Funny but true

    

      Dating back to childhood days, perhaps when I was 8 years old, during which time I was no better than a little stupid child wandering all over like a kid suffering from attention deficit disorder. It brings me smiles to reminisce about the past which had been full of adventures, laughable incidences and the times were sufferings didn't recognize me much(he was little foreign to me that time, but now, he is my intimate friend so hard to part)

       One day, my elder brother, two other elder friends and myself went to herd cows. We were cow boys that time especially during winter vacations. As expected, we would have fun in the forests by cutting trees, chasing wild cocks(wouldn't get one), blowing flute(hardly knew),  eating different types of wild fruits and not to forget fighting and so on.  We wouldn't really know when to take our cattle home. None of us possessed watches that time and fortunately a bird would sing everyday almost around 4-5pm indicating that evening has come. It had been nature's beautiful synchronicity and gift for  us that time , which even to these days I hear them when I get to my village..

     

     Honestly, that day wasn't really good for us. We were kind  of  idiotic to have engrossed  in our own worlds and when we realized, it was almost closer to twilight. We were tensed  and horrified which left me blank. We started calling the names of cows, shouted at them and urged them to walk(cows are humanely and they understand human language  which is amazing). 

   

    Unfortunately, the way was too small for cows to travel, and there was a big cliff all over.  We  were trapped in the dark valley full of trees. They almost landed up fighting each other, which if happened would have worsened the situation(little fortunate midst the dark side). My elders who were suppose to make decisions were terrified and couldn't make one. We all wanted to leave without cows but then , we couldn't because we were afraid of the dark valley where we had to cross on the way to home. It is indeed a dangerous place that I feel reluctant to travel even to this day. 

    

      It was dark by then, our cows seemingly started finding their sleeping places. We had no where to go and my elders started climbing one tree( it wasn't that huge, and luckily it didn't break). I had to follow them and obviously I was the last man from the bottom and had there been tigers around, I would have been the first one to have had fed him(just a little joke).   Well, we were holding onto the small branches of the tree, and below us were some cows sleeping and happily regurgitating,  thinking we were guarding them. We were all tired and almost felt like sleeping on the tree  and had we fallen down, we would have landed either onto cows body or horns but fortunately we didn't(good for us as well as for  the cows as it avoided grievous accident ). 

   

      It was hard time for us. We were chanting 'BAZA GURU', the only thing that we knew about religion that time and amazingly that gave us courage against darkness. I remember the palpitations of my heart, the tremor  of fear aggravated  by little cold breeze and it was really daunting to me  being in the bottom of three of them( seems like I did little good act by lessening their fear, but this is my thought, I didn't ask them whether it did or not)

    

     We got more and more exhausted ,but  wouldn't climb down due to fear. To my surprise, it was real names of ours being echoed in the valley and I shouted.  I thought I was the first one to respond but it was all of us shouting together so promptly. I remember those voices powered by hope when our parents called us and I also remember when our voices were emotional, like a crying baby who would ask his or her mother in want of milk(now imagine how it had been?).  Then, after some time of waiting with confidence and happiness, our parents came to us with lights lit from bundle of spliced bamboos( try to picturesque now, it is beautiful, isn't it?) and we went home happily. It became a hard night to forget especially for me but it was a real test of adventure with nature  and I  am now cherishing how lucky I was not to have fallen from the lucky tree( I am planning to visit that place one fine day to see if that tree still exists or been cut).

    

A wish when I looked up!

    It was green all around. I could hear the whistling sounds of leaves as wind blew by. How should I describe that moment? Was it sadness or happiness? A peculiar feeling, that I wanted to feel again and again. Thanks to the spring for beautifying the nature.

    I don't remember exactly. Might be I  was in class VI and I bet, I wasn't aged more than that. I was in the green maize field. What could I say? It was just beautiful and melancholic. I saw the maize plants dancing happily and I was lost in it's beauty. The maize plants were around two feet tall. All looked miraculously healthy, standing upright. I was weeding unwanted plants for them. I wanted them to be more healthier with good sunlight,  space and nutrition. 

   My mom was alongside me doing the same work. She would tell me short stories. She would talk interesting talks and she would inspire me in any field. I always liked working alongside her. I do  miss now, the time spent so wondrously. I want the time back. I ask  myself, yet futile as of now. 

   As the time passed by, we were still working and I must say, it was a nice day with minimal sunshine and cool air around. I heard a sound and as I looked up, it was an aeroplane. I wondered, what kind of people would be flying high up in the sky. What would be the feeling? It was like a mystery to me.  I made a wish that time and within seconds aeroplane disappeared. I was excited and shouted, ''mom, I made a wish''. She looked enthused and replied instantly, 'tell me what is that wish kota'. Then, I told her, ''One day, I will fly from the sky above just like them, just trust me mom''. She looked so happy at that moment and she encouraged me that I can do it with ease. 

    Three years ago, when I returned home from Bangladesh during the holiday. My mom told me, ''kota, do you remember your wish as a child'. I was speechless and tears blurred my eyes. I saw my mom smiling and she congratulated me. It was the happiest moment for both of us and I told her how I felt travelling via air.

money or life?

       It is annoying when someone pulls from back and shows sympathetic faces and unfolding palms in the streets. For me, it is embarrassing when someone touches the legs for want of alms. Moreover,  it is disheartening to see some people rolling over the rough, hot roads with their limbs amputed or deformed. Many people walking by in their own world. Do they really care? I don't think so. This is complicated world. I asked myself and it doesn't really matter. It is a feeling hard to describe.
      I am reminded of my past days. I am not sure, but perhaps around 2001 when I was quite young. I had three friends with me and I was the youngest of them. We had  two days journey from our village.To my memories, the days seemed happy with the hopes of earning money yet dominated by the estrange feeling away from home. It was irksome yet adventurous to reach a place  completely new  for us. I had a little headache as my responsibilities were far less being young.
   It was a hard fought journey through the scorching sun, with loads on our back.  I remember, how  exhausted I was and how happy to reach the destination. It was evening by then. I saw tired faces of other labourers. My transient happiness subsided.
   The sun smiled happily, the sky, a beautiful blue. It was a wonderful morning to wake up. Other people went to work. Four of us were new and the supervisor gave us instructions. The work was carrying stones as much as possible. The daily fare was based on the stones. The more the stones, and the more money. They were building a school.
  It seemed interesting. Yet, it really was hell to carry baskets of stones on the back early in the morning till evening. It was a competition by then. Everyone wanted to earn more. There was a problem. Life was at risk.    I remember, when I had to wake up in the cold morning, when I had to cough almost all the time and when I became weak. I was almost caught by tuberculosis.  It was just a week gone by. My whole body was in pain and my determination weakened.
   I also remember the beautiful nights, where we had lots of local alcohol with friends. It made us good , relieved our sufferings temporarily. And I knew why farmers drink. It didn't last long. We returned  home after a week long struggle. It was hard earned money for me. It was exciting and an unforgettable experience in my life. So I ask myself, money or life? It seems obscure. Without money, no life and without life, money is nothing. Hence, we need both of them and the quest of happiness goes on.....