First 24 hours

“Okahney key?” (who is there) my wife shouted at the dark and the emptiness – no response, but we could distinctly hear sounds on the roof of our container and foot falls on the empty land next to our home. I said “it could be dew drops” she said, “No it has to be someone, dew drops cannot be so loud”

​Darkness of a night was profound, we could not even see our hand in the dark, no moon night. As hours ticked by, the rhythmic and non-rhythmic sound outside our container slowly turned to beats which put us to sleep – fitful though. We were scared of the darkness outside, jumped at the howling of the foxes, surprised at the shrill sound of the night birds and re-assured by the constant banter of the frogs in the little pond  near our home.

 This was early March and we came from Kolkata, where the winter had bid adieu, but had stayed back in this remote location, we were not prepared for the 9 degrees centigrade of the night time temperature. We froze in our meagre blankets.

​Overall, a night which was scary yet exhilarating, deafening silence but noisy with falling leaves and large dew drops on the container roof. Absolutely devoid of life yet reminded of life by the howls of the foxes.

​The morning was a welcome change. The sun was warm, and we were doing things in the reverse, instead of knocking a door before entering, we were knocking at the door before we stepped out, we were warned, we could have curios reptiles waiting to greet their new neighbour – snakes are common inhabitants of this land!!  Two months later it seems like a myth. But we will wait before we make a definitive judgment 😊

​We gazed at the empty land and all care of this world evaporated, Anupa stepped out with a small spade in her hand and said – oh there was so much to do and so little time… We were home and were loving it….