shift. Imagine… it is a hot summer afternoon, a humid night and neither the fan nor the lights are on in your house. Will you be able to live like this even for a day? Probably not. But today we are going to introduce you to a family which has not even touched electricity for the last 7 years. A family from Auwa village of Pali district of Rajasthan is living their life by the light of lamps in today’s ‘Digital India’.
This is not a hobby, but the result of a horrifying accident, which created such a fear of electricity in the minds of this family that they got the connection of their house disconnected. After all, what was that accident, which forced a laughing family to live in darkness? See our special report…
An accident changed life
Till 7 years ago, there was electricity connection in his house, but one day suddenly the electric wire fell in the courtyard of the house. At that time the entire family was in the back rooms of the house. Salaram tells that if he had not been at home that day, the entire family could have died. That scene created such fear in his heart that he cut off the electricity connection.
Even today, my soul trembles when I remember that day.
Salaram says, “My soul trembles thinking what would have happened if I was not at home that day. I got the connection disconnected for the safety of my children and taught them to live without electricity.” As the sun sets, the daily routine of this family comes to an end. The kitchen work is completed even before evening. If it gets dark, food is cooked in the dim light of an earthen lamp. School going children complete their homework sitting in front of the lamp flame. There is only one mobile in the house, which has to be charged at the neighbour’s house. To avoid the heat and humidity, the entire family sleeps under the open sky in the courtyard.
Accident has happened due to lamp also
Will the light return in the future?
Salaram and Dimple say that at present they have become accustomed to living like this. However, he hopes that when the children grow up and can protect themselves, then perhaps they will think about getting an electricity connection again. Till then the struggle of this family continues amidst fear and darkness.