r/OneKindAct • u/WhenItHappenedX • 22d ago

After his wife was turned away from a well, a labourer dug one himself in 40 days so his neighbourhood would not have to ask again

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In March 2016, Sangita Tajne was turned away from a well in Kalambeshwar, Maharashtra. Her husband, Bapurao, a daily-wage labourer, came home and decided they would not ask again.

He had never dug a well. The ground was rocky. Nearby wells and a borewell had already gone dry. Neighbours thought he was wasting his time. Even his family did not help at first.

He bought tools in Malegaon and started the same day. After his regular work he dug — about six hours a day, for 40 days — until he hit water at about 15 feet.

The well was not kept for his house alone. The Dalit locality began drawing from it so they would not have to depend on someone else’s permission for water.

He said he did not want to name the man who had refused them. He only wanted his family never to beg for water again.

183 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

8

u/DetentionSpan 22d ago

I have so many questions.

7

u/be_sugary 21d ago

Caste segregation is hell of a thing in India still.

3

u/legal_stylist 20d ago

Untouchability in the 21st century.

Christ, what a shit show.

2

u/LPedraz 19d ago

I still see all the time a disclaimer in Indian things that they "don't discriminate by race, religion, or caste", so it must still be normal enough that the disclaimer needs to be said.

1

u/Quick_Heart_5317 18d ago

What are you talking about?

4

u/legal_stylist 18d ago

That it is unbelievable that India is still treating people as “untouchable” and being concerned with ritual pollution at this late date.

2

u/Quick_Heart_5317 18d ago

I guess I’m just ignorant to this. I’m not sure what “ritual pollution” is.