Nurungukal.....Cntd....

                As I sat on the step of the gate facing east thinking about my departure from my favourite surroundings, I felt disturbed. There was no escape, as I have to join Guruvayurappan college in Calicut for pre degree course. A long stretch of paddy field almost dry and cracked lay before me ready to bid farewell. A few patches of punja crop set islands of greenery here and there. The canal, an abode of varieties of plants and many species of birds and animals lay idle like a green serpent intertwined. The golden rays from the setting sun on the western horizon glowed on the coconut leaves. I made a recap of the days of joy and fun provided by the nature around me. The croaking of the tigrina frogs, chorus howl of the pack of fox, the night call of kalankozhi, the chirping of the little birds etc. etc. made a sweet visual. The frolics I enjoyed with my playmates, the ecstasy during an hide and seek game, the dialogues with nature while picking flowers during Onam festival, the chill and softness of the mud in the paddy fields, the adventure while in pursuit of a chempoth [crow-pheasant], the thrill of plucking a mango fruit from the tip of a mango tree or bringing it down by a sharp shot with a stone and to enjoy the taste mixed with chilly powder and salt which we stole from mother’s store, the suffering of the pain from the bruises while learning cycling, the choking of the throat by gulping gallons of water to learn swimming, the excitement when getting in contact with ----- while playing shodi or kochi kali ! and many other such exclusive experiences are going to be snatched away. The sun has made the plunge and a whitebreasted waterhen [kulakozhi] vociferously darted home before me. On the golden sky above a batch of cows hurried back to their night shelter etching silhouettes. Mother was calling me to get ready for the evening prayer and reluctantly I withdrew from my past sojourns.