The everyday life in the pol is marked by extreme familiarity and a stranger is easily spotted by the pol dwellers. Different groups would be found at different part of the day in the public areas. Groups of children and young boys play a vital role as the gate-keepers of the community. They spend a lot of time in the open spaces. The elders also spend some time in the public spaces, especially visiting temples. Women assemble in these spaces during noon time—when men are out to work, children at school and they are free from kitchen duties. The author points out that gossip, criticism and mutual counseling at the community level contributed towards conflict resolution and acted as a restraining factor in the community life.
On weddings or other general family events each household was expected to come for the feast and all the members were expected to attend. Panch also extended financial support for wedding and the mortuary rituals. Just like the principle of village exogamy the boys and girls can not marry within the pol. |