When One Dalit Man Ensured That His Family Would Never Go Thirsty Again

Taking a deep breath with the name of his god, Bapurao Tajne started digging at a single spot for hours on end. Hours became weeks and weeks became a month, and after 40 days and 15 ft of digging, there it was, the glittering promise of water fulfilled. The mocks had turned into praise as Tajne found water not just for his wife, who had been humiliated, but his entire community in the village.
It began when Tajne’s wife Sangita was apparently insulted by the upper cast community in another village for drawing water from their well. In the drought ridden state of Maharashtra, 78 per cent of districts already have no source of water and archaic practices of caste discrimination only become more apparent. His neighbours did not come to help him as three wells had already gone dry in their area, many assuming Bapurao Taine had been pushed over the edge. But today, the sameDalit families from Kalambeshwar village in Washim district of Maharashtra don’t have to face the ire of the neigbouring village anymore, thanks to Tajne.
In an interview, the daily labourer said that he felt targeted because of his caste. “When they stopped her from taking any water, it angered me. I feel that he insulted us because we are poor and Dalits. I came home that day in March and almost cried. I resolved never to beg for water from anybody. I went to Malegaon (the closest town) and bought tools and within an hour, I started digging,” he said.

Tajne is far from getting a movie deal like ‘The Mountain Man’ Dashrath Manjhi just yet, but he did receive a bouquet from the Malegaon Tehsildar.  He also received Rs.5000 from a social worker and a call from film actor and activist Nana Patekar.
Sangita Tajne can’t believe her luck. She regrets not helping her husband and thinking he was crazy. “I did not help him a bit until he struck water. Now the whole family, except the two kids, helps him as he deepens and widens the well. It is already 15 feet deep and Bapurao wants to dig 5 feet further. It is 6 feet wide at the top and he wants to make it 8 feet wide. We are hoping our neighbours will help us in this task,” she said in an interview.

Watch the video of his incredible feat here.

Feature Image Courtesy: ndtv.com