Hungry Horse news., 1954-10-22
FIathead Youth Sees India


Charles Gestring, Creston, a
Montana State college graduate in
agriculture, is in Madras, India
under the International Farm
Youth Exchange program. Before
he left we told him we would be
glad to receive letters from India.
Charles completed his college
course last May, and is the son
of Mrs. Elizabeth Gestring, Cres-
ton.
have been in South India for
approximately three weeks, and
feel that it is time to drop you a
note on some of my observations.
My first two weeks were spent
at Nagari village. This is the way
that the rural people live. Every
one lives in a village and farms
the land surrounding it. My host
at Nagari was A. K. Natarajan,
who was an l. F. Y. E. delegate to
America last year.
He lives with his parents, grand
parents, brothers and sisters as
well as with his wife. All are in
the same building. This is the GUS
tom-collective family living. They
are a well educated family. The
father has two degrees, one in law.
My host, his brother and sister
also have degrees. Everyone except
the mother speaks English. Educa-
ton is a very important thing to
these people. This education is de-
termined entirely by how much
money the father has.
There is a distinct break in the
class OF people. Those who have
some property or business or lands
and those who labor for a living.
Majority of the laborers are ILL
terate and depend very much upon
the land holder.
My host family owns 200 acres
of land. This is a sizeable farm
for India. The lands are not in one
holding however. They are spread
out in five different places making
it necessary for him to do much
travelling in order to supervise.
He is quite progressive farm
er and is broad minded about
world problems.
The land owner will do none of
the work. Labor is very cheap
and at times, he will employ up
to 70 men and women during busy
seasons.
Tho Y,oa,, 1oJo0,.ay ao,,,c ono ,11-
pee per day, while the woman will
earn 10 to IA annas. This is equal
to about 81 cents for the men and
Is cents for the women.
My host owns tractor, but the
greatest majority of work is done
by man and beast. Mechanization
is quite impossible due to small
fields and scattered plots.
India is a rice eating country so
naturally rice is the major crop,
especially in this area of south
India. Other crops grown are sor-
ghum, millet, peanuts, sugar cane,
mangoS and bananas. Cultivation
is very intensified and every avail
able piece of land is worked.
The farmers, or laborers, are
very poor people. They are able
to make a bare existence. Their
standard of living is very low.
They live in a small hut with
thatch roof. The hut is made of
mud or soft red bricks, and the
roof is thatched with palm leaves.
There will be one or two rooms.
Furnishings are limited to a few
straw mats and water and cooking
vessels.
Everything is made locally of
local raw materials either by the
man himself or a village crafts
man. The farmers needs are few
and his greatest worry is food.
Yet, he is a happy, friendly per-
son. Indian hospitality is unequal
ed. He may not have much, but
what he has is yours and welcome.
Customs and beliefs differ wide
ly from one area to another. The
manner in which they wear and tie
the "saree" and the "dothi' will
vary.
Hair cuts especially among older
people is dependent upon caste.
Even the beast of burden, the
bulls, vary greatly in size and ap-