Datia:  Standing atop Hadapahar surrounded by the flame of the forest (dhak) and kardhai trees overlooking the single-storey houses of this small town in Madhya Pradesh, which lead to the striking palaces of the Maharaja of Datia, it was hard to believe that just five years ago this hillside was a bald as Yul Bryner’s head.  Hardly a blade of grass appeared to relieve the monotony of earth and stone that dominated it.  But photographs of it confirm its denuded state.

Its transformation is the work of Air Vice Marshal S. Sahni and his dedicated band of Development Alternatives field-staff based in Jhansi.

It all began prosaically enough.  A meeting with an enthusiastic district collector, Mrs. Tinoo Joshi, in May 1986, laid the foundations for the experiment that was later to include the construction of about 60 check-dams that have transformed agricultural practices in this pat of Budelkhand even as it has raised the income of the farmers.

But that is running ahead of events.  As the Development Alternatives team was based in Jhansi, its first preference was to initiate work among the unused land lying under the harsh glare of the sun in order to turn it into a productive asset.

The local Uttar Pradesh government officials at that stage did not respond.  Whereas the Madhya Pradesh district collector, on discovering D.A.’s plans, contacted and offered it the revenue land, the two hillocks (Hadapahar and Patara) on either side of the town of Datia.  and hence began the greening of the hillsides.

The plan was simple:  To encourage natural re-generation by giving the root-stock of the area a chance.  That essentially involved protecting the area from biotic interference, that is the destruction of vegetation by man and beast.  The natural re-generation was aided by soil and moisture conservation measures.  This involved digging trenches so that most of the rain during the monsoon is absorbed by the hill sought to be afforested.  The trenches are five metres long (0.5 metres deep and 0.5 metres wide).  On a average, there are 666 trenches a hectare, and they are so designed that  if water escapes those in one row, the trenches at a lower level can trap it - described as “staggered contoured trenches”.

The Datia team, also operating in Jhansi district since last year, was determined that not a drop of rain received in the Bundelkhand area where it is working should go to waste.  The average rainfall of the area (Jhansi-Datia) is 800 mm, most of which falls during end June to mid-September.  There are, generally, 21 rainy days during the monsoon season; on two to three days during the monsoons, more than 50 mm of rain water falls during two to three cloud bursts causing the trenches to overflow.  Fortunately, all the hills of Bundelkhand have red murram soil that absorbs water rapidly - as opposed to alluvial soil which does not.  The staggered trenches also assist to draw in most of the water falling in the area.

As a result, the top fertile layer of soil (six cm) has not been washed down the hillsides, the moisture level has risen, strengthening the root stock, and a second lot of grasses has begun to grow.

During the first year, the natural grass emerged, and, in the second, the legume stylo hemata, which contains 32 per cent crude protein and fixed Nitrogen into the soil, was introduced.  The legume grew as a result of direct seeding; when mixed with natural grass, it forms a nutritious animal feed, hence the milk production of the cattle increases dramatically.

As for trees, the hillsides had rootstocks of dhak in the main, as well as ber, kardhai, kaim, kanker, kikar, neem and chirol.  To these, the Datia team have added khair (through direct seeding), and the maximum number of Prosopis juliflora (vilayati babul) because, thanks to its thorns, the cattle cannot make a meal of it.

To check cattle from gobbling the other species, a trench or CPT (Cattle Proof Trench) has been dug around the hillsides.

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The afforestation project in Jhansi district is much larger than the one at Datia.  Of the 1,100 hectars of land that is sought to be reclaimed, 300 hectares will be covered with plantations by 1994 monsoon.

In Dhikoli village, which has a picturesque talao, 130 hectares of land is sought to be afforested, even as the 100 year old talao is converted into a tourist/ picnic spot.  The villagers manage it and use it to irrigate their fields.  The Development Alternatives team intends to first prevent siltation and subsequently develop a park around it. 

The afforestation will be undertaken on two categories of land: grmsabha wasteland and punarwas area, reserved for the canal and earth work evicted oustees.

The local people are not willing to work on the afforestation site.  In fact, the residents of Bundelkhand, Sanjay Dubey, senior engineer (agriculture) would have us believe, are not interested in working at all.  “They are uncooperative even if the project benefits them”, he remarks with more than a touch of resignation.  And this is probably why he rejects my ideas of involving people in community forestry and giving them usufruct rights.

Hence tribal labour is sought from as far away as 300 km. to 400 km.  At the Dhikoli site, the Gonds from Maharajpur, Chattarpur district, 150-200 km. from Jhansi, had set up camp.  As Sanjay Dubey pointed out “We call them because they are trained in forestry work.”  They have worked with the forest department in forest areas and are familiar with afforestation exercises of various types.  another advantage is that they do not take leave and return to their villages; at best, the Gonds take a couple of days off for Holi. 

At the Dhikole site, 90 Gonds, men and women, have been building trenches around the area on which saplings have to be planted; pits have been dug and gully plugging completed.  On an average, such adivasis make Rs. 50 a day.  Kisan Lal form Maharajpur says they will be there as long as it takes to complete the job.  In the evenings, they relax with the help of mahua.  Though there are few mahua trees here, they are able to get the “lutere (thieves) belonging to the kanjar tribe, to supply it from wherever they can obtain it”, says Puran Lal, the headman. 

At the Sijwaha (Jhansi district) site, on two hillocks, each about 10 hectares, the staggered countered trenches have been completed, as well as the CPT.  It was a totally denuded hill but the natural regeneration (through trenches) will enable the dhak, cherol and tendu species to come up.  The Development Alternatives team has also planted some thorny species such as khair (provides katha for pan) and Israil babul; some types of grasses have been braodcasted such as stylo hemata.

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We woke early next morning to visit the fort of the Ranji of Jhansi.  Later, we were scheduled to visit a number of check-dams constructed by the Datia team in the districts of Datia and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh, as well as Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. 

While in Rome ......so we did what the Jhansi-walas do, had a glass of steaming, hot milk at a way-side stall and some jalebis (my stomach was to go for a six later),  and after being sufficiently fortified, we set off for the fort on top of the hill which sets it apart from the rest of the town.  At the entrance, the immortal poem of the Rani is written on a board which concludes with “Bundele harbolo ke muh se hamne suni kahani thi, khub ladi mardani wo to jhansi vali rani thi.”  These two lines still remain with me from my school class room recitations. 

We did the rounds, stopping longest at the place from which the Rani jumped 64 feet from the parapet and ascaped to Gwalior on horseback with her adopted son. 

Shortly, thereafter, we made our way to visit some of the 60 odd checkdams which have been constructed by Development Alternatives since 1989.  Of these, 40 are medium sized dams - 33 in Datia, 13 in Jhansi - and four large dams (costing between Rs. 3.5 and Rs. 4.5 lakhs) and the rest are small (costing around Rs. 50,000/- to Rs. 60,000/-). 

The check-dam at Chirulia is classed as a medium one.   The villages are faring much better now, growing a second crop of urad, til, groundnut.  Chatrabhuj, a resident of Chirulia who own 1.5 acres, grows bhuta, and, during winter, he takes a crop of wheat.  Formerly, he used to grow only one crop. 

Now that his well is full, built at a cost of Rs. 13,500 which he got as a loan four years ago, he has water to irrigate more than two seasonal crops.  It had 20-25 feet of water.  As we were gazing down on it, seeing our wavering reflections, the shrill shriek of a train dashing down to Delhi from Jhansi startled the crows sitting on top of dhak trees. 

In fact, dhak has been grown on the bandhs of fields of many farmers.  Their trunks bear markings where they have received cuts to extract the gum. 

The dhak leaves are also used to make cups and plates by stitching a few of them together, but they are not nearly as good as the more pliable sal leaves. 

Alongside the nala, the beshram meaning shameless, stands row upon row.  This Australian import takes its name from the fact that it grows no sooner than its name from the fact that it grows no sooner than it is cut and no matter how often, a silent reminder of resilience.  The Development Alternatives team has been using it to make briquettes. 

The check dam at Chirulia on the nala is among four others constructed on it, enabling farmers from several villages to take advantage of the raised water table.  In Chatabhuj’s Chirulia the caste break-up is as follows: Brahmin 70 houses, Harijan 75 houses, Kusava 10 houses, Bagala 10 houses and Yadav 20 houses.   Chatrabhuj, a member of the panchayat, is a Yadav, the dominant caste of the area.   The sarpanch of the panchayat is a Yadav.    

Near the check-dam, a mahua tree stands in grand isolation, a reminder of the tribal hamlets that I have visited in Madhay Pradesh and Orissa.  The flowers and leaves of the tree provide benefits ranging from food to drink for the adivasis.

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On our return to Datia, we pass by the Collectorate.  Outside is a motley crowd shouting slogans on the Dunkel Proposals, of all things.  Dunkel and Datia!  Who could have imagined such concern among the residents of this small town.  The representative supporters of the two parties who have joined hands on the Dunkel issue are as incongruous: they belong to the Bhartiya Janata Party and the Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav. 

As we watch the sloganeers, I order a kheera on which the rediwala (vendo) squeezes some lime and sprinkles salt and pepper.  The kheera slices vanish rapidly, another plate is ordered, then another.  It is a warm day and over us looms the palace of the former ruler of Datia, a reminder of Bundelkhand’s history.  The earliest reference that I could readily trace to it deals with the Vakatakas who emerged on the scene as the Satavahana power declined.  In fact, we are told that the nucleus of Vakataka power in the third century AD was Bundelkhand.  Pravarsena I was the outstanding leader of the Vakataks, enlarging his dominions not only through military might but matrimonial alliances as well.  During the fourth century, the Guptas of the Magadha empire clashed with the Sakas of Western India nd and help was crucial to the success of the former. 

Bundelkhand has remarkable temples, the striking one being those belonging to the Khajuraho group built by the Chandellas; the most well-known one, the Kandariya - Mahadeo temple was constructed around 1000 A.D. 

Jumping a few centuries ahead, we come to the Rani of Jhansi’s valiant campaign during what has been termed as India’s first fight for Independence in 1857.   In Central India, it was the rebellion of Tantia Topi, one of Nana Sahib’s lieutenant’s, and the Rani of Jhansi that gave the British “grave cause for concern,” in short, the jitters.  The Rani was captured in April 1958 but escaped from Jhansi to Gwalior where she fought “like a man” alongside Tantia Tope, and was, “killed in action”, to use a modern warfare term.

So much for Bundelkhand of the past.  The Bundelkhand of the present urgently needs, among other things, check-dams.  The types of check-dams constructed by Development Alternatives  in 30 odd  villages in this region of U.P. and M.P. are in the main of (i) RCC (steel and concrete), (ii) masonry, (iii) RCC cum masonry, (iv) stone slabs and (v) earthern. 

The check-dam at Raksha (Jhansi district) is of masonry and cost Rs. 1.53 lakhs.  It has water year round.  The water is impounded for upto a distance of 1.5 km. - its nose to tail length.  We visited it after it had rained and the dam was overflowing.  According to Rajendra Upadhyay, the civil engineer  in charge of check-dams, the Raksha dam had a couple of uncommon features; the soil bed was sandy and the materials for the foundation had to be filled in again and again.  Then “we have built the extension walls a metre and a half higher, a new design” explained AVM Sahni.  Besides, the dam is constructed in such a manner that the Arjun (the host tree for tassar silk) and karanj trees growing in the nala and on the embankment were not chopped down.  

The DA team was initially interested in developing this area as the rice bowl of the region.  But the soil survey revealed that this would not be a sound proposition.  Hence, the effort is now being made to promote pulses (dals such as arhar and moong) and oilseeds (such as groundnut, til and sunflower) during Kharif. 

The basic function of check-dams is to raise the groundwater level.  What is more, the water withdrawn from the wells (for irrigation) is very quickly re-charged.  This is amply demonstrated by the well on the field of the farmer Ram Nath, a Lodi Rajput who owns two acres.  The well is over 300 metres away from the Raksha dam and when we looked at it, the water level was well up.  Ram Nath recognised the contribution of the dam and said thanks to it he could now cultivate two/three more crops.  In the past, his well supplied water for two to three hours a day; now it did so for six to seven hours. 

Previously he could grow only wheat, but now he is also able to cultivate groundnuts, sunflower and vegetables during the Kharif season.  His income has shot up three times since last year. 

At Punawali, we visited the government check-dam the Development Alternatives team had repair: first, its height was raised; then, the floor was cemented; subsequently, the seepage was checked and the wing wall and guide walls were extended.  Another 800 metres from this check-dam, Development Alternatives has constructed a second one.  Hence, the area has sufficient water.  Barelal, a Kusawah (they are mainly agriculturists) who jointly owns 17-18 acres with his brother at Punawali said that thanks to them they had now begun to cultivate a pulse (moong) and groundnuts along with wheat.  They also maintained more animals whose produce was essentially for domestic consumption.  We came across many people ferrying milk in the typical large metal pails strapped on either side of a cycle or a scooter.  

Punawali has a secondary school, but the dawakhana (the Primary Health Centre) is at Raksha, 5 km. away.  Among the jatis, the Lodi Rajputs predominate (150 households) along with the Harijans (150 households).  There are a couple of households of Kayasthas (Srivastava), Thakurs and Kusawaha. 

The check-dams which have benefited most of the Punawali resident are superior to the big dams in more ways than one: (I) they do not cause environmental degradation as to the big ones, (ii) they are much more economical i.e. the cost-benefit ratio of check-dams is such that they enhance agricultural production in one season.  This meets the cost of construction: the Rs. 3 lakhs spent on a dam, for instance, is made up by the increase in the farmers income during one season, maximum two seasons.  The cost of developing assured irrigation potential for one hectare of crop land in the case of check-dams is well below Rs. 10,000 while in the case of large dams (Narmada Sagar, Tehri and others) with their extensive canal networks, the cost is closer to Rs. 21 lakhs.  Besides, the canals (not to mention the dams), displace people, cause salinity and water is often not available when most in need by the farmers;   (iii) the check dams water supply is controlled by the people, not so the water of big dams and finally;(iv) farmers do not pay a levy for water supplied by a check-dam, as they do for that made available by the larger dams.

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To go as far as Jhansi and not visit the glorious Orchha, no more than 20 km. away, would be a shame.  So we went to witness the contributions in stone - the palaces and temples - built by the Bundela rulers in the sixteenth and seventeenth century.  They overwhelmed me.  The Jehangir Mahal was built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo to commemorate the visit of the Emperor Jehangir to Orchha.  For a change, the tourist pamphlet does not appear trite when the writer notes “Its strong lines are counter-balanced by delicate chhatries and trellis work, the whole conveying an effect of extraordianry richness”.

Then there is the Raj Mahal, the Rai Praveen Mahal, the Ram Raja Temple, the Chaturbhuj Temple.  On our return we got a striking view of the palace through an arched gate conveying the grandeur of the whole complex and I thought that would make a lovely shot.  Unfortunately, our cameraman has not brought his camera.  Still the memory is fresh with the Jehangir Palace on the banks of the serene Betwa in which crocodiles have recently been released so they can breed and multiply.  q

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