Tracking Shepherds place and collected Data about “Sheep”
Report
By: Pradeep
Date: 31st March & 1st April-2013
Covered places: Kalkamba,Baadanahatti,Sreenivasa Nagara and Kurugodu.
Servelots team members carried out a 2 day trip to Hampi for attending workshop. On the way Dinesh asked me to call and ask Vajir’s availability, I called Vajir he replied saying that right now bike is available and we could go for tracking. I briefed Dinesh, about the conversation with Vajir. Dinesh arranged for a car to go visit Vajir. And this is my second trip for meeting Shepherds.
Me and Dipti (Photo Journalist- she is interested in documenting Shepherds community and their lifestyle with the sheep) on 31st March around 12 o'clock we left from Kamalapura to Vajir’s place by car. The distance between Kamalapura to Sreenivasa Nagar is around 50km, then we met Vajir at 1.30pm at Sreenivasa Nagar, Vajir giving direction to his tent, finally we reached vajir’s tent at 2’ o clock, at that time sheep are gone for grazing, Vajir’s tent is around 2km inside from sreenivasa Nagar. Last time when I met Vajir was at Somalapura cross, now they are moved near to Sreenivasa Nagar, they are moved around 8-10kms last three months they are staying in Sreenivasa Nagar near to Kurugodu. When I reached Vajir’s place started tracking using “PugMarks”. I have marked Vajir’s tent as well as capturing a photo as well also marked Shankarappa chikodi tent, Shankarappa is co-brother of Vajir, he is stayed (50m) near by Vajir’s tent. After that we moved on to other shepherd places by car because few of them stayed very far(around 7-8 kms) from Vajir’s place, also there is no sheep at the tent. I planned next day will go for tracking with bike, at that time Dipthi wants to meet other Sheperds, we started to meet other Shepherds. We reached around 3.30pm of other shepherds tent and the name of the Shepherds are Shivappa Karighar, Managappa Banne and Rawsab Banne. These Shepherds are known by Vajir’s co-brother Shankrappa they are located nearby Kalkamba village approximately 2 kms. I have marked all the Shepherds places with taking photos, also I have seen some interesting electronic devices like battery light I have taken photo of it , after that we went to Kurugodu buying vegetables for Vajir, after buying vegetables we finished our lunch at Kurugodu and came back to Vajir’s tent at 5’o clock .
We have drank some tea made from Goat milk, Vajir has written data about shepherds, for time saving I did not write all the data instead of I have scanned what Vajir have collected data what is there in the questionnaire, after that again we started do tracking(visiting) on shepherds they are near by Vajir’s tent.
We met Raagu Bhimanna tent and Appana tent they are from Nippani village Chikkodi [taluk],Belgaum[Dist]. The distance between from these shepherds to Vajir’s tent its approximately 1km, These shepherds are facing for drinking water, they are getting water from landowners, daily once landowners are giving two drums of water for drinking and cooking. I have taken some photos of grazing sheep and shepherds bringing (soudhe) for cookinga, also tracking these places in pugmarks. Due to bad light we back to Vajir’s place at 7’o clock, at that time I have asked Vajir where is the bike? he said due to some exigency Shankarappa(co-brother of Vajir) took bike to his village.
After reached Vajir’s place We have few conversations about what are the difficulties you are facing this during this summer?
Vajir’s wife said due to summer we are not able to get water, We go for nearby borehole to fetch water for our drinking, daily needs and sheep.
Shepherds are cutting the sheep wool yearly twice, 1kg of woolen price is 12 Rs/-.
Later we finished our dinner with Jolada rotti,brinjal subji and tomato sabji, later I went to car and go for the sleep.
The next day in the early morning I woke up at 6 and I was started capturing on photos of sheep inside the net, Vajir milch goat, one goat will give half litre milk in the morning also in the evening too,they milch twice a day. They are preparing tea from this goat milk. preparing butter milk, and the remaining milk they are drinking, start moving on to tracking for remaining shepherds, later we walk towards to where other shepherds are staying, on the way we found two water ponds where the place sheep drinking the water after grazing, I have captured of two ponds.
Later we reached Shepherds Sharanappa, Ramanna and Penhobli tent, all of three were stayed within 100 meters, I marked those places and capturing photos. The distance between from these to Vajir’s tent is around 2.5 kms.. Later we are start moving on Sanjavappa, Raagu Bhimanna and Appanna tents. Appanna shepherd appointed one servant for sheep grazing his salary per month is 6500 Rs/-. I have asked question to that servant that I have taken audio, taking panorama images of sheep grazing its my personal interest, also I have seen the interactive activity at Shepherds tent is making butter milk from goat milk after that we drank some tea in Raagu Bhimanna tent and started to meet Ganganna and Thimmanna shepherds, they are from Baadanatti village. The distance from the Ganganna and Thimmanna tent to Vajir’s place its around 1 km also I have marked those places also I have taken net pictures. The net is used for protecting the sheep from “Wolf” . They are constructing net around the place where they are stayed, inside the net all the sheep will sleep whole night.
Later we came back to Vajir’s place I have taken video of Vajir’s son, his name is Malleshappa, the video is regarding for how was your daily life with sheep?
Vajir’s family fetch water on horse’s back from a nearby borehole.
Later We ate our breakfast Jolada rotti and Sabji after finishing our breakfast, We started to back to Bangalore.
On the way to Bangalore we found sheep on the road near water channel from Kalkamba, I have captured sheep are drinking water at the water channel.