(New born calf)I walked through the known lanes again... this time I am visiting my maternal village after a gap of seven years... a grand welcome by all happy known faces... Itne dino baad!! each commenting me and my looks...
It was not me who have changes... lots and lots have changed here too... the concrete jungle have started coming up places here and there.... I still hold the images of mud houses in my mind... hardly could find here... but I am glad to know that these people have open their arms to prosperity, comfort and luxury....
I held my camera out to find few images that my mind reminisces... those houses, cattles and the green fields.... I found few but the green fields were barren, presently being ploughed.... the rains has just dropped in... the air smell so fresh...
(Village girl filling water at borewell & happily posing for the camera)
Children running around... running at the back of our jeep... trying to catch it....
(The bulluck-cart kept in fornt of a village house)
Everywhere its a makeover time... the rains have given an alarming bell... the roof tiles (kavelu)are being replaced... the hay is being stocked up for the cattle feed....
(Man preparing his house roof for rains)
My uncles have a huge house, just like a square with a big angan at the center. As a kid on summer vacation, when my mother used to bring all our siblings we used to sleep here in open. The rows of beds would be laid, it was giggling and masti till late night. The cover over a head twinkling so beautifully, big & small... the moon light was so good that you could spot the calmness of beautiful faces sleeping around....
This time there was no evidence of all my childhood reminisces... the Aagan was not cleaned, bushes grown here & there. I asked why maintaince is not being done... and the reply was not shocking... as practical as it could be... who stays here...some have moved to cities for schooling and others for job...
I felt bad but understood.... as I too was not here after all these long years just to have fun filled vacation... my trip was much more commercial than personal.... I was making trip to register office for land purchase deal... also had preplanned each and every minute of my days stay here. My every minute seemed so precious today....
I recollected that earlier it was not like this... I had plenty of time... for every thing... where am I lost... this time I was not in haste to visit our Baag (mango farm) and the Baag ki nadi (river near farm)... it was a must trip for everyone in those childhood times... our lunches used to be of all kind of friuts in Baag then... the stomach would make watery sound with all fruit juices inside, when we used to run back home...
I lost something?? I wondered.... but then I realised when all are leaving.. I am coming back here... If not my presence atleast there is something related to me... they all will remember me in some way or the other.... the houses, the lanes, the Baag and the Baag ki nadi....
I hope !!
Photos taken on 11/12th June 2008, Village Murmunda.
Places worth visiting near village Murmunda: Bamleshwary Temple, Dongargarh, CH, India
