Riverfarming snakumbers

The Yamuna river is incredibly polluted. Delhi dumps its industrial wastes into the river and other settlements along the Yamuna have developed industrial activities that do the same. Agra is no different, except that it happens to be downstream of many of these, leading to it being ranked 20th in most polluted Indian cities. Since it is dry season, the river is really low and forms stagnant pools at various parts. The beach along the river is home to common open defecation and...yadiyadiya we could go on about how bad it is and how the Agra planning policies forbid access to the riverscape which has limited its development...

but one of the most interesting things is the annual cultivation of watermelon, squash and cucumbers on the fertile sands. I only got a glimpse at it but this is what I saw:

In India there are two types of cucumbers. This is one variety. In the hazy background you can see the Red Fort, where Shah Jahan, a famous ruler of India and the financer of the Taj Mahal, died. It is 6am.

I helped them harvest some of the snake-like cucumbers (snakumbers). Vishnu, on the left, sleeps on the same floor I do. The sand is actually furrowed and covered with straw which is meant to keep the moisture in I was told. The seeds are planted in the middle and then they grow out like vines around the furrows. Very leafy plants only are planted as other crops lose a lot to the birds and dogs that roam.

The boy on the left is part of the extended family I am staying with. Along with his dad, he sleeps in the straw shelter you see in the back. I asked him if he was off to school after this and he laughed. 'No, I have to take care of the farm' he said matter-of-factly. They are tying up the cucumbers in the wicker baskets to carry them into town where other family members are selling them on carts.

The rate for a small farm is 700 Rs or ~$15. They weren't sure if it was a government program or not. The snakumbers taste just like cucumbers.