Memories That Still Walk Beside Me

Memories That Still Walk Beside Me is not merely a story about the past. It is a journey through the childhood, family life, responsibilities, hardships, cooperation, beliefs, and changing lifestyle of people in the hill villages of Kumaon, Uttarakhand.

Whenever I look back, many memories return to me. They remind me of a time when life was difficult but people were closely connected. There were few facilities, no proper roads, little medical help and limited educational opportunities. Yet there was courage, cooperation, discipline, affection and a strong sense of responsibility.

Those memories still walk beside me.

1. The Joint Family Taught Us Responsibility

The joint family system in the hill villages of Kumaon taught us many valuable lessons.

Several generations often lived together. Every member of the family had responsibilities. People worked sincerely, not merely for themselves but for the welfare and progress of the entire family.

There was a strong feeling of guardianship. Elders cared for younger members, while the younger generation respected and supported the elders. Everyone contributed according to age and ability.

There was little room for selfishness. The family was considered one unit, and its progress was everyone's responsibility.

Looking back, I feel that the joint family was itself a practical school of responsibility, cooperation, sacrifice and caring.

2. Respect for Elders Was a Way of Life

We were taught to respect elders—not necessarily through books, but through everyday life.

We did not need to study elaborate books of social science to understand cooperation and social responsibility. We learnt these lessons practically from our society.

Helping one another was natural.

The old saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed," was not simply a quotation. It was visible in everyday village life.

If someone needed help in agriculture, carrying a load, looking after cattle or dealing with an unexpected difficulty, neighbours and relatives came forward.

3. A Carefree Childhood

Our childhood was simple and largely carefree.

In the evening, children played together in groups. During the daytime, swimming in streams and local water bodies was one of our pleasures.

Going to the market was a different experience altogether. There were no proper roads and no vehicles in many places. If household commodities were needed from a distant market, someone had to walk several kilometres—often carrying the load on the return journey.

We walked up and down the mountain paths without thinking of it as exercise.

It was simply life.

4. Courage on Curved Mountain Paths

Life in the hills demanded courage.

We moved along curved paths through forests and difficult stretches of land. Small rivulets had to be crossed because bridges were often absent.

Sometimes the paths were slippery and sometimes the journey was tiring. But we continued because there was no alternative.

Those experiences quietly developed courage, endurance and self-confidence.

Today, when I think about those journeys, I realise that the mountains were teaching us lessons without using a classroom.

5. The Value of Time

Time had a special meaning in village life.

We always had to remember that we had to return home before darkness. A person carrying a heavy load from a distant place could not afford to waste time.

There was hardly any hired labour available. Families had to manage most things themselves.

This lifestyle demanded punctuality, planning and physical effort.

Walking long distances, carrying loads, working in fields and collecting grass naturally kept people physically active. What we call fitness today was simply part of our everyday life.

6. School, Cattle and Collective Work

Going to school was only one part of a child's life.

Before going to school or after returning home, children often helped with cattle. During leisure time, we moved with cows and other animals.

We also helped older family members working in small terrace fields scattered across the hills.

Someone might be asked to bring water, tea, breakfast or lunch for the people working in the fields. Another might collect grass or help with cattle.

There was little time for private tuition or individual guidance. Parents and elders were themselves busy with the struggle for survival.

Agriculture, cattle rearing, grass collection and preparation for the winter season required continuous attention.

Studies were important, but collective family work came first.

7. Growing Up and Understanding the World

As we grew older, our understanding gradually expanded.

Schools and teachers gave us knowledge. Seniors in the village also guided us through their experience. People belonging to the service classes who had gone to metropolitan cities sometimes returned with new ideas and advice.

At the same time, we could see that some traditional beliefs and practices continued in remote villages.

When someone became seriously ill, families sometimes relied first on prayers, blessings, jagar, vibhuti and other rituals. In some cases, when the illness became serious, additional rituals were performed, including animal sacrifices at shrines or temples.

I am not against faith or devotion. Faith has its own place in human life. But when illness is involved, medical treatment should not be unnecessarily delayed.

In the 1960s and 1970s, and even earlier, access to doctors and hospitals was extremely difficult in many remote areas. This made the situation more complicated.

8. Faith and Medical Treatment Must Go Together

I have always felt that there is nothing wrong in accepting the supremacy of God and seeking His blessings.

But blessings should not prevent us from taking proper medical treatment.

When there is pain or serious illness, we cannot always wait for a miracle. Life is precious.

I often think about this because I experienced village life when there were no proper roads, electricity or nearby medical facilities. Educational opportunities were also limited.

Most facilities were concentrated in towns and cities.

Gradually, however, roads, schools, electricity, hospitals and other services began reaching the villages. The change came slowly, especially after Independence.

Because opportunities were limited in the villages, people who found small jobs, business opportunities or wage work often moved towards towns and cities.

Many eventually settled there because life offered more facilities and economic opportunities.

Today, money and employment opportunities influence almost every aspect of life.

9. Memories of Preventable Suffering

One of the saddest memories I carry is seeing people suffer because proper medical treatment was delayed.

I saw some deaths that, in my understanding, were connected with the decision to seek traditional or religious remedies first and medical treatment later.

Pregnant women were particularly vulnerable. In the absence of nearby hospitals, roads and transport, young mothers sometimes had to face extremely difficult circumstances.

These memories have stayed with me.

They taught me an important lesson: faith can give us courage, but medical science gives us another essential means of protecting life.

Where a doctor or hospital is available, we should not delay necessary treatment.

10. The Spirit of Cooperation: Fighting Forest Fires

The forests were an essential part of hill life.

They provided firewood, grass and other resources. They also provided shelter and food for cattle and supported the natural environment.

Therefore, when a forest fire broke out during summer, villagers considered it their responsibility to help.

At least one person from many families would rush towards the fire. Forest employees were usually few in number, so they also depended upon community support.

When people from neighbouring villages saw smoke or fire, they too came running.

Different groups worked from different directions, often in difficult terrain. Sometimes forest fires had to be fought at night on dangerous slopes.

People worked without asking what they would personally gain.

Their objective was simple—to save the forest.

They understood that flourishing forests meant a better life for everyone.

The Changing Forest-Fire Situation

The situation has changed considerably today.

People still participate in forest-fire control, but community involvement is not always as strong as it once was. Forest departments face enormous challenges, and controlling devastating fires without sufficient community participation is difficult.

The old spirit of collective responsibility is something worth remembering.

11. Facing Natural Calamities Together

The hills have always been vulnerable to natural calamities.

Landslides, floods and the collapse of old houses could suddenly create serious problems.

I remember the situation during the 1960s and 1970s. Whenever misfortune struck a family, villagers did not wait for someone else to come.

People came together.

Neighbours helped remove debris, repair houses, arrange food and support affected families. Villagers from neighbouring settlements also came forward whenever necessary.

It was a powerful example of community resilience.

Today, the situation is different. Roads, communication systems, hospitals, government agencies and emergency services have improved considerably. People can seek assistance more quickly.

Emergency numbers and medical services can provide support when required.

These facilities have brought enormous changes to hill life.

12. The Changing Role of Girls and Women

One of the most encouraging changes I have witnessed is the growing educational and economic independence of girls.

In earlier times, girls and women carried a tremendous burden of household work, cattle care, agriculture, grass collection and family responsibilities.

Today, many girls are going to school and higher educational institutions. Many are becoming teachers, professionals, officers, entrepreneurs and independent working women.

The age of marriage has also increased compared with earlier generations.

Education has given girls greater confidence and opportunities to contribute to their families and society.

This is one of the important signs of social change in the hills.

13. From Hardship to Better Living

The transformation of village life has been gradual.

Roads have connected remote areas. Electricity has reached villages. Schools and colleges have expanded. Medical facilities have become more accessible. Communication has become easier.

The standard of living has improved in many respects.

Yet something from the old days remains valuable.

The people of those times may not have possessed many material resources, but they had cooperation, patience, courage, physical strength and a strong sense of community.

They shared difficulties.

They stood together during emergencies.

They helped one another without expecting payment.

14. What Those Memories Taught Me

When I look back at my childhood and youth, I realise that many of life's most important lessons were learnt outside classrooms.

The mountains taught us endurance.

The family taught us responsibility.

The elders taught us respect.

The fields taught us hard work.

The forests taught us the importance of nature.

The difficult roads taught us courage.

Community life taught us cooperation.

And the suffering caused by inadequate medical facilities taught us the value of timely healthcare and modern knowledge.

These lessons remain with me even today.

Memories That Still Walk Beside Me

Time has changed the hills.

Many old paths have become roads. Villages have electricity and better communication. Children have better educational opportunities. Medical facilities are more accessible. Young women are becoming increasingly educated and independent.

Many people who once lived in remote villages have migrated to towns, cities and even other countries in search of education, employment and better opportunities.

Life is certainly easier in many ways.

But whenever I think about my childhood, I can still see those old mountain paths, scattered terrace fields, cattle returning home, children playing in the evening, people carrying loads from distant markets and villagers rushing together to fight a forest fire.

Those memories are not simply pictures of the past.

They are lessons.

They remind me that progress is important, but human values should not be left behind.

The world may become more modern, connected and comfortable, but responsibility, cooperation, respect for elders, care for others, courage and compassion will always remain valuable.

That is why I say:

Memories do not always remain behind us. Some memories continue to walk beside us, reminding us where we came from and what we should never forget.

Conclusion

My memories of village life in Kumaon, Uttarakhand are memories of hardship as well as happiness.

There were no modern facilities, but there was community spirit. There were fewer educational opportunities, but there was practical knowledge. There were difficult journeys, but there was courage. There was poverty, but there was cooperation.

Today, we should welcome development, education, roads, hospitals, technology and better opportunities. At the same time, we should preserve the positive human values that strengthened village communities in the past.

The best future is not about returning to the past. It is about carrying the best lessons of the past with us into future.