As the car speeds along the motorway, the scenes change and shift in a haze. The urban jungle fades away to vast, green fields. Concrete highrise morphs into cool bricked houses. The air becomes fresher, and one feels like a weight is lifted.
Village life has a quiet, soothing charm like none other and it comes as a special reminder to the simpler things in life we seem to be missing out on in our daily routines. As society becomes more complex, our struggles also increase. In the race to excel at life, little pleasures often take the backseat. Securing the perfect job is overshadowed by the simplicity of a stroll in the field. Business meetings take precedence over a cup of warm tea with the family. In the village, however, everything is put in retrospect. One finds peace at the moment, there is leisure in the most mundane of tasks. One goes from existing to living life how it's meant to be lived- in its crudest primal form.
Every time I'm in the village, I find myself noticing the little surprises nature has blessed us with. Colorful butterflies on wildflowers, lush fields worthy of a Shahrukh Khan-esque scene with a Bollywood tune in the background, that chittering of insects. The hustle and bustle of rural life starts with daybreak when everyone gathers near the small brick kiln and shares a quick breakfast before heading off to their respective chores for the day. Life is in no way easy, but it is fulfilling. Gender roles play a big role in the rural lifestyle, and day to day dealings are defined accordingly. Both men and women are hardworking and tough, looking after animals, fields, and families in the most diligent and industrious manner. Communal life thrives in its true essence, and there is a systematic working of life in every possible way.
When the sun slowly sets, everyone starts wrapping up their respective chores. The tandoors are lit, with scavenged wood and the surroundings are instantly taken over by the intoxicating smell of freshly made whole wheat rotis. The whole process is extremely tiresome yet fulfilling, and everyone unwinds with simple food surrounded by family and laughter.
For an outsider looking in, it all seems steeped in romanticism and utopia, but the reality is this is life in its crudest form. A lot of hard work, literal blood, sweat, and tears go into making it work on an everyday basis. It makes one wonder, we do have it easy, but is it really worth it?
Have we deliberately made life more complicated in pursuit of advancement? Nevertheless, it is extremely important, every once in a while, to kick back those stuffy shoes and reconnect with our roots, finding pleasure in a glass of chilled lassi and breathing in the fresh air, walking the same earth our ancestors did, so we can remember where we came from, how far we have come as well as where we will eventually return.
Village life has a quiet, soothing charm like none other and it comes as a special reminder to the simpler things in life we seem to be missing out on in our daily routines. As society becomes more complex, our struggles also increase. In the race to excel at life, little pleasures often take the backseat. Securing the perfect job is overshadowed by the simplicity of a stroll in the field. Business meetings take precedence over a cup of warm tea with the family. In the village, however, everything is put in retrospect. One finds peace at the moment, there is leisure in the most mundane of tasks. One goes from existing to living life how it's meant to be lived- in its crudest primal form.
Every time I'm in the village, I find myself noticing the little surprises nature has blessed us with. Colorful butterflies on wildflowers, lush fields worthy of a Shahrukh Khan-esque scene with a Bollywood tune in the background, that chittering of insects. The hustle and bustle of rural life starts with daybreak when everyone gathers near the small brick kiln and shares a quick breakfast before heading off to their respective chores for the day. Life is in no way easy, but it is fulfilling. Gender roles play a big role in the rural lifestyle, and day to day dealings are defined accordingly. Both men and women are hardworking and tough, looking after animals, fields, and families in the most diligent and industrious manner. Communal life thrives in its true essence, and there is a systematic working of life in every possible way.
When the sun slowly sets, everyone starts wrapping up their respective chores. The tandoors are lit, with scavenged wood and the surroundings are instantly taken over by the intoxicating smell of freshly made whole wheat rotis. The whole process is extremely tiresome yet fulfilling, and everyone unwinds with simple food surrounded by family and laughter.
For an outsider looking in, it all seems steeped in romanticism and utopia, but the reality is this is life in its crudest form. A lot of hard work, literal blood, sweat, and tears go into making it work on an everyday basis. It makes one wonder, we do have it easy, but is it really worth it?
Have we deliberately made life more complicated in pursuit of advancement? Nevertheless, it is extremely important, every once in a while, to kick back those stuffy shoes and reconnect with our roots, finding pleasure in a glass of chilled lassi and breathing in the fresh air, walking the same earth our ancestors did, so we can remember where we came from, how far we have come as well as where we will eventually return.