When we were young children we used to enjoy a lot during the summer holidays as for school children we used to have almost two months summer holidays many used to go to their villages where their near and dear resides. As durng those days since there were no communication particularly motorbikes, or cars many people used to use bullock carts and bicycles – bicycles used to have in few houses. In front of our house people used to fetch water from our river which is half kilometer from the village and all the villagers mostly women fetch water putting the water containers -pots, earthen, steel, brass etc. and some male persons carry water tying the pots in both sides of a wood and balancing that on the shoulders. At the river people used to dig small ponds in the river they keep the sand around the small pond and from there they try to clean the water and throw out the water inside and wait for freshwater to come before they take and put in their pots. This is done primarily because the river flows from the farther end and all through in the water people and animals also take bath and also other pollution likely to take place and to avoid that they take water from the self made small ponds. In one pond you will find three four people around taking out the water. The river water also servers as drinking water source for cattle,animals, birds etc.
In summer season there is water crisis asa this river – Vatti Gedda gets dried and people strive to get water as that time there were very few wells in the villages and no borings or hand pumps. Because of this, people need to dig the river taking out the sand and at times the water wont appear even after digging 2,3 feet. Summer was very difficult as it was very hot and people struggle to go to the river and there also getting less water after putting lot of efforts.
In rainy season this river flows from the streams of the nearby hills and in rainy season it flows heavily and also flooding takes place – i do remember in those days we used to go the river bank and we used to collect floating woods etc from the flooding river, we also see sometimes cows, oxen, goats and other animals slept away during the heavy flooding. Even the banks of the river also swept. Adjacent to the river we have paddy fields where most of the farmers grow agriculture produce. After flooding these fields also covered with the sand which makes the farmers more difficult to dig out the huge heaps of sand in the agricultural fields. Though they try to have some banks to protect the flooding but when heavy they cant stop.
In winter there will not be much problem as far as water is concerned as after rains the river flows normal duirng the winter season.
In the evening hours we school children used to go to the river bank and play various games including kabadi, kho kho, football and so on.
Though the life style and facilities have changed, though difficult times but those days were golden days and will never return.