On February 2, 2025, the Jal Sahelis (Women friends of water) of Bundelkhand embarked on what was perhaps a ‘never done before’ walk for water: The Jal Saheliyon ki Jal Yatra or the ‘Water walk of Women friends of Water,’ an over 300 kilo metre-long march for water conservation.
This incredible journey of 19 days was undertaken from start to finish by a whopping 368 Jal Sahelis who walked continuously for 19 days. Some 1,000 Jal Sahelis participated in the yatra and on the last day, the yatra was concluded in the presence of 2,500 plus persons and Former MP Chief Minister and current Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Shivraj Chauhan. During this yatra the Jal Sahelis walked through five districts of Niwari, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Tikamgarh and Chhatarpur, carrying earthen pots filled with water from seven rivers of Bundelkhand.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is Accelerated Action. According to the World Economic Forum, it will take till 2158 – an unimaginable 133 years – to achieve full gender parity.
Water plays a key role in bridging gender and other inequality gaps, and when the women themselves take charge and shoulder responsibility to not only change their own destiny, but also the destiny of others, there is hope. The work of the Jal Sahelis stands testimony to this hope.
The Jal Yatra was flagged off from the historic and beautiful city of Orchha, Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the Betwa river and culminated on February 20, 2025, at Jatashankar temple in Chattarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. At the inaugural function itself before the yatra was flagged off, the energy was palpable. There was an atmosphere of positivity and of celebration. The Jal Sahelis were eager to begin, many wearing their blue saris, blue scarves, carrying placards with slogans they themselves had composed, and symbolic pots of water.
This yatra was ‘Accelerated Action’ at its best, in the hands of women themselves as they shattered ‘glass ceilings’ that society has put in, as they challenged themselves to push harder, longer and higher. This yatra had so many spin offs, some not even envisaged. Caste barriers were crossed, gender stereotypes challenged, and physical strengths pushed. The innate goodness of rural India was visible as emotional villagers welcomed them and shared their meagre resources, offering gur chana (jaggery and gram), flour, lentils and other food materials.
The yatra provided ground eye views of the challenges faced due to lack of water in the villages they visited and the status of rivers and traditional water conservation structures such as Chandela tanks. The Sahelis came as beacons of hope, generating awareness and sharing endless experiences and possibilities of achieving water security.
As explained by Sanjay Singh, Secretary of Parmarth, the organisation behind the Jal Saheli model, the vision was clear: To raise awareness, get women involved in water conservation, revive the traditional Chandela tanks and rejuvenate rivers.
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This writer has herself heard the Jal Sahelis on various occasions saying that after they made their villages water secure, they are keen to share their success stories and modus operandi with women from other villages. Many recall their transformational journey, from when they were chastised at home as they expressed a desire to step out of their homes to volunteer and work for water security – when they expressed a desire to become a Jal Saheli – to now when they are respected in their own household and village, and national and international platforms.
The Jal Sahelis are a creative lot as the design their own slogans and share songs on water conservation. Their compositions lament about how they are affected by water scarcity to now, how they can live in dignity and experience joy. Their compositions and slogans resonated in the surrounding areas as they walked, and walked.
Walking through villages, the Jal Sahelis received overwhelming support, petal showers, shared meals, and strong commitments. Jal Chaupals (Community Meetings) became hubs of discussion, where communities pledged to revive ponds, wells, and rivers. In Babina, a historic pond’s revival symbolized collective action. The Jal Sahelis shared one of their biggest successes, the transformation of Barua Nala (A seasonal drain) into Barua River (A Perennial River). Sharada Banshkar, a national awardee, inspired villagers: “If we unite, every dried river can flow again.”
In a region where caste and patriarchy are barriers to overcome, the families of Jal Sahelis, especially the men, have also changed, as they encourage the Jal Sahelis to be fearless and focus on their goal, celebrating their success and basking in their reflected glory.
On February 20, at Jatashankar Dham, Chhatarpur, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan honoured the Jal Sahelis, washing their feet in reverence for their efforts and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, the mood amongst the Jal Sahelis continues to be upbeat. Invigorated with the strength they gained, the world that they saw, the friends that they made because of this yatra, they are eager to spread ‘water goodness’ wherever they can, whenever they can.
(With inputs from Parmarth team)
