Summer Vacation in Village

Towards the end of April, the summer vacation began. I only got eight books as homework and nothing much. We hadn’t planned on going on a trip to anywhere. I thought this time the vacation will be extremely boring and dreary for me. But it turned out to be just the opposite.

I was going to my maternal uncle’s house. It is situated in a village of Burdwan called Kurhmun. This place is too beautiful to live there for a few days. So, this time I was going to stay there for a month.

(Everyday around 5 p.m., I used to take out my grandpa’s big green cycle. I would get up on the seat and start cycling to roam my village and feel closer to the nature. During this cycling, I noticed several things. In this writing, I am going to share my experience, an experience I shall never forget.)

I slowly take out the cycle from the small hut where the bikes and cycles are kept without anybody noticing me. I don’t want anybody to come with me. I want to spend this time alone. Then after getting out of the house, I get up on the cycle and start pedaling.

The street ahead is narrow and rocky. I try to keep a good control of the cycle while taking the turns. There are mud houses on both sides. Not much sunlight is falling on the streets. I have started taking speed. Suddenly I see the road ending and a ray of sunlight entering through a small passage. I easily pass through the passage.

Immediately I feel the sudden surge of wind and light. There is nature and greenery everywhere you see. Mangoes hanging from trees. Boys playing football in the green fields. Birds flying in the sky. There are no cars, traffic, factories to create all the sound and air pollution. There is a complete environment of tranquility and peace. Seeing all this greenery and breathing the non-polluted air, I start to feel extremely fresh and energetic.

A little far way I see a few people sitting on the ghat of a pond and holding long sticks in their hands. I realize what they are doing- fishing. Just beside the pond, there is a huge banyan tree. A lot of old people are sitting there in a circle and are probably talking about childhood, an attractive topic for old people. In a town and city, people don’t know each other very well and most don’t even try to. They are busy scrolling their facebook feed and forwarding some silly jokes in whatsapp. But here in the village, everybody knows each other and are always ready to help.

Suddenly I notice that I know the fishermen. I cycle to the pond and sit beside them. They greet me pleasantly and give one fishing pole to me. I wait for a long time. Meanwhile the sun has started setting. The wind is feeling great. So is the smell of the clean air. A lot of ducks are swimming in the water. Even after waiting for so long, no fish gets stuck in my hook. Except me, almost everybody was successful in catching fish. I give up and get up to leave.

But one auntie who is a distant relative of me forces me to go to her house and have something. Compared to a city, village people are more hospitable. They are extremely friendly and welcoming. She gives some sweets and a lot of mangoes. The mangoes were really sweet. They were taken from the tree without any insecticide or chemicals injected in them.

Then I leave and start cycling. While cycling I see some youths sitting on a bench with their heads down staring at their smartphones. They seem unemployed. Actually, in a village, there are very less job opportunities as there are no hospitals, malls, restaurant, schools to offer jobs. But it is very unlikely that these youths will take the jobs even when they are available.

Then I come across a lot of labourers returning back to their houses after the day’s work. They seem extremely fit and athletic. Almost all the people in the village are fit and healthy. In cities, most people go to work in their cars, sit the whole day in one place and do work, buy some fast food if it becomes too late and finally come back in their car. But in village, people walk or use cycle. They also have fresh fruits and vegetables which makes them healthy and strong against diseases.

Suddenly I have a strong urge to go to the place where the boys are playing football and play with them. I cycle very fast and reach the playing ground. There are about fifteen boys who are playing football. Some girls are chasing each other in the corner of the field. Most of them are in dirty and shabby clothes but they all look extremely happy. I realize I know some of the boys. I ask one of my known friends if I can join them. They all agree and after assigning me to one team, the game resumes.

In cities or towns, there are no grounds or fields to play any outdoor game. Even if in rare cases where there may be a small field somewhere, it will be found empty. Most of the boys are busy with their virtual games to play any real game like football. But in villages, right after the school finishes, children rush to the playing grounds.

It has started getting dark. The birds have started chirping and making all types of strange sounds. Only a small portion of the orange sun can be seen. If I don’t go home now, my grandparents will scold me.

I leave the field and go to my cycle. I get up and start my journey home. While cycling I understand that a village has a lot of advantages like being closer to the nature, getting fresh fruits and vegetables, getting to live in a more social place. But it lacks job opportunities, good education, medical service, good transportation.

I still see the youths sitting on the bench and staring at their smartphones. The old people under the banyan tree are gone. So are the fishermen. I can see the passage coming closer. When the cycle wheels enter the passage, I realize I have entered into darkness leaving all the colourful nature behind.

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