Kachchi Basti Visit

This morning I visited my first Kachchi Basti (slum) in Jaipur, to see the water situation first hand and get  feedback from the community on how the WaterWheel can be used in urban settings.  The Jawahar Nagar Kachchi Basti is about 20 min from the city center, and is a well established community.

From what I could gather, the slum originally formed because of its proximity to the hills where all the stone for building Jaipur was mined.  Workers originally began living in the area to be close to the mining, however the mining operation has now been closed down, but the community remains.

We stopped the rickshaw next to a small group collecting water from a rubber hose that a man was rigging with a piece of wire and cloth (MacGyver style).  The group was extremely friendly and open and as always the children were the most outgoing and curious.

Government taps had been installed every few blocks, but the group explained that the water is only turned on at 7:30 in the morning for less than an hour.  At this time women from the neighborhood line up to collect water in buckets and pots.  As we talked several women and children came to fill their jugs from the hose, which apparently was rigged to get water even in the mid-afternoon.

I then pulled the big yellow WaterWheel out of the rickshaw and asked if they would give it a try.  After about 30 minutes I had everyone from 7 year old kids to 70 year old grandmas giving it push.

At one point Mhan Puli (an older woman in a bright green and red sari) showed me how she carried a large jug of water on her head to her house.  I attempted to give it a try but the jug was so heavy I couldn't even lift it above my head.  

After gathering lots of good feedback, and shaking lots of hands we said our goodbyes. I'm optimistic about the urban potential for the waterwheel and am hoping to visit other Kachchi Bastis in the near future.