Farmers brace for gloomy festive season this time

As everyone is set and preparing to welcome the upcoming festive season with lights, there is a heartbreaking silence in the flood-ravaged villages in Kapurthala. For now, it seems the glow of Diwali will be replaced by despair.

For families, who have lost everything in the recent deluge, the festive season will pass like any other season.

Jaswant Singh, a farmer from Baupur Jadid, stares helplessly at his waterlogged fields. His entire paddy crop, spread across three acres, was destroyed. “Right now, I can barely manage to buy medicines for my ailing wife,” he says, his voice heavy with exhaustion. Thinking about Diwali or buying anything is not even a possibility.

For many like him, this Diwali brings no hope.

Farmer Gurpreet Singh summed up the prevailing mood and said it will take them six months to get back on track.

“Saadi Diwali te bandh bande hoye… te sirf apne aap nu sambhalan vich hi langh jaani. When there’s no money, celebrating is out of the question — we can’t even think about buying anything for Diwali."

Paramjit Singh, a respected farmer leader from the village, expressed the collective grief of the community. “The flood has robbed people of their earnings. The spirit of the festive season is dimmed this year. For those who’ve lost their source of income, the festivities will be sombre — if they happen at all," he said.

Perhaps the most heart-wrenching story is that of Pargat Singh, a daily wager and small-scale farmer. Just two months ago, he completed the construction of his small house, built with years of savings and hard labour. His home was also collapsed in the recent floods. "I built it ahead of Diwali. Now, I do not know where to start from," he said.

The road to recovery is long. As the floodwaters recede, the real struggle begins — to rebuild lives, restore hope, and, celebrate again.