Why this village churns out generations of well climbers

Jun 13, 2023 | 21:50 IST

For more than five decades, villagers have been going down a 40ft well for a few buckets of water. Day and night, young or old, it’s a race to the bottom

Molya Valvi tightens his grip on the rope as he descends into a well to collect water that trickles and pools in the bedrock. Down at 40ft, the 43-year-old has difficulty breathing. The effort and the heat make him disoriented. But he is determined not to come up without water.

Nestled on a craggy hilltop, Debramal, Valvi’s village in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, offers a panoramic view of the Narmada river beyond the slopes of the Satpura ranges. The river seems close, but it is not.

/india

TOI

TOI

Why this village churns out generations of well climbers

For more than five decades, villagers have been going down a 40ft well for a few buckets of water. Day and night, young or old, it’s a race to the bottom

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TOI

Why this village churns out generations of well climbers

For more than five decades, villagers have been going down a 40ft well for a few buckets of water. Day and night, young or old, it’s a race to the bottom

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