The June That Never Was: Poetry vs. Reality in Kharkari Makhwan

"Green was the silence, wet was the light, the month of June trembled like a butterfly."

These beautiful lines by Pablo Neruda, paired with the vibrant image of blue and orange butterflies dancing over wet, lush wildflowers, paint a dreamlike picture of June. It evokes a sense of peace, life, and natural harmony.

But when I look at this picture, I am instantly reminded of a world completely opposite to this digital art—my own village, Kharkari Makhwan, located near Tosham.

For a long time, ours was a purely rainfed (barani) area. In those harsh summer days, there was no water even for the plants to survive, and the canal had not yet reached our lands. Without a single green leaf or flower, we often wondered—where would the butterflies even come from?

Over time, things changed on paper. The canal infrastructure finally arrived in our village, but the reality on the ground remains a struggle. Today, the canals rarely run with enough water. To make matters worse, our underground water is completely brackish (salty) and unfit for daily use or drinking. We are forced to rely heavily on the government water supply, which is highly insufficient for our daily needs.

This beautiful artwork of a wet June is a luxury that only abundant water can bring. For us in Kharkari Makhwan, June is still a story of survival, a daily hustle for drinking water, and a long wait for the monsoons. Beautiful poetry cannot mask the dry realities of our daily life, but it certainly reminds us of the green dream we are still fighting to achieve.

What about you? / आप क्या सोचते हैं?

"Every village and every region has its own unique relationship with nature and summer. While June is a dream for some, it is a struggle for others.

I would love to hear from you in the comments below:

• What is the water situation like in your area during the summer?
• Does your region face similar groundwater issues or dry canals?
• How does June look through your window—is it green like Neruda’s poem, or is it a struggle like my village, Kharkari Makhwan?

Share your stories, your village's reality, or your thoughts below. Let’s bring the unseen realities of our areas to light together!

Read about my village Kharkari Makhwan, and tell me in the comments—how is the water situation in your area?

XOXO

Verse 17 of the BG, summer

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मण: |
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गति: || 17||
BG 4.17: You must understand the nature of all three—recommended action, wrong action, and inaction. The truth about these is profound and difficult to understand.

commentary :Action in inaction. There is one kind of inaction where persons look upon their social duties as burdensome, and renounce them out of indolence. They give up actions physically, but their mind continues to contemplate upon the objects of the senses. Such persons may appear to be inactive, but their lethargic idleness is actually sinful action. When Arjun suggested that he wishes to shy away from his duty of fighting the war, Shree Krishna explained to him that it would be a sin, and he would go to the hellish regions for such inaction.

Inaction in action. There is another kind of inaction performed by karm yogis. They execute their social duties without attachment to results, dedicating the fruits of their actions to God. Although engaged in all kinds of activities, they are not entangled in karmic reactions, since they have no motive for personal enjoyment. There were many great kings in Indian history—Dhruv, Prahlad, Yudhisthir, Prithu, and Ambarish—who discharged their kingly duties to the best of their abilities, and yet because their minds were not entangled in material desires, their actions were termed Akarm, or inaction. Another name for akarm is karm yog, which has been discussed in detail in the previous two chapters as well.

 No apologies

Even though I am embarrassed to let my blog go for so long, I 'm not going to apologize like I always do,oh. It was a hectic summer with the result being I am raising my great granddaughter for the school year. So I have a good excuse!!

I've been doing lots of sewing, went to a retreat in Balmiki Dharmshala, near Camp area and had a great time. Finished up a rag quilt while I was there. I will post pictures soon.

Anyway, life is good, and I will post more often.