FARMER’S WIDOW OF METIKHEDA: LIFE MUST GO ON…

PLEASE NOTE: All those readers, who wish and want to join hands in creating solutions for debt ridden and distressed families, please contact Trustee SWAPNIL BARAI at: azadswapnil@gmail.com

Many a times, I have failed to understand the existence of God. Many a times, I question the Creator of the Universe as to why s/he created the world that has more miseries than happiness. Why does the Creator always harass the poor, test them with natural calamities, troubles them with life – that is full of struggle, not to mention the harassment by the System of the Nation. How the poor makes their ends meet to survive is truly very-very painful and heart rendering.

Life must go on…

That is what each one of us is doing in this universe. Problems of life never cease to exist. Certainly it is not at all fair O’ God!

Swapnil Barai, our Trustee, did an extensive research work recently in Yavatmal district, interacting with farmers’ suicide affected families. It is not at all an experience anybody would even dream to have, because knowing the journey of farmer’s suicide and thereafter how the widow has to survive the onslaught of rural society and life… is beyond any words can ever explain or describe. We (Swapnil and I) have interacted with many such cases and each time, it drains us to jolt from inside and the painful thoughts that lingers for life, are difficult to overcome as we feel so-so helpless.

Late Farmer Subhash Vishwanath Patil, Village Metikheda, Yavatmal

Our Trust – support 4 suicide farmers families, Wardha – is doing our best in a very-very small way to help support such families by sponsoring a girl child of the family with a 7-Year-Recurring Deposit (Rs. 500/- Monthly installment) for higher education. This amount will come in handy for the child when she is ready to enter college to excel in life. Few beautiful angels have been very kind to extend financial support to our Trust for such endeavor. We are grateful to all the beautiful angels, who have come forward to help such families.

Widow Jotsna with her daughter Rohini & son Rohan

Farmer Subhash Vishwanath Patil, 40 years, of Metikheda, district Yavatmal consumed pesticide on 24^th of March 2015, after having struggled in life with multiple problems of life. His eldest son Rohit (12 years) has been constantly ill and suffers from epilepsy since many years. He is not able to take care of self because his brain has also not developed like a 12-year-old. His mother has to constantly take care, be it feeding him meals, bath, clothing. He also cannot see with one eye. His continuous treatment had taken a toll on the family and the loving parents have not given up hope and have taken care of his medical treatment by borrowing money from various sources (bank, self-help group, village moneylenders and relatives).

Widow Jotsna with sons Rohit & Rohan

The world perceives “suicide” as the easy route to end one’s life. On the contrary, committing suicide is not an easy thing. It takes guts to take one’s own life. Even the bravest of the braves, would not even dare to cut one finger with a blade, so think about it and imagine the scenario, how and why a farmer takes that bold step to take his own life.

 

Their one room mud house is in shambles

Their 3-acre land does not have irrigation facilities, so the output of Cotton was barely 3 quintals and 2 bags of Toor Dal for family consumption. With no additional income and mounting debts to the tune of 1.5 lakhs (because of interest), Subhash was in depression since the past one year (as told by relatives). The pressure of life, rural society and humiliation by moneylenders ended one more farmer’s life tragically. What follows after his death is unbearable and hard to digest. Life must go on for widow Jotsna (32 years) with three children to take care of. Frail and accustomed to only farm work, she cannot even leave her two children (Rohit and 3-year Rohan) to go for work. It is heart rendering to know about her survival for existence.

Outside their small house...

Rohit’s monthly treatment (just the medicines and milk) costs the family Rs. 2,000/- to Rs. 3,000/-. Monthly expense of the Jotsna and her three children is another Rs. 4,000/-. And if Rohit suffers, the medical expense escalates drastically. The helpless mother is not able to get his treatment in a better manner because every single test costs money. Since the past few months after her husband’s death, she is being helped by one of her sisters and borrowed money from here and there in village.

Rohini, her daughter is in Class Vth. Rohan, the little one is just three years. Three small children to fend for while there is no sign of any source of income. Her 3-acre land have been leased for Rs. 3,000/- for a year because she cannot cultivate anything without her husband no more by her side. When I asked her how she was managing life, she was speechless and just shook her head. Her mud house is in shambles and disarrayed. I had to control my tears with lots of gumption but deep down I was completely heart broken, shattered and sad. Sad because I feel so helpless for not being able to help her as I would want to.

Through this post, I am also requesting the world to come forward to help support widow Jotsna and her three children, so that she can lead a life that is of little comfort. How she will repay debt of Rs. 1.5 Lakh in her life because the interest keeps mounting and adding.

If there are any “Beautiful Angels” out there, we request them to come forward to contribute in whatever ways – financial support, clothes for 12 year boy – 9 year girl and 3 year boy and their mother. I know, a few will definitely come forward to help us support Jotsna and her children.

Support 4 suicide farmers families, Wardha

A/c No: 0509104000060330

IDBI Bank Wardha

IFSC Code: IBKL0000509

Our registered Trust – support 4 suicide farmers families, Wardha (Regd no: E - 350 (W) – will provide Tax Exemption 80G Certificate to kind donors.

A SMALL PART OF ME

Sold 3 Canvas Prints and earned a little money last month, so here is a small part of my earnings going to the Trust: 

Grateful Sai Baba for everything you have bestowed on me.

NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

Life is predictably unpredictable!

I have had many ‘nervous breakdown’ like everyone else in the world. I will have many more to face before I bid adieu the earth. Each one of us have our own set of problems as destined. Each time I have been down, nature has always inspired the within to make me stand strong to face the unexpected. The only person who will understand the miseries, sorrows, pain and trauma of breaking down in life is the individual, while the world will judge in their own sweet ways with different interpretations.

Life of an orphan is very painful and full of sorrows. However, I must confess that I have been very unfortunate to have never been loved by my own mother. I may never know the real reasons behind her dislike and hatred towards me. I will have to live the rest of my life with this pain and sorrow and be grateful to my destiny. Grateful? Yes, grateful because my destiny has been very kind to have provided me with tremendous amount of love by my friends’ mothers, brothers, sisters, families, friends, beautiful angels, village children, villagers, poor and rich (stars, architects and interior designers) people and even strangers. I am certainly very-very grateful to each one of them for having been ‘the’ part of my destiny. I thank my Sai Baba from the bottom of my heart to bless my destiny in such a wonderful way! I am fortunate to be born unfortunate!

Many a times, when I am all alone, recollecting my past, the emotional side of me yearns for the loving embrace of my mother with all her love. Sadly though, I have never experienced my mother’s love in my life. Tears full of sorrows often become my only companion during such times breaking me down for days, weeks, months and even years. Deep down I know, the yearning will never be fulfilled and I will have to live with the pain forever. I pity my mother’s plight for not having loved me! I know, you all must be wondering why I am writing such a personal post recollecting the pain and sorrows of my past. Deep down, I have been crying uncontrollably since the last few weeks, having sleepless nights and ‘the’ feeling of helplessness lingers my heart. Only an orphan will understand what I am going through. I pray with all my heart to my Sai Baba that HE should never give any ‘nervous breakdown’ to anyone in the world.

When I look back at my destiny, the only thing I think of is to be grateful to my mother for not having loved me. I may have been unfortunate for not been lucky to get my mother’s love but in many ways my destiny became ‘fortunate’. Because of her, the world has showered me with infinite love – be it my priceless friends, friends’ mothers, brothers, sisters, families, beautiful angels, village children, villagers, strangers, poor and rich people! This unselfish love has been responsible to shape up my ‘destiny’ to make me who I am today. I wish to thank each one of you for being ‘the’ wonderful part of my destiny from the bottom of my heart.

The sorrows and sleepless nights will continue for many more weeks, even months and years. I will have to live with it and put in every effort to overcome it in due course of time. It certainly isn’t easy and will not be easy because I am an emotional person by nature. I yearn for the love like everyone else does. Love of one’s own mother is perhaps the most precious ‘love’ anyone can ever describe. Why my own mother has not loved me while my friends’ mothers have showered selfless love to me is indeed hard to understand and fathom. I wish to thank all my friends, who have shown great heart to share the love of their mothers’ love with me with no malaise or envy. Destiny of an individual is hard to decipher. I am clueless!

Daniela Nischik * Alice ferland * Shellie Parkhurst * Judy Short McDowell * Sue Bullock * Suzan Zoey Jacobs * Elise Phillips * Angela McKay * Frederique de Cayeux * Yovonne Scarlett * Julie Jensen * Catherine Ritlaw * Laura Snyder Klutey * Charlene Abeita * Eva Jasmin A Canazares * Laure Aubert * Nia Ly * Mandy Rukwa * Claudette Gravel *Lyd Heide * Kira Molkeir * Anuradha Shukla Vajpeyi * Morgan Griffith * Kellie Gorosh * Hacha C Norris * Marlene Moretti * Toni Crawford --- One will wonder these are some of my wonderful Facebook friends, who were more disturbed to know I was on a ‘nervous breakdown’. Few of them kept writing me personal mails to keep enquiring about my condition. I have no words to describe how emotional their ‘LOVE’ made me through this tough time. I wish to thank each one of them for loving me, even without having met me in person. They are from all over the world. Sai Baba bless you all my dear-dear friends and I love you all from the abyss of my heart.

Then there are amazing friends like Satpal Singh * Preet * Saowalak * Jojosan * Ashish Prakash * Swapnil Barai * Agith Antony * Surendra Singh * Raju Mishra * Palak Jha * Dr. Pavan Patrick * Vipula Bhargava Kumar * Vishu Gurram * Pavan Verma * Alka Arora --- who have given me all kinds of words of wisdom to come out of my nervous breakdown and keep my morale high. They keep in touch regularly and try to cheer my mood swing. I feel blessed to have such amazing friends, who have cared for me all these years. I am truly-truly grateful to my Sai Baba for having blessed my ‘Destiny’ with such beautiful angelic friends. Sai Baba bless you all my beautiful friends. My heart is filled with emotions, emotions that I can never describe in words.

How long this ‘nervous breakdown’ will last? I really don’t know. I am putting in my best efforts to overcome it but…

My “Journey of Destiny” will continue as we have no choice but to move forward. The pain, sorrows, miseries and trauma will continue to haunt all my life. I will have to live with them all by myself. All I can do is to be grateful to my destiny and everyone who has touched my life with their angelic ways to make me a better person instead of turning me into a sadist. I know my Sai Baba will always be by my side to provide the strength to face the unexpected and guide me towards the right path. Sai Baba I feel blessed for being guided by YOU towards the right path.

My commitment towards the farmers’ community will never diminish till my life is able to help them in whatever small ways I can with the help of beautiful angels. My weakness of being emotional has made me a stronger individual to face more such obstacles destiny has thrown and will throw at me. I feel blessed in true sense for being the chosen one to face all such obstacles. Trust me, many will never even think in the wildest of their dreams, forget about daring enough to take the ‘Journey of my Destiny’.

The ‘Journey of Destiny’ continues…

BUY A PHOTOGRAPH TO SUPPORT GIRL CHILD EDUCATION

I am selling my photographs (in Canvas Prints) to raise funds to support suicide farmers' affected families by opening 7 years' R/D Account for a girl child / family. While you will be contributing to the cause directly, you will get a lovely canvas print nature photograph of your choice and size to decorate your homes, offices, hotels, restaurants. This way, your money contributed gets its value worth for you.There are thousands of lovely nature photographs to choose from.

If you or your friends are nature art lovers or designing your home interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices or have any such requirements as architects or interior designers for your interior projects, you may select from more than thousands of  nature photographs according to your requirements. Currently, I am selling them in two sizes: 15" x 22" (Price: Rs. 3,500/- Each) and 3' x 5' (Price: Rs. 7,000/- Each) in India. The prices remain the same for international buyers, however, they have to pay for the courier charges. To international buyers they will be delivered within 20 days. and in India, they will be delivered to you within 10 days by courier once 100% payment is received.

100 percentage of the profits of all the sales goes to the registered trust to sponsor suicide affected farmers' families for girl child education. In addition, I also donate nearly 15 % of my earnings to the trust.

Johnny D’s Nature Photography, India

"Your photos are lovely! I appreciate your eagle eye and reverence for nature and culture."

--- Beenu Bawa, Director, Good earth Mumbai --- 
 

Johnny D is a born gifted international photographer. A nature lover, he observes with keen eyes to capture nature at its best. His creative nature has gifted him to excel in various fields. He is a Journalist, Editor, Writer, Script Writer, Lyricist, Copywriter, Poet, Blogger, Social Reformer, Organic Vegetables’ Grower, and a good cook! He is member of the prestigious National Geographic and Fine Art America since 2014.

Johnny D started his career as a journalist with the Times of India Group of Publications in the year 2000. He went onto work for all the major esteem publications – Magna Publications, Free Press Journal, Hindustan Times, Indian Express Group, Deccan Chronicle, Deccan Herald, Vijay Times, UNI, International Publications – Tele Life, Pehla, Housecalls, MovieMag International, Success & Ability, Rave, and many others. Johnny D gave up his professional career as the Editor of CW INTERIORS magazine in the year 2008 September in the City of Dreams – Mumbai.

Johnny D started blogging on various issues to create awareness on the social realities.  The mass number of farmers’ suicide in Vidarbha in the year 2008 affected the humane side of his, when he decided to do something concrete for the affected farmers’ families. In the year 2010 (12^th March), he commenced the ‘Journey of Destiny’ to start a one-man-crusade for the children of the affected families in Vidarbha. He founded the trust – “support 4 suicide farmers families, Wardha”. He sells his photographs to raise funds for girl child’s education of suicide affected farmers’ families in Vidarbha. 

Johnny D specializes in Nature, Village Life and Child Photography. Not the one to restrict himself, he also shoots Home Interiors, Architectural Projects, Portraits and Historical Places. His photography has been appreciated, liked and loved by various international photographers globally in National Geographic http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/811256/ and Fine Art America http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/johnny-d.html apart from Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Johnny-Ds-Nature-Photography/1394179010829930

Your kind support would be highly appreciated.

Contact: johnny01d@gmail.com

954 Years ancient Shiv Temple in Ambernath, Maharashtra  

 

The sacred combination of the Sun and Tulsi

Soaring the Sunset

 Gliding Sunset

 Sunset B & W

 Pumpkin delight at dawn

A BEAUTIFUL ANGEL FLIES FROM BOMBAY

Angels are visibly invisible!

There are beautiful angels everywhere, invisible to the naked eyes in our every day’s life. These beautiful angels become visible only when they touch lives with their angelic actions. They are simple human beings with a sweet kind heart. Whenever they have touched my life with their angelic help, support and kindness, they just smile to insist they are simple people and doing the least one can expect. But, I know they are not simple human beings but the true form of the beautiful clan of mystical angels, angels who fly at the right moment to lend their magical and miracle filled support.

It was this day, 12^th of March, five years ago (2010) when I woke up from my deep slumber (blogging since two years on issues related to poor citizen and farmers) to dedicate my life for suicide affected farmers’ families and move to Vidarbha to help few lives. The “Journey of Destiny” I was destined to undertake out of no choice has been very-very tough and given a choice, many would not even dare to think or imagine, forget treading the path. I am blessed by my Sai Baba because HE chose me, so I could meet so many beautiful angels in my life, HIM sending them on their invisible wings to help and support me. These five years have taught me many invaluable lessons and like many of my friends, who felt I will never be able to last for mere few months; I wish to thank them because they made me stronger to keep walking the “Journey of Destiny” one step at a time to come this far.

A beautiful angel flew from Bombay recently out of nowhere. I have known her as a fellow journalist colleague in ASAPP since December 2007, when I was the Editor of Interiors Magazine. We lost touch for many years since 2008 and met for a very brief period in January 2013. We lost touch once again and only few weeks ago, we connected as destined. 

 

Remona Divekar is the beautiful angel, who flew from Bombay to extend her kind help when she came to know what I was doing in Wardha. I told her what I was doing and how my trust – support 4 suicide farmers families, Wardha – help support a girl child by opening an R/D Account for Seven Years, so that when the girl grows up and is ready for college, she could use the maturity amount for her higher education. She wrote to me saying, “Certainly the cause which you are associated is something great and very noble. On a personal level it would be my honor to be of any help to such girls. I shall contribute in whichever way I can.” And just within few days, she sent me the cheque.

Through this post I wish to tell Remona – the beautiful angel that SAI BABA will always bless her for her kind help. Sai Baba bless you sweet beautiful angel always and forever! I am truly grateful to you from the bottom of my heart for your kind help and support.

Life has been challenging and tough for me since 2013 on a personal level but my Sai Baba sends me beautiful angels in disguise as good, really good friends, who have supported me financially to sustain on the real ground s with my bare minimum expenses. All my savings have vanished and debts have been increasing. I have been trying my best to return back to my professional front but so far no luck. My “Journey of Destiny” is taking me places that I am unaware of and am just flowing with the flow. I know there is something very beautiful waiting for me and it is very-very near. I am trying to sell my nature photographs (Framed and Canvas Prints) online but so far, I have not succeeded. I know, they will ultimately sell and I will be able to generate enough funds to help more girl child of suicide farmers’ affected families.

My next post will be about how you may / can help support a girl child by buying my nature photographs. I sell my photographs to raise funds for girl child’s education of suicide affected farmers’ families in Vidarbha. 100 percentage of the profits of all my sales goes to the registered trust.