From The Fields : Paapad, a Temple and Bees

By Angela Sevin
Today was a full, full day! Full of information, appreciations, problems, solutions, puzzles, questions, hopes and dreams. From a ‘mom and pop’ paapad production business (started on $30 and now employing 10 women) to a woman who may well be India's first modern woman farmer/beekeeper (driving a tractor despite taboos in 1973!), we were inspired to think twice about our expectations. We were invited to look beyond the surface to gain a deeper understanding of the many ways in which humans are moving into alignment with the Earth.
Virginia Satir describes a human living humanely as, “a person who is real and is willing to take risks, to be creative, to manifest competence, to change when the situation calls for it, and to find ways to accommodate to what is new and different, keeping that part of the old that is still useful and discarding what is not.” At every turn in our day, I felt more… human.
Our leaders on this trip, WEA Co-Directors Amira and Melinda along with WEA’s India Initiative Coordinator Arielle, wove our group in and out of events of the day with seamless grace. They pointed us always in the direction of deep listening, exchange, staying present, bringing our full selves, and more deep listening.
Our morning was filled with a visit to a paapad business started by a Punjabi woman and her husband. We were impressed by this woman's ability to work alongside her husband to establish a local food production business, literally from scratch, starting with just $30. The regular employment of 10 women in this area means that they have jobs outside of their homes and a way to earn money. Paapad is a very nutritious baked good made from lentils that are ground into a base dough. Of course, we had tea with some of the treats made up for us there on the spot!
A healthy discussion occurred on our bus ride to the Golden Temple in Amritsar with each Delegate asking and listening to some difficult questions related to cultural barriers, and how we could learn from this experience. We ate a communal lunch at this marvelous Sikh temple and we felt so appreciative of everything we were experiencing (walking through water and reflections on pools help clear the mind!)
In the afternoon we visited Sangeeta Deol’s 2 hectare farm and we knew that we had entered a special place. Sangeeta radiated a light and presence when, after our introductions and beginning round of enquiries, she asked of us, do you have 20 minutes for me to tell my story? A resounding “yes!” was our answer and we were drawn into her world. She told of her journey with a certain incredulousness as to how indeed she was able to achieve so much while overcoming polio at age 4, losing her daughter and raising 2 grandchildren. It spoke volumes to us, too, as all the while her husband quietly supported her from the background. And while there is not a huge market for honey in this part of India (it is used primarily for medicinal purposes), bees are vital for cross-pollination and for sustaining life on this planet.
We did not want to leave this heroine of farming. And we hope that many more seek refuge at her open doorway, finding a connection that brings us closer to each other as humans and moves us into alignment with the Earth.
Angela Sevin: As a co-founder and director of LEAP (Land Empowerment Animals People), and a director of The Green Life peer education class at San Quentin, I encourage people from all walks of life to come together and share their hopes and desires as well as sorrow and despair about the condition of life here on our planet home. I have a master's degree in experiential education and I've volunteered in numerous capacities for a wide spectrum of non-profit organizations as an outdoor educator, group leader, peer counselor and mentor. Since the mid 90s, I've worked toward creating educational environments inclusive of social change ideals and activist principles balanced with the pursuit of individual empowerment. By viewing differences compassionately, facilitating others (including myself!) to discover their passion, and with a unique focus on global wisdom, I envision a future where creativity and learning are nurtured in a way that accepts the communal spirit of all beings. I've traveled to many parts of the world, including Kenya, Senegal, and Malaysia, working with groups and communities to build partnerships and collaborations that create mutually transformative processes which seek to balance the needs of all.
This is part of a series entitled From The Fields which follows WEA's Women and Agriculture delegation on their 10 day journey through Northern India. Read more about this initiative here.