In drought-prone rural Kutch district in western India, illiterate women’s collectives have studied local geology and cleared out traditional tanks, becoming self-reliant in water production. Now they are actually independent of government water supply. The wealthiest, most educated Indians in modern cities cannot manage this. The film looks at the inspiring example of the feisty, tattooed grandmother Hansabai Buddha, a local heroine of this movement.
Synopsis:
Kutch district in Gujarat state, western India, near the Indo-Pakistan border, is so drought-prone, that water was once even costlier than milk! With just 13 days of rainfall a year, women had to walk five kilometers to fetch drinking water. Now a collective of illiterate rural women has cocked a snook at government water supply by studying the local geology, reviving traditional baodis/water tanks and independently generating year-round water. They were organized by two NGOs, the Kutch Mahila Vikas Sanghatana and Sahjeevan, with support from the state government and other partners. They use internet and mobile phones, map the area, study its geology and build percolation tanks, borewells and farm bunds. Now they just flick a solar pump switch on to get water. Hansbai, an illiterate Rabari grandmother who galvanized Karamta village, is a popular local heroine who travels widely on “water tours” to different villages to inspire other women.
This women’s collective is radically redrawing the social map of India in many ways: it challenges men’s power hierarchy by having cattle grazing women share the same platform as senior government officials on water committees. It also unites members of different castes and religions like Ahirs and Muslims that traditionally never mixed. And it brings conservative Muslim women to the forefront by investing them with a crucial, public role. Whereas in Mumbai, the modern commercial capital of India, even the richest and most powerful would find it hard to survive a day without government water supply, unless they’re part of the Bisleri mineral water bottle culture.
Bio Note:
I have been a film journalist for two decades and consultant for several international film festivals like Berlin, Venice and Cannes for many years now, selecting and representing Indian cinema.
*Directed a short film, Looking for Amitabh, 5 mins, 2003, in which Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s blind fans evoke him through various senses, except vision—hearing, smell, touch, instinct. The film was shown at 10 film festivals worldwide, including Pusan (Korea), Commonwealth Film Festival (UK).*Line-produced five feature-length, international documentaries shot in India incl:
-- Comrades in Dreams directed by Uli Gaulke, Germany, 90m, produced by Arte.
--Women Behind the Camera directed by Alexis Krasilovsky, USA, 90 mins, 2007.
* Wrote for ‘Women Managing Water: Inspiring Stories from South Asia’ CD Volume, SaciWaters, 2010: Kutch women pioneers
* Consultant for the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program-South Asia, 2008-09.
* Am on the board of Point of View (POV), a non-profit that promotes the viewpoints of women through popular media (www.pointofview.org).
TREATMENT (Please refer to the presentation below with the relevant visuals)
In South Mumbai--a megalopolis of 16million population--Nandini, the well-heeled wife of the CEO of a multinational company, complains about one day’s water cut during municipal pipe repairs. She has stocked her house and garage with hundreds of Bisleri mineral water bottles that costs Rs 20/bottle. On the rare day there is no water supply, the rich order private water tankers that bring well water to the high-rises in the megalopolis. Nandini drops her son at an international baccalaureat school and goes to play cards at the Bombay Gymkhana, British built genteel club to ease her woes, and where her daughter splashes at the club swimming pool. The water Nandini would use up just I n the flick of the water flush—let alone in that swimming pool--would mean drinking water for a rural Indian family for a whole week. But for all her wealth, education, status and mega-city savoire faire, Nandini is completely vulnerable when it comes to water, and would struggle to survive even a day without government water supply.
Meanwhile, deep in the heart of Kutch district in Gujarat, in the desert near the Indo-Pakistan border where ‘vanchdos’—enormous dust spirals--teeter on the horizon, are hundreds of illiterate women who have become self-reliant and independent of government water supply. They have actually had a lawyer write to the government stating that they do not want its water supply, fearing that bills will follow! We meet Hansbai Buddha, a feisty, tattooed, illiterate cattle-grazing Rabari grandmother who galvanized Karamta village in Abdasa taluka, Kutch district, to become self-reliant in water. Hansbai recalls how once, no one wanted to marry into this drought-hit village. Now, the village is drought-proof. We follow the village women and youth who were trained in local geology and hydrology by the Kutch Mahila Vikas Sanghatana (KMVS) and Sahjeevan, two NGOs, supported by the state government and other partners. Following the training, the village water committee revived a traditional baodi/tank, built a borewell, percolation dam and cattle trough. With much less water than those in cities, they truly celebrate life! The radical women’s collective is shaking the old order in many ways. It challenges men’s power hierarchy by having cattle-grazing women share the same platform as senior government officials on water management committees. It unites members of different castes and religions like Ahirs and Muslims, that traditionally never mixed. And it puts conservative rural Muslim women at the forefront by giving them a crucial, public role.
In the Muslim-dominated Dador village, Nakhatrana taluka, Kutch, it is very inspiring to see the Muslim women’s collective leading the local drinking water management and getting the men’s full support. When KMVS first went there, the men were scared and told them, ‘Don’t make our women too modern, baad mein phas jayenge’ (or we’ll be trapped). Nonetheless, the women studied the local geology, built a pond, well and dam for recharging the well. Now they get year-round drinking water through a solar pump, as well as water for irrigation--all without government water supply. The men are very pleased, even proud of their wives. The women’s collective includes representatives from the Ahirs, Darbars and Muslim communities and has strengthened the inter-community dialogue. Hansbai goes on “water tours” lecturing and inspiring women in water conservation in scores of villages. She reflects philosophically, “We come into the world alone and go alone. Our Maker will ask, what did you do on Earth?” Her answer is a big, knowing smile of satisfaction. Her favourite cow gives her a big lick—as if agreeing entirely. Meanwhile, city socialite Nandini tosses out one more Bisleri bottle. As the mountain of Bisleri water bottles grows—the sound track, featuring lively folk music and songs on rain and water, reaches a crescendo.
Sample of previous work:
Presentation of the Project:
In Mumbai, India—a city with 16 million population—Nandini Rao, a CEO’s wealthy and highly educated wife, is entirely dependent on the government water supply. The day there’s a water cut, she goes ballistic.
Nandini is rich enough to afford Bisleri bottled mineral water for daily use. The water she would use up in just the flick of the water flush, would mean enough drinking water for a rural Indian family.
Whenever there is a water cut in the city, those who can afford them,scramble desperately to get private water tankers that bring well water to the high-rises in the metropolis.
Meanwhile, Kutch district in Gujarat state, in the desert near the western Indo-Pakistan border, was much worse off. It got just 13 days of rain in a year and was so drought-prone, that water was once costlier than milk!
The men, cattle herders, would migrate in search of fodder, leaving the women to fend for themselves. The women had to walk five kilometers to fetch drinking water daily. Often, men don’t even know from where their women get water: it simply arrives!
The villagers were reduced to drinking awful, tea-coloured water, if even that was available. At one time, people would refuse to give their daughters in marriage into this district, because of its acute water scarcity. 
All that changed with Hansbai Buddha, a feisty 55-year old Rabari grandmother of Karamta village in Abdasa, Kutch district. She heads a women’s water committee that actually turned their drought-prone village into a self-reliant one that gets year-round water, and is actually independent of government water supply! 
lThe women were organised and trained by the Kutch Mahila Vikas Sanghatana and Sahjeevan, two NGOs, along with their partners. They started a ‘Water is Ours’ campaign to make thirsty villagers self-reliant in water, rather than rely on government promises. 
The women’s collectives studied the local geology, before clearing traditional tanks and digging wells. Each collective also appointed a member on the NGO’s governing board, so cattle-grazing women could now talk to government officials as equals. So the men often got jealous. 
To defuse the situation, the women’s groups start with what men see as “women’s issues,” like eco-friendly stoves and toilets. As they understand ecology better, they move to water source development for the village. lIn Khari village, women transformed drought relief work into drought proofing work. 45 women built a well by themselves. They were less corrupt and more hard working. Whereas men in the adjacent village only managed a shabby road under the drought relief programme. 
Kutch has very diverse ethnic communities, including high caste Hindus, low caste Harijans, and ethnic Muslim communities, each living in their own worlds. The women had no reason to meet, and never went out without a man. But building the village tank galvanised everyone. 
In the Muslim-dominated Dador village, in Nakhatrana in Kutch district, it is very inspiring to see conservative Muslim women play public roles in leading water management. The men are very proud of their women’s achievements.
lThe women in the collectives enthusiastically go on “water tours” to Aurangabad, Ralegan Siddhi, Dungarpur and Udaipur to learn and share experiences that benefit everyone--villagers, agriculture and cattle.
However harsh and unforgiving nature is, with whatever little they have, the women of Kutch know to truly celebrate life! .
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