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Re: Reliving the innocence at a rustic Konkan village (Velas turtle festival)



1:45 pm -> The light breakfast had evaporated long time back. Everybody was VERY hungry by this time.



Our lunch served on banana leaves.





The food was great. Everybody, especially the kido, loved it.





The next 30 minutes was not lunch - it was gluttony! Loved the hospitality and attention from the host family. In one corner of the house, a bunch of cotton mattresses were stacked. After the full tummies, that sight was just too tempting to resist. We have missed the release of 9 hatchlings in the early morning. The next program was to visit the hatchery at 6:30pm to see if any new eggs have hatched. So 3 full hours and nothing to do! Everybody picked one mattress and dozed off within minutes. After the 8 hour journey that was not too forgiving for the back, this was a welcome break. I slept like a log, without any dreams, for next hour or so.



4:00pm -> Not sure why, but I woke up. I think, the silence got me. Everybody in my house was fast asleep. Absolute silence everywhere. Except for an occassional bird and rustling of leaves, nothing else. The day was still a bit hot, but definitely not uncomfortable. I came out of the room and settled in the varandah ... taking it all in.



And then it struck me. My own village which is in the same district another 150 odd kms further south was exactly like this 25-30 years back. Untouched by modernization. Peaceful. Innocent!!



While I sat there in the varandah of that small house in Velas, the old memories came flooding back. Dirt roads, cattle, greenary all around, wells and small rivers with cold clean water. Coconut and betel-nut plantation so thick that only a small portion of the bright sunlight reaching the ground. Real houses, not bunglows. No electricity, no fridge, no TV. Battery operated radios with VividhBharti and AakashVani. Forget cellphones, very few landlines. Hens roaming around, kittens playing with each other, a few dogs carefully looking out for strangers or sleeping under some shade. People in no particular haste. Everyone knows everyone else. Respect for knowledge and age. Except an occassional ST bus, no other vehicle. No cars, no bikes, only bullock-carts, bicycles. Walking was the primary way of getting from one place to another. Thin people, chisled bodies, not too tall. Dark but still youthful skins. Sober coloured clothing. No hotels, very few shops. "Grow and eat" or "Catch and eat". Jaggery used in tea instead of sugar. Fish, everybody's favourite. Multiple fruits, but they were grown mostly for consumption and very few for trade/sell. Oil-lamps at night, may be a 'kandil'. Early lights-out. Bright stars visible from the windows. No fans. No need for fans. Cool breeze. Peace. Harmony.



Unfortunately over the last 2-3 decades a lot of that innocence is lost - at least in my own village. The road is tarred. Besides the numerous rounds of the ST bus, there are private noisy autos everywhere. Everybody has a bike, a few even cars/UVs. Forest cover has been destroyed and mango plantations are everywhere. Quite a few have moved away from tilling their own land. Wells have gone deeper or have become saline. Satellite TV and cellphones have invaded and taken over. Lifestyle gaps between urban and rural have vanished to a large extent. With migration, a few houses are locked. Joint families are history. Everybody wants a house with a concrete "slab" on top. Innocence of kids is gone. Rather than playing cannonball at the river, many are seen joining some classes and preparing for the rat-race - just like their urban counterparts. Money is god. People, relationships, culture, traditions, knowledge, spirituality - none of that matters anymore. Many have lost the meaning of "needs" and are chasing bigger and even bigger "wants".



Somehow villages like Velas still have managed to conserve some of that age-old innocence and simplicity. I sincerely hope that it remains that way for years to come.



Some random shots taken during the lazy afternoon.





Somebody heading out to collect 'maadi' - a local drink made from coconut trees.





While everyone was still asleep and I was enjoying the silence, a mini-hurricane hit our house.

We reached our respective accommodations and freshened up. After roaming around in scorching heat, a splash of cold water on the face feels heavenly. Most changed into something comfortable.1:45 pm -> The light breakfast had evaporated long time back. Everybody was VERY hungry by this time.Our lunch served on banana leaves.The food was great. Everybody, especially the kido, loved it.The next 30 minutes was not lunch - it was gluttony! Loved the hospitality and attention from the host family. In one corner of the house, a bunch of cotton mattresses were stacked. After the full tummies, that sight was just too tempting to resist. We have missed the release of 9 hatchlings in the early morning. The next program was to visit the hatchery at 6:30pm to see if any new eggs have hatched. So 3 full hours and nothing to do! Everybody picked one mattress and dozed off within minutes. After the 8 hour journey that was not too forgiving for the back, this was a welcome break. I slept like a log, without any dreams, for next hour or so.4:00pm -> Not sure why, but I woke up. I think, the silence got me. Everybody in my house was fast asleep. Absolute silence everywhere. Except for an occassional bird and rustling of leaves, nothing else. The day was still a bit hot, but definitely not uncomfortable. I came out of the room and settled in the varandah ... taking it all in.And then it struck me. My own village which is in the same district another 150 odd kms further south was exactly like this 25-30 years back. Untouched by modernization. Peaceful. Innocent!!While I sat there in the varandah of that small house in Velas, the old memories came flooding back. Dirt roads, cattle, greenary all around, wells and small rivers with cold clean water. Coconut and betel-nut plantation so thick that only a small portion of the bright sunlight reaching the ground. Real houses, not bunglows. No electricity, no fridge, no TV. Battery operated radios with VividhBharti and AakashVani. Forget cellphones, very few landlines. Hens roaming around, kittens playing with each other, a few dogs carefully looking out for strangers or sleeping under some shade. People in no particular haste. Everyone knows everyone else. Respect for knowledge and age. Except an occassional ST bus, no other vehicle. No cars, no bikes, only bullock-carts, bicycles. Walking was the primary way of getting from one place to another. Thin people, chisled bodies, not too tall. Dark but still youthful skins. Sober coloured clothing. No hotels, very few shops. "Grow and eat" or "Catch and eat". Jaggery used in tea instead of sugar. Fish, everybody's favourite. Multiple fruits, but they were grown mostly for consumption and very few for trade/sell. Oil-lamps at night, may be a 'kandil'. Early lights-out. Bright stars visible from the windows. No fans. No need for fans. Cool breeze. Peace. Harmony.Unfortunately over the last 2-3 decades a lot of that innocence is lost - at least in my own village. The road is tarred. Besides the numerous rounds of the ST bus, there are private noisy autos everywhere. Everybody has a bike, a few even cars/UVs. Forest cover has been destroyed and mango plantations are everywhere. Quite a few have moved away from tilling their own land. Wells have gone deeper or have become saline. Satellite TV and cellphones have invaded and taken over. Lifestyle gaps between urban and rural have vanished to a large extent. With migration, a few houses are locked. Joint families are history. Everybody wants a house with a concrete "slab" on top. Innocence of kids is gone. Rather than playing cannonball at the river, many are seen joining some classes and preparing for the rat-race - just like their urban counterparts. Money is god. People, relationships, culture, traditions, knowledge, spirituality - none of that matters anymore. Many have lost the meaning of "needs" and are chasing bigger and even bigger "wants".Somehow villages like Velas still have managed to conserve some of that age-old innocence and simplicity. I sincerely hope that it remains that way for years to come.Some random shots taken during the lazy afternoon.Somebody heading out to collect 'maadi' - a local drink made from coconut trees.While everyone was still asleep and I was enjoying the silence, a mini-hurricane hit our house. Last edited by SDP : 12th April 2013 at 00:39 .