Rajasthan village united by water
Big sandstone hills cover the landscape dotted by little grass, while the land below is covered with Israeli babool (akesia tortlis), an invasive species which does not let any other vegetation grow. Amidst this, Baadi village with its lush green fields full of cabbage, pepper and groundnut seems out of place.
The settlement in Tiwri block of Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, is a prosperous one. Locals, around 75 families, grow vegetables, groundnut and food grains throughout the year but the success of this village lies not in its farms, but beneath the ground. And as has been the tradition of any human settlement, Baadi also owes its fortune to water.
