An eye-opening visit to Fields: Men's Power

On a Friday afternoon, we had a rain shower, weather was bearable so we firmly decided to visit our lands, which are on 5 minutes drive, the next morning.

^{It was only when we got up, we realized that the nice weather during which we made our plan had expired.}

^{We were deprived of a ride, car owners refused to go, so we had to call a Rikshaw who took us (all women) to our lands making his way through many fields.}

The plan was to have breakfast there, pluck some veggies and fruits, enjoy(can we? In scorching heat) and come back home.

We went there after almost 6-7 years and the first thing I noticed was the massive tree(turned into a skeleton) which was the symbol of recognition of our lands.

It's called Tali, Rosewood.

But this tali was looking haunted rather than shadowing us with its green branches.

Last time it was green, I don't know what happened that it has refused to bear any green leaves.

Its glory was at its peak when my Grandfather was alive there was so much barakah(sufficiency) on the entire land and its crops.

After his departure, it's not the same anymore.

Anyhow, tali is still treated with respect,

• and some flowering plants are planted around it,
• there was a place designated here before to pray,
• but now it's just walled with bricks.
• There were a couple of oil lamps placed there, which are being lit every Thursday believing there is the soul of an old good man (A Baba G) and to please him.

^{Under Tali}

^{Oil lamps}

^{Someone is obsessed with clicking}

These are all man-made scenarios and I can't do anything except not to buy these beliefs. These concepts have borrowed from Indian cultures and have nothing to do with Islam.

I could only take pictures and save my opinions for the right time when confronted.

Everyone separated there, my brother went to bring breakfast, and my cousins and aunt(tai ammi) went to search for the red chili plant.

Me and my sister were the camera-women.

I preferred to capture my women handpicking chilies and on My God, I was showered in my sweat.

I had to walk a long way to reach the chili plant and above all had to walk on a side path with focus, otherwise, I could fall into an irrigation channel full of water.

I felt dizzy, The Sun was standing above me mocking and laughing at my condition. I don't know how men leave the house every day to earn money for their families.

I'm not talking about men holding offices in air-conditioned but those who work in open air.

My Aunt and cousins were in very bad condition, Blood, sweat, and tear
I avoided taking their pictures.

^{Hand picking chillies-my cousin}

^{red chilies}

^{green chillies}

^{red beauty}

^Collection

There was a red chili row just for household use. My aunt's morale was high as if she would pluck as many as to use for the whole year.

I sat down to take closer shots and was about to faint when I got up. I'm sorry if you feel this exaggerated but it was really that hot and hard to work in fields (as a camera-woman).

I salute all the farmers who work in harsh conditions all year to earn. Their efforts are not appreciated because here, government intervenes and decides the prices of the crops.

These are the same governments that go into hibernation when it comes to selling seeds and fertilizers at cheap prices to the farmers.

In short, we invest huge amounts of our money to sow and cultivate crops but get pennies when we take them to the market.

It happens to every crop be it wheat, corn or anything.

But here I also want our farmers to understand that excess of everything is bad and they must plan their every crop with mindfulness.

When one farmer sows a certain crop, all the people in our village do the same, it ends up everywhere.

^{Gourd crop}

^{find a ladyfinger}

Its supply exceeds and demand diminishes as happens to steem price.

This time we have sown sesame seeds, aren't they looking beautiful?

I find this beauty everywhere because all of the farmers have sown them this year too😅

^{sesame crop}

^{sesame flower}

^{the only empty land i found}

Our innocent farmers. May Allah make it sufficient for all of us. AMEEN.

Breakfast came and I came back with one of my cousins. We got super hungry at 8:30 in the morning otherwise we would have it at noon in our house.

As soon as we reached there, we attacked Naan, Chanay, halwa, and puri. We were so hungry that we couldn't take aesthetic pictures to post on Steemit already flooded with professionals who take pictures of every meal before eating.

If we have to work outside without air-conditioned we will never take pictures of meals if we work....you just eat then

After breakfast and drinking cold water, we felt better. We gained our energy back to pick up java plum/Jamun from a tree. Our main purpose behind this adventurous tour.

^{java plum}

We took a thick piece of cloth and spread it on the ground below the tree. A long stick with a spiral iron head was handed over to my brother. His job was to shake the branches bearing jamun.

And they effortlessly fell on the cloth full of juice. A lot of them fell on my head too when we held each corner of the cloth and stood under the tree.

How much more to bear to earn food?

¹

²

We enjoyed this part of the adventure because we were in the shade.

^{alovera plant to enhance one's
Beauty}

^{kind of cauldron}

It was also the irrigation day for our fields. There is a canal adjacent to the road that lies ahead of our lands.

We got its water in our irrigation channels to water all the crops.

^{Irrigation channel}

^{parting channel}

• First, they open a canal route towards our field channels.

• When these channels are filled with water, multiple routes are then opened in the crops from these channels.

• When all the crops get watered the primary canal route is closed.

In summer, we get irrigation time during the daytime when the weather is hot.

In winter, we get irrigation time during night time when the weather is cold.

We are stuck between Arendelle's warm and freezing cold weather to irrigate our lands

We do have a tube well and can use it instead of borrowing water from the canal.

But it is too expensive, as it runs on super costly electricity. Secondly, we need fuel to run generators and petrol is also skyrocketing.

So we use it only when the canals are empty.

It's mind-boggling to function and survive in the agricultural sector of Pakistan.

Everything is expensive, food too, but now after spending one day out and stepping into farmer's shoes, I feel so bad for throwing tantrums about what to eat and what not to.

We have no idea how much effort someone has put into cultivating that bread and vegetables we make faces on.

It was an eye-opening day for me, ending with the story of our hand pump whose handle is made up of wood now.

^Handpump

It was Iron's two years ago but a thief and drug addict had stolen it and sold it to fulfill his drug temptations.

I'm grateful to the thief, for not stealing our entire handpump, and caring for farmers' water needs in hot weather.

Welcome to Pakistan:)

^{I'm sure @mehwish-almas can relate, can you?}