Welcome to Kahnaur village in Haryana – a community proud of all it has to offer – from the usual creche and chaupal (community centre) to a women empowerment cell and even a digital library. Some call Kahnaur a “six-star” village given how many amenities are available.
Dressed in their school colours and laden down with books, children are happy to have the Government Model Sanskriti Primary School in the village. Education is the backbone of progress and offering a safe and clean space for children to learn and receive their midday meal is vital.
Having a digital library with free wifi in a remote village is not just 21st century lux – it is an essential way for the youth to connect with the wider world, find government apps and resources meant to help them receive rural benefits and, crucially, search online for employment opportunities.
In fact the village does not have only one digital library but two. They both run round the clock, helping young villagers to greater opportunities and wider social networks. It is a boon for many students who do not have easy access to wifi and would spend time getting their mobiles recharged.
Creche, a modern pre-school, is also available to the working women in this village. Most women can freely engage in their work or tend to the fields because of it. It improves the scope of women being able to work in the village.
Clean water is essential for life. But having it close to hand is essential for freeing women – on whom the burden of fetching water often falls. With RO supply. The village has three reoxygenated drinking water supply spots where the villagers can fetch clean drinking water from.
A veterinary hospital is a must for any village as rural people usually face many issues with the well being of their livestock like cows and goats. The village has an extensive veterinary hospital to attend to the local animals.
Despite the RO supply spots, the panchayat has also ensured its traditions are preserved. It has conserved its century-old water well and given it a structural significance by making an edifice around it.
The lead image on top shows women gather at the aanganwadi centre in Kahnaur village in Haryana. The rural day care centre lives up to its name of “courtyard shelter,” offering more than just a place to look after the village children.
Kumar Gaurav, a Village Square Fellow 2023-24, is a multilingual audio-visual journalist based in Bihar.
