It was the month of April when I happened to visit my village. As I entered the village it presented a charming scene and all the fields were laden with ripe golden crops.
It was a joyful endless sight. As far as the eyes could go, I could see standing tall plants with ripe grain and I was enchanted by the whole outlook of the village. I decided that I will visit the fields tomorrow morning.
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Early next morning I went to the fields and I found how people were busy reaping and mowing the fields. Several groups of farmers were working with their relatives and friends.
These groups entered the fields with their scythes very early in the morning and went on mowing the crops all in a line. I found them working and singing as their scythes flashed in the bright sunlight. The chorus was really very delightful and the work proceeded mechanically at break-neck speed.
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At about mid-day, the reaping stopped, ail gathered in a circle to partake of a simple fare brought by their wives or daughters who sat by their side and it appeared at this hour of refreshment that they had not felt any pain in work since morning. They did not talk of tiredness. Their talk was full of happiness and gaiety.
After refreshment was over, the men went back to the work but the women who had brought the food for their men started collecting the corn into sheaf’s and tied them so as to be carried to their homes.
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The men went on reaping till sunset. I went from field to field and everywhere 1 found the same sight. After sun-set I was delighted to see the people with sheaf’s of corn on their heads coming back to their homes.
Some farmers had loaded the sheaf’s in carts, and others who were sitting on the sheaf’s were returning to their homes singing merrily. After all why should they not sing? They had the fruits of their labour right under them.
As I went back to my home, I could not but think that the villagers were really very happy. They grow food for us and when they see their labour in the shape of standing crops, their joy knows no bounds. They felt extremely happy and delighted.
But do they continue to remain happy like that for all time? No, that is not because after they harvested, they try to see how much remains with them and they realise that a lot of their labour has gone into paying off debts, revenue, etc. While I was thinking that, I heard shouts of singing and dancing.
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When I went out I found that the farmers who had reaped the corn throughout the day and brought the sheaf’s in the evening, were now singing and dancing merrily because their day’s work was over. They had done a good day’s job and as long as the hard reality was away from them, they should enjoy themselves.
