DESPITE the chill of early mornings, 63-year-old Deorao Sarve rises without complaint. A phone call from the Velahari Gram Panchayat office is enough to set his day in motion. He picks up his drum, readies his bicycle and begins his duty of public announcement — popularly known as ‘davandi’. For more than three decades, Deorao has carried this responsibility with dedication.

 

A resident of Beltarodi, Deorao became a ‘davandya’ (announcer) after his father’s demise, continuing a legacy rooted in service. Family responsibilities forced him to discontinue his education at a young age. Along with making public announcements, he joined his family’s traditional broom-making work to support his household. Pedaling through dusty farm roads, Deorao travels across Besa, Beltarodi, Velahari, Shankarpur, Gotal Panjari, Pevatha and nearby villages. In those days, ‘davandi’ was the only medium through which villagers received information about government decisions, schemes and local matters. Even today, wherever he goes, people gather around him, eager to listen. “Though it is not a permanent job and I am paid only on announcement days, it helps me earn a little extra,” Deorao says. “More than money, it gives me a chance to connect with people, to share their joys and sorrows. Everyone knows me personally, and they are always ready to help if I need it.”

 

Serving as a messenger of the Gram Panchayat for years, Deorao has witnessed dramatic change. What was once a rural belt with scattered houses has transformed rapidly, with Besa and Beltarodi becoming part of a Nagar Panchayat and emerging as one of the most vibrant areas of Nagpur Smart City. Today, the region is a major business and educational hub, preferred by many for settlement. “With the airport and metro station nearby, even people with small pieces of farmland became millionaires,” he reflects. “Unfortunately, without land ownership, we could not benefit much.” Life, however, has found its own balance. Deorao’s two sons have started earning, his two daughters are happily married, and he and his wife now make brooms and spend peaceful moments with their grandchildren. As Velahari is likely to be upgraded to a Nagar Panchayat, the need for a ‘davandya’ may soon disappear. With limited resources, Gram Panchayat officials have expressed their inability to provide retirement benefits, though they have assured him a respectful farewell. “Until a government decision comes and my health allows, I will continue,” says Deorao, his voice heavy with emotion — a fading echo of a tradition that once bound entire villages together.