Interview with Lacchan Das

(Q1) INTERVIEWER: Would you please introduce yourself?

(A1) LACCHAN DAS: My introduction-Arampur, Lacchan Das. My father's name is Ram Das. I fix shoes and sandals.

(Q2) INTERVIEWER: Thank you. And when did your family come to this area?

(A2) LACCHAN DAS: To this area? Twenty-five years ago.

(Q3) INTERVIEWER: And where were you born?

(A3) LACCHAN DAS: Here-in Arampur.

(Q4) INTERVIEWER: Would you please tell us something about your work.

(A4) LACCHAN DAS: Yes, about my work. Well, there's field labor and after that I fix shoes and sandals. I'm a poor man and from this I make ends meet.

(Q5) INTERVIEWER: Ok, in these last twenty-five years what changes have you seen in the village?

(A5) LACCHAN DAS: Are you talking about the social life of the village?

(Q6) INTERVIEWER: Yes sir-about the social life in the village, lifestyle.

(A6) LACCHAN DAS: Well, life is much better than it was.

(Q7) INTERVIEWER: For example?

(A7) LACCHAN DAS: As far as changes go, we all are better than before, our work and food are better.

(Q8) INTERVIEWER: So what does that mean exactly-is there more work?

(A8) LACCHAN DAS: Work as a manual laborer is available and we all perform manual labor-my whole family does.

(Q9) INTERVIEWER: All together, how many people are there in your family.

(A9) LACCHAN DAS: Six people.

(Q10) INTERVIEWER: And the work you do.

(A10) LACCHAN DAS: Yes, yes, manual labor.

(Q11) INTERVIEWER: Ok-and what's your age?

(A11) LACCHAN DAS: I'm thirty-years old, approximately.

(Q12) INTERVIEWER: Ok could you please explain something to me-whenever I ask people about their age they always give the answer you gave-"approximately." Why is that? Americans might want to understand that because.

(A12) LACCHAN DAS: Well it's not a big thing-it's possible that it could be one or two years more or less-that's why we tack on "approximately."

(Q13) INTERVIEWER: Great, and what's the name of this neighborhood?

(A13) LACCHAN DAS: This neighborhood's Kasba .

(Q14) INTERVIEWER: Kasba , ok. Do you know why it was given that name?

(A14) LACCHAN DAS: My mother and father gave it that name.

(Q15) INTERVIEWER: We're taping recording so that American students can understand something about India . So, what's India like as a country? What kind of nation is it?

(A15) LACCHAN DAS: It's a great country-our Bihar is a great place.

(Q16) INTERVIEWER: And what's its special quality?

(A16) LACCHAN DAS: Our Bihar is the golden bird.

(Q17) INTERVIEWER: Would you please explain to me what that means.

(A17) LACCHAN DAS: You'll find every type of person here-great well educated "personalities." The entire atmosphere here is fine-we live together as brothers and help one another out. We all spend our lives in fine fashion.

(Q18) INTERVIEWER: Thank you, elder brother.