A tangy gift

If I asked you to tell me about the most expensive gifts you have received, what would that be? Most of us use the price of those gifts to determine their worth. But we have also received a few gifts that one could never put a price tag on. Gifts do have the power to create a core memory; we feel blessed and rewarded for doing our job.

Amidst a soaring temperature of 45 degrees in a remote village in Maharashtra, I visited a project site at Darewadi, near Nasik.

Mumbai to Darewadi via Pune is approximately 306 km, and after a half-sleep due to a power cut, the thought of stepping out in the sun was nothing less than a punishment for a privileged urban dweller like me.

I reached a village and was interacting with officials about water challenges and the water budgeting situation. After my visit, I rushed to settle in an air-conditioned car and was desperately looking for my water bottle.

I heard a knock at my car window. A villager approached me with a smile and asked me to lower the car window. He said, Madam, this is for you, pointing at a wood apple (Kiwit or Belphal). Tangy, earthy fruits like tamarind smell tempting. I could not resist the offer, instantly grabbed it, and stepped out to thank him.

This generous farmer happily shared that in the whole village, there are only two trees, and this year, due to drought, not much was grown other than a few pulses and a less-maintenance crop. So, what I received was a special fruit, for sure. Another farmer sitting a bit far under a tree said, Please enjoy it with some salt and chili powder, Tai (sister). This will taste better than candy from your city.

I couldn’t thank them enough and expressed my gratitude for sharing it with me. My field life is blessed with such heartwarming gestures and kindness. I couldn’t share the fruit, thus the story.