4 neighbours have shared what matters to them — in their own words.
“In our region, Daseri and Langda mangoes are very popular. People eat them with pleasure, and these mangoes are sweet and juicy to eat. The mango quality was also good, and the mangoes coming to our market looked fresh and good. As soon as summer started, mangoes were brought into every house. Mango pulp is given as a special dish to new guests, and this time the price of mangoes was a bit high, but people were still buying mangoes. Everyone from small children to adults liked mangoes. Overall, this year's mango season went well.”
“आमच्या भागात दसरी आणि लंगडा हे आंबे खूप जास्त चालतात. ते लोक आवडीने खातात आणि हे आंबे खायला गोड आणि रसदार असतात. ह्यांना आंब्याची क्वालिटी बी चांगली होती आणि आमच्या बाजारात येणारे आंबे ताजे आणि चांगले दिसत होते. उन्हाळा लागला की घराघरात आंबे आणले जातात. नवीन आलेल्या पाहुण्यांना आंब्याचा रस ही स्पेशल डिश म्हणून खायला देतात आणि ह्या वेळेस आंब्याचा दर थोडा जास्त होता पण तरीही लोक आंबे घेत होते. लहान लेकरांपासून तर मोठ्या माणसांपर्यंत सगळ्यांनाच आंबे आवडत होते. एकंदरीत यंदा आंब्याचा हंगाम बरा गेला.”
translated from Marathi
Nearby, the main topics are a mix of challenges and community resilience. Residents report significant difficulties due to extreme heat 🔥, experiencing frequent power cuts and widespread water scarcity 💧 as wells dry up, forcing long journeys for water. Another key concern is the irregular availability and increased prices of cooking gas, which impacts household budgets. Despite these challenges, communities are demonstrating remarkable resourcefulness, utilizing traditional methods like earthen pots for cooling, tree branches for shade, and alternative fuels such as wood and cow dung cakes for cooking. On a positive note, the local mango season was highlighted as successful, with good quality and popular varieties despite higher prices 💡.
“Yes, this has affected us. In our village, sometimes gas cylinders are not available on time. Also, gas prices have increased a lot, due to which household expenses have risen. So, we use gas sparingly. We cook as much as possible on a stove and only light the gas when there is a great need. The wood obtained from the fields or cow dung cakes are very useful. This saves gas and reduces the stress of increased expenses a little. In this way, we manage this difficulty.”
“This year, it was very hot in our village. Especially during the afternoon, the sun was very intense. Due to the heat, it became difficult to do household chores. There were also frequent power cuts in our village, which caused us a lot of trouble. Many wells in our village also dry up during the summers, so there's a big problem with water. Many times, we have to go far to fetch water. To stay cool, we used to drink cold water from earthen pots. We also had to do farm work only from 5 AM to 10 AM, as it wasn't possible to work in the intense afternoon sun. To keep the house a bit cool, we put tree branches on the roof. This reduces direct sunlight and makes the house feel a bit cooler. This is how we cope with the heat.”
“This year our village experienced extreme heat. Especially during the afternoon, the sun was very strong. Due to the heat, it became difficult to do household chores. Power outages were also very frequent in our village, which caused us a lot of trouble. Many wells in our village also dry up in summer, so there is a big problem with water. Many times we have to go far for water. To stay cool, we used to drink cold water from earthen pots. We also had to do farm work only from 5 AM to 10 AM, as it was not possible to work in the scorching afternoon sun. To keep the house a bit cool, we put tree branches on the roof. This reduces direct sunlight and makes the house feel a bit cooler. This is how we cope with the heat.”
