Umashankar Singh and Kadambini Sharma reporting in Tibet
After landing at the Gonggar Airport in Lhasa, we were taken to a hotel and the first thing we were given was a medicine to avoid altitude sickness. It was a tiny ten millilitres bottle and the golden liquid it held was sweet in taste just like sherbet. The medicine would increase the red blood cells in our body so that one doesn't feel dizzy or weak in such high altitude area. Tibet, at an altitude of more than 4500 feet gives you a feeling similar to when you are in Leh, Ladakh.
After two quick bottles of the medicine followed by lunch, we set out for our first stop - a model village in Shannan prefecture. The way to the village with lakes and high mountains on both sides of the road was so beautiful that we just stared and tried to capture it all on camera. The roads were so smooth that it was a pleasure being driven on this road.
After almost an hour's drive, we arrive at the gates of Deji village. On first look, it does not even look like a village but a nicely done-up housing society. Being a high altitude area with harsh sunlight, there are efforts to fully harness solar energy. Solar energy lamps can be seen everywhere in the village. We also saw a solar stove being used at a house which looked similar to a dish antenna. They place a utensil at the center of the stove and use it to boil water and eggs.
On seeing outsiders with television cameras, almost all the villagers gathered around us. Owing to the language barrier, we were not able to talk to the villagers directly but could understand quite a lot from their facial expressions.
With the help of an interpreter who spoke Tibetan and Mandarin, we learnt that the Chinese government has constructed these infra-structurally complete villages. Government money is poured into constructing not only houses but junior schools as well. It is more of an effort to give the villagers a livelihood based on farming. The main crop here is highland barley and wheat for which the villagers are provided seeds and farming equipment such as small tractor trolleys.
One of our hosts in the village was Deva, a farmer. In traditional Tibetan style, we were served lots of fruits and salted tea. This village has two types of farmers - one who have their own land and the other who work for other farmers. The village has 66 households comprising of just 268 people. Initially, according to our guide, people and their animals used to stay under the same roof. But now everyone has a nice house of their own. These houses are also examples of Tibetan architecture which typically have colourful paintings and carvings.
When we reached the village, we also saw two women probably aged between 54 and 60 years old, who were separating husk from wheat through a fan. Villagers are happy that the crop has been good this year. Earlier, often the crop was destroyed and there was hardly anything to eat but now with the help of the government, they have been able to avoid that situation.
The purpose of this trip to a model village seemed to be to convey how with the help of Chinese government , farmers in Tibet are on the way of progress and happiness. However, most of the villages in this province are still struggling with poverty. According to the information department of Shannan province, only one third of villages have been converted to model villages.
In the model village of Deji, there are 19 kindergarten kids. At the dismissal time, parents gather in their little battery-operated matadors to pick up their kids. These little matadors are no less than a small car for them!
This is the narrative that continues to play in these villages. Tibetans continue to lead their lives around the blueprint which the Chinese government has prepared. At the same time, a mindset has been created which seems a bit removed from the cause for which a faction of Tibetans are still raising their voice.