My summer vacation after the Class X Board Exams had barely begun when my Grandma dragged me off to her home in the village. I didn't really want to go; I wasn't looking forward to spending a week without WiFi, or away from my cats. I had a lot of other things planned for my vacation. But when Grandma says something, you do it. So I reluctantly packed my things and left the city with her.
Day 1
We (my cousins and I) started the day off by visiting the nearby pond. The last time I went to the pond was almost a year ago, and I remembered it as a filthy puddle our dog jumped into. I didn't expect it to be any different but I still went because I thought I could use the walk and the fresh air.
What awaited me was a sight that made my jaw drop to the floor.
It was calm. All we could hear was the gush of the water.
The rest of the days, we spent visiting relatives and just loitering around.
Getting back to the city, I look back and I realize, this wasn't so bad. I needed a break. Away from the pollution of the city, away from all responsibilities. It was getting back to nature. It was coming home...
Day 1
We (my cousins and I) started the day off by visiting the nearby pond. The last time I went to the pond was almost a year ago, and I remembered it as a filthy puddle our dog jumped into. I didn't expect it to be any different but I still went because I thought I could use the walk and the fresh air.
What awaited me was a sight that made my jaw drop to the floor.
The pond was full of pink water lilies and my aunt went out of her way to pick us some of those gorgeous flowers. The kanikonna ( or Golden Shower or Cassia fistula) was in full bloom just in time for Vishu. And after spending some time near the pond, we got back in time for lunch.
That night, I gazed up at the sky, and saw hundreds of stars I wouldn't have been able to see in the city, due to sky glow. Orion and Sirius was near the horizon and Jupiter was directly above. And there were plenty of other red and blue stars I couldn't name. I felt so small. And puny.
Day 2
We walked to the stream that morning. The last time I went to the stream was years ago. I had vague memories of bathing there with my cousins as a kid. The stream was a tributary of the Chittar River and was very close to Grandma's home. The water was ice cold and we had fun crossing the shallow stream with our pants pulled up to our thighs. I even skipped a few stones in the water! My brother and my cousin were so excited about it, that I spend the rest of the time, teaching them how to skip a stone.
It was calm. All we could hear was the gush of the water.
The rest of the days, we spent visiting relatives and just loitering around.
Getting back to the city, I look back and I realize, this wasn't so bad. I needed a break. Away from the pollution of the city, away from all responsibilities. It was getting back to nature. It was coming home...
Looks like you had a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteThank you so so much for posting.