Month: October 2025

Visit to Local School (Primary & Middle):
The school in Katputli Nagar has around 161 children from classes 1 to 8 studying together in a shared space consisting of one large room, a corridor, and an open shed. During summers, school hours are restricted till 11 a.m., and on extreme heat days, holidays are declared. For most children, however, the school remains the only space offering relative cooling in contrast to the tightly packed, heat-prone homes. During summer vacations, with parents away for work (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.), children often remain indoors with limited respite from heat.

Visit to Katputli Nagar:

Katputli Nagar is one of the most densely populated and socio-economically vulnerable areas, with around 5,000–6,000 residents. Traditionally known for its katputli (puppet-making and performing) art, the number of households still practicing it has reduced to fewer than 100. Houses are closely packed, built slightly elevated to avoid drainage issues, with mostly concrete roofs—some extending with tin or concrete sheds for shade.

Visit to Madari Community:
The team also visited the Madari community, originally from Bikaner and nearby rural areas. Earlier, the community earned its livelihood through animal performances and magic shows across Rajasthan. With stricter animal protection regulations, they have now settled permanently. The settlement showed mixed housing conditions—some houses fully concretized, others semi-open or multi-storeyed.

Visit to MRHRU & CHC, Bhanupur Kalan:
The team visited the Model Rural Health Research Unit (MRHRU), Jaipur, under ICMR-NIIRNCD, Jodhpur, and the adjoining Community Health Centre (CHC). During the visit (around 9:30–10:00 a.m.), the CHC was bustling with patients, including elderly individuals, children, and women. The OPD, pharmacy, and gynecology department were fully occupied, and all general ward beds were in use, with several patients on IV drips.
IEC posters on heatwave protection—developed under NPCCHH, NHM Rajasthan, and co-created with UNICEF—were displayed across the premises. However, the posters were largely text-heavy and placed in less accessible areas for the general public.

Photos were taken with permission.