Sirohi: Happiness knew no bounds for the people of Utraj, the highest village of Rajasthan in Sirohi district, when they saw a tractor roll in the area for the first time. Distressed after decades of farming with oxen, the arrival of a tractor has brought with it a ray of hope for the locals, especially the farming community.
For Utraj, which is situated on Mount Abu at an altitude of 1400 meters (4500 ft) above sea level, the unpaved non-motorable roads have always been a hurdle to take any vehicle to the remote village. But the impossible was made possible on Sunday when villagers joined hands, dismantled the tractor, carried its parts on foot for three KM and then reassembled it after reaching the hilltop.
As per reports, the tractor was purchased for Rs seven lakh from Abu Road. After request from villagers, it was dismantled to facilitate them carry it to their village. Subsequently, around 50 villagers constructed a huge bamboo frame and carried the 900-KG tractor engine and its parts on their shoulders. After reaching Utraj, they reassembled the parts and brought the tractor back to life.
Celebrations erupted at the village as the tractor was welcomed with drums, trumpets and prayers. Local women distributed prasad while almost every single person danced in joy. "For the last several decades, we were used to carry out farming activities with oxen, but now, we have the tractor, and we have planned to cultivate garlic and barley in the 400 bighas of land available," said a villager.
The tractor dealer said service of the vehicle will be done in the village after it is used for 200 KM. While diesel for the machine will have to be fetched on foot from Gurushikhar, the villagers look undeterred. For them, this tractor is going to transform the fortunes of their village with a changed farming approach.
