When I Meet the Ocean of Experience

[Shahrukh Atpade]

I am currently forming a group of elderly men who sit together at the village square in Shelakewadi. From the training I attended on masculinity, I understood that being a man is not easy. So my purpose is to create a safe space for boys, men, and elderly men where they can express their feelings openly.
In the village, elderly men usually gather at different corners. We do not need to call them—they are already there, as they are mostly free at this stage of life. I met one such group near the Shelakewadi Gram Panchayat office. They first asked me who I am, where I came from, and what work I am doing. After that, I started a SALT conversation with them.
They are like an ocean of experiences. No matter how much we learn from them, it is never enough. They shared many life stories. I would like to share one experience that everyone liked. Most of their stories were similar and connected to each other’s lives.
They said that in their younger days, they had to work 12 hours to earn 1 anna (old currency), and their monthly salary was 30 annas. Today, all of them are above 70 years old, and they are still working in the fields. They do farm work that can even make young people feel shy.
When I asked the reason behind their strength and health, they said that earlier they did not use any chemical fertilizers in farming. They used cow dung and organic manure. Today, people want quick income, so they use chemical fertilizers and grow crops fast. Because of this, people are slowly eating poison every day, which is reducing their lifespan.
When I asked for a solution, they suggested that at least every family should grow organic vegetables for their own household. This will help keep their family healthy.

At the end, we had an AER reflection. They said: “Today felt good as we remembered old memories. We sit here every day, but today we discovered something new about each other.”
They all promised that next time, we will start taking action.