Bought For A Song!

                 

The broad tyres bumped through the dusty roads. Dust clouds, yellow and brown, rose along green fields of pigeon pea, jawar & lentils. Where the road ended was a mud house with gable roof & clay tiles. The inside was cold and calm. There was only one house in the neighborhood amongst vast areas of farms and jungle. Thanks to Rushikesh who had made it worth living by festooning it with beautiful container gardens, colorful lanterns and light décor. The walls embellished with Warli Art had an enigmatic charm. Furniture minimal yet antique.  



Exhausted, we sat on a mattress under an overarching neem tree. The breeze was pleasant and so was the experience. A couple of village guys served food on plastic plates. Hot & spicy karhi, relishing potato sabzi, chutney of mashed green chilies & garlic complemented with soft roties. Simple though, it had given fulfillment not only to our taste buds but also to our souls. Overloaded, I preferred to rest myself on a jute woven charpai ...strong wooden structure & a desi touch. 😊 It was months since the Corona virus breakout that we had been out for something like this.

The next couple of hours, we walked along the fields plucking handfuls of pigeon pea legumes, Indian jujube and carandus plums. Children played around and we blathered about the good old days. 

Just before sunset we drove to Kapshi lake where the fishes had started popping their heads out of the water. The flocks of birds that flew over formed unbelievable forms. One minute they were a giant bird and the next it was a long snake. Children sat on bullock-carts that were on their way home after a long tiring day. The center of attraction was the sun. Large, orange & chubby …. descending down the horizon … coloring the sky with vibrant shades of blue, purple, pink, orange and red. An alchemist as if, it sublimely reflected the magic into the waters. Amazing!


At a small distance from the hustle of the town, we had found perfect happiness. This was what life was all about, I said to myself. You need not travel to the most exotic places round the world. A stay in luxurious hotels, sipping rum punch and dining on beach BBQ while swaying to cool calypso tunes under the stars isn't necessary what you need. 

Sometimes, even the simplest of the foods bought for a song, a rustic yet pastoral countryside and a quality time spent with your family can make your vacation idyllic. When you’ve had your fill of tensions, worries & busy urban lifestyle, the sun, the nature and the mental peace is all you need. 

Just marvel at mother nature, and the magic! 

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