IMPRESSIONS

Impression – Villages
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes,
By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:
I love not Man the less, but Nature more

                            - Lord Byron

 

As we tiptoed below the night sky, a sense of calm prevailed even as those noises in my head grew louder.Can you really walk in silence? Those 10 minutes were probably the longest period of inactivity throughout the 3 days, by the end of which, it was pretty evident that the purpose was not one of finding silence but of acknowledging those noises within.Apart from the gross generalizations that surgically divide urban and rural people, I saw lot of overlaps that helped build a sense of belonging with the village folk.

I saw those same fears in their eyes that I hold deep within, but what differs is their approach. They fear strangeness as much as we do, familiarity is an irreconcilable aspect of most of human civilization, but while we try to build forts of solitude and shun the unknown, they approach it with caution and develop an understanding. Not a single village passed without a villager troubling himself to find out who we were. Compare this to the lives we lead where one could go on existing for decades without knowing their neighbour.

Every village, every home, when you observe closely – tells you a similar story of what it means to be part of a village. They are all filled with necessities rather than pure desires. Their understanding of their needs, their pursuit towards a simple life, their value for money and every single item of possession, it tells me that they are best producers as farmers and they are the best consumers. Everything that exists has been used, probably over-used – compare this to urban homes filled withwe-might-need-it-sometime-in-the-future-let’s-buy goods that so fill our spaces and minds.

Another striking contrast is the emphasis we-the city folk place on accumulation of knowledge! We might as well lead our entire lives associating the name of a bamboo tree, mapping it to the picture in our books and go on under the preposterous assumption that we KNOW what it is! A villager definitely has knowledge, stored in a different form, capable of perfect recall but he is also Wise. It is this wisdom, the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and wisdom that they possess in abundance, differentiates us from them. They might not know its botanical name, but they know how to use them. They are well equipped than us to face adversities.

Urban folk suffer with a range of ailments, insomnia being one of them. Did you notice that, in the 3 days and 2 nights we were there, every single one of us had a sound sleep! It might well be that the cook we hired was extraordinary that every meal was delicious, but a closer look will reveal lot more that! Sleep is a state of rest for your body, and there needs to be both physical activity and mental activity that ensures your body and mind are sufficiently tired for you to sleep. Food tastes better when you have earned it, and each of those footsteps that we so put, one in front of another, in some cases dragging towards an unknown destination added taste. Village life by design, is a fulfilling one and keeps us connected to our roots, and lets everyone enjoy those fruits from the seeds we have sown and the plants we have grown. This yatra has made me realize the importance of being disconnected and being connected at the same time. I wish to spend more time in the rural areas starting this year!

 

One post is not enough to convey all that I’ve been through, more to come in my next post!