Migrant workers - proof of family bond in India
Migrant workers - proof of family bond in India
Unlike the western countries, in India the concept of family is rather different. In India people swear by the name of their family. Whether the Indians are seven years or seventy years old, they prefer staying within the family. This is in contrast to the West, where children prefer to stay as individuals no sooner than fifteen years or so of age. The people of the country strongly establish the need and importance of family in India. And this time around it was in the behaviour of the migrant workers during the pandemic that the entire world witnessed the inclination of the country towards family bonds.
The lockdown brought about a sudden misery to the entire country, but mostly to the labour class who were migrants. These workers were without jobs to begin with; added to this a good many did not have money, food or shelter. But all of this was not a thing of worry for them; what they wanted as a mass was to get back to their own people. The urge to reach back to their kindred was so intense that even the distance did not seem to be a problem to them.
After failing to bear the immense difficulties and questionable ill treatment from landlords and employers during the Covid-19, most of the migrant workers decided to return to their villages. Some walked, some cycled, and some hitchhiked. The fathers carried the children on their shoulders and the women balanced the belongings on their heads on the way to their home state. Some migrant workers travelled mile after mile solely on foot and that too without sufficient food and water. Reaching home was their only goal and that is what they did. This they did to the extent that they would not even give a thought to the fact that they could lose their lives in the effort to return home.
The walk of the pregnant ladies, young children and even the numerous men did not seem anything less than the march of valiant warriors in the bid to conquer something. It was heart-rending to see the electronic media covering news of the deaths of these migrant workers who decided to take their life in their hands and walk for thousands of kilometres. However, no matter what the situation was, the migrant workers did not abandon their families. Being quarantined during the Covid-19 lockdown had intensified their desire to return to the warmth and care of their loved ones in their villages. There seemed to be no stopping the migrant workers in returning home.
The absence of food and water claimed some lives on the roads as did the accidents caused by the few trains that were plying. Some had the provision of cycling back to their villages instead of walking. The trouble that this neglected section of the society undertook, only goes to show the great family bond that exists in almost every Indian. Those who were alone too, had the deep urge to get back to their own people as the Corona Virus unleashed its terror on their family members who were away in the villages. For fathers like Rampukar, it was probably the most difficult walk of his life; when he heard his wife cry over the phone informing of their son’s severe illness. Rampukar was working at a construction site in Delhi before the lockdown was imposed in India. It is hard to imagine the condition of the father who had yet to cover more than a thousand kilometres. Though his body had given away, his will power helped him move forward; with the little hope that he would meet his son.
For migrant labourers who were stuck in cities with their families during the lockdown, the urgency to return to the comforts of their villages was quite evident. The same was true for Durgabai, an Adivasi woman migrant worker from Udaipur who was working in Rajasthan as a casual construction labourer. Durgabai was greatly concerned about the safety of her family during the pandemic. For workers like her, returning to their villages at any cost was the best option to safeguard the families against the Covid-19 virus which was wreaking havoc in big cities and some states.
The display of conviction and dedication of these workers after going against all odds of existence is a great proof of the family bond in India.
© Arked
Unlike the western countries, in India the concept of family is rather different. In India people swear by the name of their family. Whether the Indians are seven years or seventy years old, they prefer staying within the family. This is in contrast to the West, where children prefer to stay as individuals no sooner than fifteen years or so of age. The people of the country strongly establish the need and importance of family in India. And this time around it was in the behaviour of the migrant workers during the pandemic that the entire world witnessed the inclination of the country towards family bonds.
The lockdown brought about a sudden misery to the entire country, but mostly to the labour class who were migrants. These workers were without jobs to begin with; added to this a good many did not have money, food or shelter. But all of this was not a thing of worry for them; what they wanted as a mass was to get back to their own people. The urge to reach back to their kindred was so intense that even the distance did not seem to be a problem to them.
After failing to bear the immense difficulties and questionable ill treatment from landlords and employers during the Covid-19, most of the migrant workers decided to return to their villages. Some walked, some cycled, and some hitchhiked. The fathers carried the children on their shoulders and the women balanced the belongings on their heads on the way to their home state. Some migrant workers travelled mile after mile solely on foot and that too without sufficient food and water. Reaching home was their only goal and that is what they did. This they did to the extent that they would not even give a thought to the fact that they could lose their lives in the effort to return home.
The walk of the pregnant ladies, young children and even the numerous men did not seem anything less than the march of valiant warriors in the bid to conquer something. It was heart-rending to see the electronic media covering news of the deaths of these migrant workers who decided to take their life in their hands and walk for thousands of kilometres. However, no matter what the situation was, the migrant workers did not abandon their families. Being quarantined during the Covid-19 lockdown had intensified their desire to return to the warmth and care of their loved ones in their villages. There seemed to be no stopping the migrant workers in returning home.
The absence of food and water claimed some lives on the roads as did the accidents caused by the few trains that were plying. Some had the provision of cycling back to their villages instead of walking. The trouble that this neglected section of the society undertook, only goes to show the great family bond that exists in almost every Indian. Those who were alone too, had the deep urge to get back to their own people as the Corona Virus unleashed its terror on their family members who were away in the villages. For fathers like Rampukar, it was probably the most difficult walk of his life; when he heard his wife cry over the phone informing of their son’s severe illness. Rampukar was working at a construction site in Delhi before the lockdown was imposed in India. It is hard to imagine the condition of the father who had yet to cover more than a thousand kilometres. Though his body had given away, his will power helped him move forward; with the little hope that he would meet his son.
For migrant labourers who were stuck in cities with their families during the lockdown, the urgency to return to the comforts of their villages was quite evident. The same was true for Durgabai, an Adivasi woman migrant worker from Udaipur who was working in Rajasthan as a casual construction labourer. Durgabai was greatly concerned about the safety of her family during the pandemic. For workers like her, returning to their villages at any cost was the best option to safeguard the families against the Covid-19 virus which was wreaking havoc in big cities and some states.
The display of conviction and dedication of these workers after going against all odds of existence is a great proof of the family bond in India.
© Arked