Event: Justice Mela 2025 | Stage: Kavaad Stage | Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan (Dec 6-7, 2025) In Conversation: Chattar Singh ji & Vandita Sariya (Journalist, Mongabay)
At the last edition of the Justice Mela 2025 in Jaipur, the Kavaad Stage played host to a conversation about survival, community, and the sanctity of water.
Chattar Singh ji painted a vivid picture of life in the Thar desert—a landscape defined by relentless sun and scarcity, where the average annual rainfall barely reaches 150 mm. In such an unforgiving environment, water is not just a resource; it is the very essence of survival. Every drop matters, and generations have woven the careful stewardship of water into the fabric of everyday life.
Over decades of dedicated groundwork, Chattar Singh ji and the team in Western Rajasthan have learned from the land and built upon the work of their ancestors, supporting both the community and the local ecology. Their efforts prove that, with reverence and collective action, even the smallest drop can sustain a thriving ecosystem.
A central lesson in Chattar Singh ji’s story is the power of community coming together—not for profit, but for the greater good, united by a shared purpose. At the heart of his message was the evocative Rajasthani tradition of the “Gutki.” In Rajasthan, when a child is born, a respected elder feeds the newborn a small piece of gudh (jaggery). This ritual, known as gutki, is believed to transmit the elder’s wisdom, patience, and character to the new generation.
Chattar Singh ji beautifully extended this metaphor to describe the impact of his organisation’s work. For many, the idea of capturing rainwater on their own land or restoring a well built generations ago had never occurred to them. The support and encouragement provided by the organisation became, in essence, a gutki for the community—a gentle nudge toward rediscovering their own wisdom. Just as a newborn absorbs an elder’s virtues, community members began to absorb the knowledge of the land itself and working with it.
The conversation at the Kavaad Stage illuminated a truth: technical solutions alone are not enough to heal the land. Real change requires a shift in mindset and a genuine commitment to collective action. Through community-led efforts, the people of Western Rajasthan are not just harvesting water—they are nurturing hope for generations to come. Their story is a testament to the enduring power of tradition, unity, and the wisdom of respecting every single drop.