MAN PROPOSES, GOD DISPOSES (15th December 2010, 2010 Hrs)

When I arrived in Vidarbha in April 2010, I really didn’t have any idea of the ground realities that I would be facing in coming months and many-many years in future. Yes, I was just blogging on the farmers’ suicide in Vidarbha since the last couple of years reading about them in dailies, online and magazines. The only thing I was armed with was my devotion and passion to support the suicide farmers’ families all my life.

I had to learn from scratch by interacting with various individuals, experts and noted figures who have contributed since many years... keen observation and research were the essential part of the whole exercise. While I was interacting with villagers and affected families, I learned a great deal about the complexities of the problems... yet there were many-many things that I was and am to learn in coming months and years with each passing day.

Like anyone from the city, I too believed in planning things according to my perception and ideas... things on ground were just the opposite. It is here when I was reminded of the old saying – Man proposes, God disposes – Whatever said and done, things are never at our hands... the misconception that we humans always tend to interpret of achieving great success... in reality, we are mere puppets at the hands of God, who utilises us whenever we are required to give an action its results.

First of all, the high summer temperature in Vidarbha, then heavy rainfall, then the festive season while farmers continued to succumb to suicide at regular intervals and then the harvesting season followed by the winter season... each month was different from the other and I just had to witness one thing after another like a mute spectator... enthusiasm turned into depression and depression led to a new high with tremendous patience developing with each passing day... each individual that I interacted with, taught me new-new things and the acquired knowledge about the ground problems became more handy... and as destined... I was being played at the hands of God all through my life.

I really don’t know how this journey is going to shape up in the coming months and years but one thing I am glad that God chose me to be in Vidarbha for a reason and the reason is – support 4 suicide farmers’ families!!!