ONE DAY AT THE VILLAGE.

You get so used to the electronic alarms that at first its hard to get up at the rooster call. The rooster call starts around 3 am and that loud call just makes you feel at home.  You wake up on the fourth call of the rooster, open the wooden window with those cracking sound. You look outside and find everything calm and tranquil. There is a soft breeze greeting you good morning. The foggy atmosphere, the chirping of the bird, the happy sunrise makes you realize that you are really alive. You go outside on the bamboo balcony and wash yourself with the fresh chilling mountain water. After that you go to the kitchen. You see the hearth with little puff of smoke and a charcoal pot on it which tells you that your breakfast is ready.

Your grandma is sitting near the hearth chanting om mani pelmi hung and she greets you with a wrinkled smile. You sit near her and at times that seems like the coziest and safest place on the universe. Then slowly, you start telling grandma about the dreams that you had and she with her wisdom tries to interpret it.

You hear footsteps outside, slowly the big wooden door squeaks; it’s your uncle and he has just returned after tending the ox which is to be used that day to plough. Then your aunt descends from the attic with bungchung full of zow and sheb. The whole family gathers and has the most delicious breakfast ever; ezey, white rice, suja and zow. After the meal your brother and sister wash dishes whereas you go with your aunt to milk the cows. You get the responsibility of holding back the calf and just the thoughts that there are few more cows to go is tiring.

With the full filled bucket of milk you witness the milk forming curd and cheese through the process called churning. As your aunt prepares the lunch you have nothing to do so you just play with your sibling. Not with toys and barbies but with stones. You just find out that your sister exceeds you in ek dro pa ek. After that you accompany your aunt who is going to the paddy taking your uncle’s lunch.  The nature’s beauties just mesmerize you; the newly sown paddies smiling up to the hot summer sun, the sound of the river blending with the wind, the smell of the soil and the chirping of the birds. As you near the paddy, you hear your uncle singing as he ploughs. On seeing you and your aunt, your uncle waves at you and stops ploughing. As he sits down he wipes his face with his shirt and he takes out the leaves cap he has made to protect himself from the harmful UV rays. A lunch of red rice and red chilies leaves you all sweating but nevertheless you won’t be able to deny that it was wonderful.

 When you return home, your sister and angay are drying the wheat in the sun and once again you are asked to guard it from crows and pigs. Knowing that it’s easy, you lay down on the ground and without knowing you doze off under the hot scorching sun. Suddenly you wake up with your face full of sweats. It’s almost sunset so you and your brother go the forest to bring back the cows.

     In the evening,  all of the family member sit around the fire and for dinner you are having bones with pumpkin. Though pumpkins are not your favorite you cannot help but have two plates of rice with the pumpkin curry. After dinner, your uncle retires to bed as he is bit tired. Your aunt weaves with a song playing from the radio beside her. Grandmother is busy with the children narrating her fascinating folk tales. The atmosphere is warm and cozy; dim fire in the hearth, murmuring of grandma, humming of aunt and snoring of your uncle and amazing exclamation from your cousins, The best music of your life. That will end your one day stay at your village. A day well spent.