The Simple Life

We are so busy in our everyday city lives that we often forget to stop and appreciate the little things in life. A trip to my ancestral village in Ganganagar, Rajasthan reminded me of just that. A weekend at the pind (village) gave me time to slow down, reflect and appreciate the simple things in life. 

Sri Ganganagar is the northern most city in the state of Rajasthan, right across from the Punjab border. The drive there takes you through the heart of Punjab, passing through numerous paddy fields, at this time of the year. 

We reached the village late at night.  It was pitch dark and deserted. Our caretaker flashed the torch at us, motioning where to enter the periphery of the farmhouse from. He opened the massive gate leading us into the house. Although I was visiting after ages, it seemed the same. As if time had stood still. 

After freshening up, we sat in front of the cooler in the courtyard. The manjas (beds) had been laid out for us right there, just like old times. The silence was daunting, at first. I could only hear crickets and a dog barking in the distance. It seemed like the entire village had already gone to sleep. It was only 10 p.m.! Having lived in cities all my life, I am so used to noise. One can hear cars honking, people talking, babies howling, TVs on high volume, amongst other things. And here, nothing. Silence. I could almost hear my thoughts. 

My father and I reminisced about the good old days over a couple of beers. I had requested our caretaker to make dal like my grandmother used to. It had been slow cooked in earthernware the whole day. It was simply delicious. I overate, to say the least. After a sumptuous meal, we were ready to hit the bed, under the stars. I lay down and gazed at hundreds of stars glistening like diamonds in the night sky. For the longest time, I just stared at the sky trying to spot a shooting star or two. 

Pigeon eggs

I was woken up by the sound of the rooster and chirping sparrows at dawn. Generally, I would be peeved if I had been woken up that early. Today, I woke up with a smile. One could hear a lot of hustle bustle taking place outside. All the workers were getting ready for their daily routine.  While everyone got ready for work, I lazed around drinking fresh cow's milk, taking in the sights and sounds of the village. I saw a bird's nest after what seemed like an eternity.

The Blue Door

By mid morning, it was sweltering hot. I stayed indoors, reading an old copy of Reader's Digest and later, took an afternoon nap - a small luxury I cannot indulge in anymore in my daily life. 

We went for a short drive through numerous fields to see the international border between India & Pakistan. On our way there, we saw village folk lounging around on manjas playing cards to pass time. Now that is a sight one doesn't see very often. We drove right up to the border, which is about 7 kms from our house. Basically, a barbed wire fence with check points at regular intervals. I was told that a lot of alcohol smuggling took place back in the day, as it was expensive in Pakistan. Bahawalpur, the 12th largest city in Pakistan is located on the other side of the border. I could see the glow of its city lights at night. 

On the way to the border

In the evening, we went for a walk around the farm. It was very humid and I sweating profusely in spite of being in a cotton suit. I saw a couple of Nilgais grazing in the orchard which quickly ran away upon seeing us. Apparently, they are quite a nuisance here as they damage a lot of crop. During pre - partition days, they used to cross over to now, Pakistan where they were eaten as a delicacy. Now, they have nowhere to go and have been multiplying over the years.

While trying to take a picture in the cotton fields, my foot got stuck in quicksand. I managed to stumble out and then rinsed off the mud in one of the nalas (small canals). As the sun began to set, we made our way back to the house. The sound of the satsang at the next door Gurdwara was soothing.

At bedtime, I lay down under the blanket of stars. As much as I enjoyed that, it was comforting to know that tomorrow night I will be in my own bed in an AC room. 

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart". – Confucius