Four districts, 20 villages, interesting rendezvous, some stumbling blocks and many, many stories – some shocking, some eye-opening, some heart-wrenching and some full of hope. The 500-km long trip across Bundelkhand on our bike was about women, their lives, hopes, struggles and aspirations

While people living in cities have an option to choose from a range of sanitary napkins available in markets and they even have an option to choose among pads, menstrual cups and tampons, but women living in villages don't even know what pads are.

When we were travelling across Bundelkhand on our bike, the election fever was at its peak. We met many first-time voters, who had so many hopes and aspirations. They also had many grievances, which they shared with us. They were so keen to vote, but I kept wondering if their voices would ever reach those who matter.

When we started packing for our trip, just to be on the safe side, we stuffed 'self-defence weapons' in our bags, but they were of no use.During the course of our journey, I realised how badly we have abused nature and natural resources -- water, in particular. Saving water is truly the need of the day

It’s not that finding a decent toilet in cities is a cakewalk, but it’s a challenge of a different kind when you are in a village and have to find one on a simmering hot day. Most of them in Lokhariya village drew a blank when I asked them about a toilet. For me it was a day-long ordeal, but for women living in many villages in Bundelkhand, ‘no toilet’ is a way of life.

रफ़ीक ने बताया कि किस तरह कम समय और लागत से बनने वाली विदेशी कालीनें भारत में धड़ल्ले से न सिर्फ बिक रही हैं बल्कि कश्मीरी कालीनों का व्यापार भी तेज़ी से कम कर रही हैं।

"एक दिन में 150 रुपये मिलते हैं हमको, दस से बारह घंटे काम करने के। पिछले सालों में तो हमारी दिन भर की कमाई भी काम हो गई है। अगर सरकार अपने दरवाज़े हमारे लिए खोलती तो कुछ उम्मीद थी," परवेज़ कहते हैं।

मुगलों के आगमन के साथ शुरू हुई काष्ठ कला, सहारनपुर की पहचान बन चुकी है और देश, विदेश तक लोकप्रिय है। आज भी सहारनपुर में कई परिवार सिर्फ़ इसी काम के भरोसे अपना जीवन यापन कर रहे हैं।

मधुबनी जिले में आनेवाला गाँव सरसब पाही, सरौतों के लिए राज्य ही नहीं, देश भर में विख्यात है। पान और सुपाड़ी का शौक रखने वालों के एक बेहद पसंदीदा चीज़ होते हैं यहाँ के सरौते।