Azamgarh. Land of saints. Land of poets. Land of revolutionaries. That's the history. But the present tells a very different story. The land of saints is burning.
1. The Yamuna That Runs Black — Children Still Bathe
The Yamuna in Azamgarh is black. Foamy. Foul smell. Chemicals from factories upstream. Children still bathe in it. Still play in it. Still drink it.
A doctor said: "10-15 patients come every day with skin rashes. They're all connected to the river." River pollution has been a concern for 20 years. The river is still black.
A government college in Azamgarh has sanctioned posts for 20 teachers. Only 3 are present. Students sit in empty classrooms. They teach each other. Faculty shortage for 5 years. The students have given up waiting. Azamgarh's police stations have no women officers. None. Women who face violence don't file complaints. They know no one will listen. Women's cell has been proposed for 10 years. Not built. Young people are leaving Azamgarh. No jobs. No future. No hope. One young man refused. He took a cycle. Added a wooden box. Filled it with 50 books. He cycles to villages. Children borrow books. He returns next week. His cycle library reaches 1,000 children. He says: "Azamgarh taught me to read. I'm teaching others." Azamgarh was the land of saints. Now it's burning. A black river. An empty college. Silent women. And one young man on a cycle with books. The land of saints is burning. Who will save it?
2. The College That Has No Faculty — Students Teach Themselves
3. The Police Station That Has No Women Officers — Women Don't Complain
4. The Young Man Who Refused to Leave — Started a Library on a Cycle
Azamgarh Is Burning