economically aware and sound. There is no longer casteism in rural society. These changes are likely to have good impact on overall progress of India.