Barmer, May 20 -- For the first time, the remote village of Utraj, located about 1,400 metres above sea level in the rugged hills of Mount Abu, received its tractor. Home to around 60 families and approximately 250 residents, this village has no road access, making it impossible for any vehicle to reach directly. On May 7, the residents carried a 1,000kg tractor in parts on their shoulders, trekking six kilometres for about eight hours through dense forests and rocky terrain to bring the machine home. With this, the villagers hope this new development will transform their agricultural practices. "The tractor could not be driven to the village due to the absence of a motorable road. Instead, the villagers dismantled it at Guru Shikhar - the highest point in Rajasthan - and transported its parts manually across treacherous, rocky forest trails," said 52-year-old Sankhal Singh Rajput Bodana, a resident of Utaraj. "Using specially crafted bamboo frames, nearly 50 villagers carried around 1,000 kilograms of machinery, including the heavy engine, over a distance of six kilometers. Once the parts reached the village, the tractor was assembled on-site. The sight of a tractor in the village for the first time sparked immense joy among the locals, who celebrated the moment with drums, traditional music, and festive cheer," he further said. According to local MLA Sawaram Garasiya, since the village falls within forest land, all kinds of development activities are restricted. "I have repeatedly requested the government and raised the issue in the state assembly seeking relaxation of these restrictions, but so far, no progress has been made. Recently, I sanctioned a budget of several lakhs of rupees for a gravel road in Utroj, but I am not sure whether the forest department will allow the construction," he said. "Countless generations of my family have lived in Utaraj, where till date all farming work has traditionally been done with oxen. Farming here has always required intense physical labour and long hours, often under harsh conditions," Bodana said. He said that bringing a tractor to the village marks a significant transformation as it will help the community to cultivate nearly 400 bighas of land using machinery. He further said that to fund the Rs.7 lakh tractor, all 60 families contributed collectively. "An initial down payment of Rs.1.5 lakh was made in cash, and the remaining amount is being financed through a loan. The tractor was purchased in Abu Road, where a ceremonial "muhurat" was held before dismantling. The company technicians disassembled the machine, and the parts were transported in two tractors up to Guru Shikhar." According to Bodana, they had been planning to buy a tractor for farming purposes for several years, but for various reasons, it didn't happen. When asked why they decided to buy a tractor, Bodana said: "Earlier, there were enough people and oxen to easily complete the work. However, over time, it became increasingly difficult to manage, so they decided to turn to technology. Last month, we finally decided to buy a tractor. After initially raising funds, we purchased the tractor two weeks ago." The arrival of the tractor was celebrated like a festival with traditional music and drums. Bodana further said that since no one in the village knows how to drive the tractor, they have hired a man from a nearby village to operate it."Every day, the village elders come together to discuss where the tractor will be used, and everyone follows their guidance."...