Bridging Cultures: Insights from Punjab's Agricultural Heartland

A glimpse into Punjab's agricultural life and its contrasts with Kerala's consumer culture.

The land which is also called as Saptha Sindhu by Vedic text, Pentepotamia by the Greek & Panchanada, braham vrata during Mahabharata & Ramayana. Here I am talking about the land of five rivers - Punjab. I got a great opportunity to visit a village which is near to Chiheru and interacted with the locals of Punjab that made me understand the people here are down to earth and humble.

Contrasting life of North  and South India 

Punjab is known as the ‘food bowl of India’ contributes 15 - 20% of the country's wheat, 12% of rice and 10% of milk is produced from this state. Punjab’s 82% cultivated land is more than double the national average of 40%. Since the land is rich with water from the five rivers there is no water scarcity in the state.

I come from the southern state of India that is Kerala, which has an entirely different culture and way of living. Kerala is known to  be a consumer state and the state's population is 2.5% of India’s entire population but it consumes around 10% of the country's goods. Even though Kerala has an agriculture sector, most of them prefer the service sector. Also Kerala has a large  diaspora working abroad. These factors make it a huge consumer state when compared to Punjab.  

Insights from the residents 

The place we went to was a street of a village filled with plantations on one side and the other side had houses and small scale businesses by families residing there. 

We had conversations with a few of the locals there and one of them was a lady who said that agriculture is like a lifestyle for them more like how you raise a pet at home. She added that her family runs a small scale restaurant in the local area which is also called Dhaba. The income of her family comes from agriculture, milk production from the cattle as well as the dhaba. 

This shows that the people here are solely depending on nature for their income and growth. She also talked about the people from the south, she said those children who come to a place far away from their home are adjusting to the culture and food of this place and respecting this culture is a heart-warming thing to watch. 

People here in the village own acres of land for agriculture,  then these properties are handed down through the generations and most of the family members choose agriculture as their way of living. 

One of the major issues that I noticed here is the poor sewage system. Even after a small rain the roads are getting flooded even though it is for a short period it really makes traveling hard during rain. 

Visiting the village near Chiheru offered a vivid glimpse into the life and culture of Punjab, a region deeply rooted in agriculture and traditional ways of living. The people's deep connection to the land and their multi-faceted approach to livelihood reflect a profound respect for their environment. In contrast, my observations from Kerala highlight the stark differences in economic focus and lifestyle between the southern and northern parts of India. This journey not only broadened my understanding of regional diversity but also underscored the shared values of respect and adaptability across cultures.