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| Modern era takes toll of the traditional community water points (Chabeels) | | Pacci Chabeel at Vaishno Devi, Chabeel Wali Gali have lost the points that denoted their names | |
Sanjay Khajuria
Jammu May 7
This summer the aged people are feeling nostalgic about the ‘earthen pots’ and frequent Chabeels (water points) organized in the city in the past that made many places famous for their water points which now have vanished.
Though the Chabeel Wali Gali has no Chabeel but still its recognized as Chabeel Wali Gali after the Chabeel (water point) on the outlet of the lane.
Majority of the people blame the vanishing of the old traditions like organizing of Chabeels to the modern metro culture. Traditional chabeels with earthen pots that were dotted in the city during the scorching summers and also offered respite to the people who quench their thirst on these points. Gradually this trend vanished from the social set up as perhaps the new generation failed to accept the concept of the community chabeels.
Mahesh Dutt, retd government employee presently residing in walled city at Purani Mandi evoked that those were the days when the people get their thirst quenched at these Piyaaus/Chabeels managed through self service or some even volunteered their services at times.
The middle aged man recalled that there were some water points where the volunteers usually offer dry/fresh Amla (citrus fruit) or fried grams to the visitor. “These were offered to add taste to the water and secondly at times the agitated thirst make the a person to drink hastily causes choking.
While Ram Sharma of Kachi Chowni said that these community water points at Rani Park, Parade Ground, Purani Mandi, Pacca Danga, Jain Bazaar, Old Hospital Road were known to every one. ‘Even the lane Chabeel Wali Gali received its name from a Chabeel, situated at the entrance of the lane, he said.
Some also recalled that people also used to organize such Chabeels enroute to sacred pilgrimage of Vaishno Devi and one can even recall the place known as Pacci Chabeels on the way to Holy yatra though the Chabeels is non existence now.
The devotees visiting the holy cave shrine remembered that an old woman offering water and fried grams/amla or roasted grams to the pilgrims before giving a glass of water.
At the same time some recalled the Chabeel at Thandi Khui on the national highway where an aged lady used to offer water to the passengers passing on this long highway in the hot summers. It has also remnant of the place where she kept her earthen pots filled with water pulled out from nearby well known for the sweat and cold water. Majority of the people blamed the modern society taking toll of these water points as the parents now a days are more cautious about the health of their wards and instruct them to refrain from taking water from general place instead better to take soft drinks- and this has really discouraged the organizers of chabeels to set up such water booths.
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