Kamegowda regrets nothing about his years of labour
Kamegowda is one of those people who decided to be the change they wanted to see. This 80-year-old man has spent decades creating and preserving ponds near his village of Daasanadoddi in Karnataka's Mandya district. Kamegowda has been a shepherd for much of his life and he told NDTV how this passion started. "I lived like a wild animal from the age of 5. My mother had 10 children and showed me no affection. The sheep and other animals - I was close to them. What do the birds, the snakes do. I understood what difficulties animals faced?
"All animals suffer a lot in summer. They want water. I have seen this from the time I was young. And I felt that if I don't do something about this suffering, aren't I a rakshasa (Demon)? That is why I organised these ponds," he said.
And how does he know where to dig...the best place where a pond would retain water?
He said, "Between Ugadi and Shivaratri, there should be dampness in the earth. In the dry earth there should be greenness. That is how I know where to build the pond. Otherwise the water won't stay."
Kamegowda says he has been working on these ponds for 40 years. He has built 14 so far. Almost all his money goes into this project - even the award money he gets from people who admire his work.
This has not always endeared him to his own family - but by naming some of the ponds after his grandchildren he hope he will encourage the love of nature and water in them.
He said,"I use a JCB to dig this. For a day - that costs 6000 to 8000. 700 rupees an hour.....have called two ponds Pooja and Purvi. Why? If I give them gold, cash - they will waste this. This service will always be there for them."
And Kamegowda regrets nothing about his years of labour.
He said, "My work is helpful for the animals of the forest. If I die, my name will always be there. It will be there as long as the sky and the earth. Money may go tomorrow, does it stay?"
He sees the difference that the year-round availability of water has made.
"After the water came, the animals drink the water and are happy. And seeing them, I am happy. For as long as the earth and sky lasts - I have built such strong ponds. I have made things good for the animals. Whatever the people say, I have done the right thing. Even if I die, plants, animals, ponds I, Kamegowda, have served them," he said.
He does have a clear philosophy about our responsibilities to the Earth we inhabit. "We should not be heavy on this world. We should be like flowers. That should be our weight on the earth," he said.