Lush green woods, a winding mud road that cuts through the greenery… like a brown ribbon… disappearing in parts, but continuous.
Along these paths trundles a red bus; dusty and rickety; picking up people & their luggage. This is the lifeline of the Konkan region. The railways have arrived here about two decades ago; but the remote villages are still accessible only by road.
Little surprise then, that for the natives – it is the humble red bus that they identify with. They know the times the bus will arrive – not always governed by the timetable; they know the drivers by name, often offering them a cup of tea as they drive by. The driver will often be the unofficial messenger carrying small notes and packages not for money, but knowing that the elders rely on him for their bit of news and gossip.
Is it a wonder then, that it is this bus that they eagerly await … come rain or shine?
Taking advantage of a long weekend, I headed down to the picturesque village of Dapoli near on Konkan coast. As we drove through, it was raining hard as we navigated the "ghats", but we eventually managed to reach the Konkan plains. We stayed in a sleepy little hamlet called Karde that was located by the sea shore. While the shore has been littered by humans (you see plastic and non-bio degradable waste all along the beach), the sight of the vast ocean uninterrupted and in all its glory - is a pleasing sight.
It being the rainy season, this was "off-peak" time, limiting the tourists to a few adventurous souls who were visiting to enjoy the peace and quiet away from the bustle of the city. This gave me ample opportunity to observe the locals as they went about their daily chores, and the scenic coastline. The sea has made several inlets into the bordering villages that serve as creeks, dotted with coconut trees and other shrubs characteristic to the region.
The narrow country lanes are dotted with reeds of grassy vegetation and village folk treading through the patches of green. Bent almost halfway covered with a straw tent-like cape that offered scant protection from the heavy rain, it seemed like back breaking work to me. I went up to one of the ladies and asked what they were up to. "Sowing rice" was the reply I got and the response left me humbled.It is thanks to the hardworking farmer's toils that we enjoy the various delicacies that tingle our tastebuds and provide us with the much needed nutrients.
How many times do we give a second thought to the rice on our plates? From today, I know I will ... will you?
Along these paths trundles a red bus; dusty and rickety; picking up people & their luggage. This is the lifeline of the Konkan region. The railways have arrived here about two decades ago; but the remote villages are still accessible only by road.
Little surprise then, that for the natives – it is the humble red bus that they identify with. They know the times the bus will arrive – not always governed by the timetable; they know the drivers by name, often offering them a cup of tea as they drive by. The driver will often be the unofficial messenger carrying small notes and packages not for money, but knowing that the elders rely on him for their bit of news and gossip.
Is it a wonder then, that it is this bus that they eagerly await … come rain or shine?
Taking advantage of a long weekend, I headed down to the picturesque village of Dapoli near on Konkan coast. As we drove through, it was raining hard as we navigated the "ghats", but we eventually managed to reach the Konkan plains. We stayed in a sleepy little hamlet called Karde that was located by the sea shore. While the shore has been littered by humans (you see plastic and non-bio degradable waste all along the beach), the sight of the vast ocean uninterrupted and in all its glory - is a pleasing sight.
It being the rainy season, this was "off-peak" time, limiting the tourists to a few adventurous souls who were visiting to enjoy the peace and quiet away from the bustle of the city. This gave me ample opportunity to observe the locals as they went about their daily chores, and the scenic coastline. The sea has made several inlets into the bordering villages that serve as creeks, dotted with coconut trees and other shrubs characteristic to the region.
The narrow country lanes are dotted with reeds of grassy vegetation and village folk treading through the patches of green. Bent almost halfway covered with a straw tent-like cape that offered scant protection from the heavy rain, it seemed like back breaking work to me. I went up to one of the ladies and asked what they were up to. "Sowing rice" was the reply I got and the response left me humbled.It is thanks to the hardworking farmer's toils that we enjoy the various delicacies that tingle our tastebuds and provide us with the much needed nutrients.How many times do we give a second thought to the rice on our plates? From today, I know I will ... will you?
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