Every summer vacation my family spent few days in my native place.. It is a small, beautiful village.. At the age of 8, I loved the place.. I and my bro waited for the exams to get over so that we can run in the fields.. Dive into the pool (the well).. Get the spl treatment "The KIDS from City".. It was 8 hours from my house.. Then there was no proper buses from the nearest town.. We planned accordingly. We started in odd times so that we reach the city on time to catch the earliest bus.. The ride in the bus was bumpy, more like a roller roaster, narrow roads, ups and downs.. Still we loved it all.. The bus stopped a mile away from my grandpa's house.. My dad's cousins brought cycles to take me and my brother.. During the rides on the cycle, we crossed farm lands.. The farm lands were mostly corn fields waiting to be cut down since the monsoon was a few weeks away.. The workers sang, enjoyed cutting down the corn, ploughed the fields.. It was a very beautiful sight to see..
We got up early in the morning, my grandma swept the floor, made rangoli, cooked breakfast.. Grandpa will listen to the news on radio [That was the time when there was no much TV.. Though we had TV with only doordarshan at home.. TV haven't reach the village then].. All the villagers got ready for work so early.. At 7 AM every pathway was filled with people going for work.. Some had their plough.. Some on cycles n carts carrying their products like pots, clothes to the nearby towns to sell.. Most teens transformed to shepherds before school.. It was amazing to see everyone so active early in the morning.. In the evening, we went to my great grandpa's farm.. There was a huge tank.. We bathed in the pumpsets.. My dad taught us swimming in the well.. There were no float tubes.. We tied a dried out vegetable [not sure which one] round us and my dad would throws us in the well.. Initially we were very scared.. but the naturally made floats helped us from drowning.. The summer festival in the local temple was another beautiful sight.. All the sons and daughters who lived outside the village came to attend the festival.. Though there was less crackers and shops compared to that of now.. It was awesome.. To conclude village then had good vegetation.. wells with water.. people busy with work.. festive and charming..
Years passed.. At the age of 12.. We didnt enjoy the village as we did at the age of 8.. We reached our village much earlier.. Now it took only 6 hours.. There were frequent buses.. The buses dropped us near grandpa's house.. The fields through which we rode in cycle had less farming.. Lands have become schools, shops etc.. The wells were we learn t to swim had only foot level of water.. The early morning was not the same sight.. People have become old and lazy.. Since farms had poor yield, many people were in debts. So, the charm and brightness had vanished.. Things had changed.. The place became boring for us too..
Though in the following years we had few short visits, we didnt notice the change in the village.. We were too busy to watch it.. Exams.. marks.. placements had captured our minds totally.. Finally I was recruited.. I was on the way to my village to inform my grandparents about the job and get their blessings.. We are able to afford a car now, our standard of living has improve. The ride is only half the time. The cool breeze from the corn fields is now the smokes from the industries. The corn fields are no more used for farming, they are factories, schools, shops, bus stand etc. now. Very few wells had water.. The farms that existed had no workers.. People have migrated to the nearby towns to find a decent job to clear their debts.. The village is left with very few people, broken houses. The mornings are gloomy with few people strolling on the roads. The festival had more shops than the number of people. But the sales had less profit.. Everything has reduced in number.. cattle.. sheep.. poultry.. shepherds too.. Village is become desert.. In the past few years things have changed a lot..
In the car back home, Mom was discussing with the driver about the reason for the dryness.. She felt It was because of the government.. Ya true indeed.. Her option was the government should have made rules that the children should follow family business.. hmmm... I didnt agree with her.. If so now my family might have been in some town paying the debts.. No cars.. no blogging.. I asked her what made her think so.. Her argument was the farms had no workers now.. everyone is moving out of village that’s the reason the farming cannot be done.. As a result the production has reduced.. Hmmm.. She is right!!! There are only handful of people who work in farms now.. But we cant blame the people who had moved out.. Everyman has the right to live the way he wants.. He has every right to be ambitious and desire for different profession. Then she said the industries should not be allowed to buy farming lands.. This was a very valid point.. The government should frame some special rule prohibiting the farming land from transforming to industries or residential area.. But What will happen to the poor farmer.. His only asset is his land.. When there is no farming but a good price for the land.. Anyone will sell it and move on.. So what should be done.. How can we stop industries in the farm lands? How can we encourage people to work in the fields? hmmm... I had no suggestion.. Just a small prayer..
I pray the future generation have some farms to see not just buildings and factories.. I wish they dont ask who is a shepherds??.. I wish I could feel the cold breeze once again.. I wish the farm doesn’t hit the economy.. I wish.. I wish.. I wish..
