Letter from India: Dangers of Decapitation

About 20 women and a few men stare at our small group on top of a hill in rural Andhra Pradesh, India. They block our path in stony-faced silence, gripping makeshift weapons in their hands that speak louder than words about their mood: heavy branches, clubs, sickles and axes. A hot wind sweeps over the otherwise deserted, treeless hilltop, ruffling the saris of the women and the lungis (a sarong worn around the waist) of the men. The sun shines cheerfully on these tribal villagers who are poised to attack us this afternoon, unless our guide can persuade them otherwise.

In an age of unprecedented economic growth in India - to the tune of nearly 8 percent a year - development projects continue to abound across the world's second most populous country. Large numbers of Indians are now laying claim to the comforts and securities of middle-class life, and India's rapid development of the last decade has made this possible.

Nick Wertsch is volunteering with Samata, an NGO that focuses on development issues and land rights for tribal people in India. Views expressed in this guest post are not those of the Pulitzer Center.