The village,unlike Malgudi exists for real.It is present right here before me,but even then it seems to be settled far away as though it has just jumped out of some fictional book!
It seemed delusive and out of place but it still had it's own charm about it.
I wasn't far from it,I just had to cross two roads and I had even thought of visiting it!It is not always that you get to see a village in this Metropolitan city.But yet,I was here ,two roads away,staring at it from the Metro station.I guess,that's what made it magical.It was the village that I used to read about in books and watch in movies.From,where I stood,I could see a small boy playing with a worn out tyre,a woman moving gracefully with a pot resting on her head,and there were even a couple of hens and cocks that wandered around aimlessly...
On further straining my eyes,I was able to see the huts,and they were indeed made of hay.The lady seemed aloof of this great marvel known as the Metro.Had she even travelled in it?
The boy seemed to be content with the worn out wheel which didn't need any engines but just a stroke of his stick could set it into motion!
How close..yet far away,was this place!
I was not standing here for the first time as on various occasions have I stood gaping out of this station.
Why didn't I see it before? It hadn't moved and it had been here all this while...
Right next to me was this older woman who was busy smoking and staring outside..
But I looked at her eyes and knew that she hadn't seen it..her eyes had missed to see the marvel in this small world that lived and breathed in this big city...
Just like the thousands of eyes that had perhaps looked through the village ..she stared ahead and continued smoking..
The train was fast approaching and it was time to leave. But oh, so happy was I to have discovered this little world that existed right in front of me,amidst this enormous city
There it lay peaceful and calm..not bothered by the city noise and the busy life!
How many of us would actually see that village that was left UNSEEN...?
It seemed delusive and out of place but it still had it's own charm about it.
I wasn't far from it,I just had to cross two roads and I had even thought of visiting it!It is not always that you get to see a village in this Metropolitan city.But yet,I was here ,two roads away,staring at it from the Metro station.I guess,that's what made it magical.It was the village that I used to read about in books and watch in movies.From,where I stood,I could see a small boy playing with a worn out tyre,a woman moving gracefully with a pot resting on her head,and there were even a couple of hens and cocks that wandered around aimlessly...
On further straining my eyes,I was able to see the huts,and they were indeed made of hay.The lady seemed aloof of this great marvel known as the Metro.Had she even travelled in it?
The boy seemed to be content with the worn out wheel which didn't need any engines but just a stroke of his stick could set it into motion!
How close..yet far away,was this place!
I was not standing here for the first time as on various occasions have I stood gaping out of this station.
Why didn't I see it before? It hadn't moved and it had been here all this while...
Right next to me was this older woman who was busy smoking and staring outside..
But I looked at her eyes and knew that she hadn't seen it..her eyes had missed to see the marvel in this small world that lived and breathed in this big city...
Just like the thousands of eyes that had perhaps looked through the village ..she stared ahead and continued smoking..
The train was fast approaching and it was time to leave. But oh, so happy was I to have discovered this little world that existed right in front of me,amidst this enormous city
There it lay peaceful and calm..not bothered by the city noise and the busy life!
How many of us would actually see that village that was left UNSEEN...?
The place where you live was once a beautiful village, with people who appreciated its landscape, before it was swallowed by the ever expanding urban agglomeration. You are lucky that you had time to see and understand what exists beyond that metro. Most people don't have that luxury.
ReplyDeleteWell written piece. Brought back the memories of our old friend Swamy.
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