As opposition built up in Punjab, tens of thousands of protesters - many of them women - camped on the borders of Delhi through blistering heat and biting cold, refusing to back down until the laws had been repealed. The farmers were joined by teachers, students, labourers, unemployed young men and retired government employees - heart-warming stories emerged of protesters looking out for each other during difficult times. The bonds of Punjabi civil society were strengthened by the solidarity generated through months of communal living, where people cooked and ate together.