Falling Water Table

On getting to know that his grandfather had fallen ill, Vinay who was settled in America started his journey to India along with his wife Kathy and daughter Jahnvi. In the plane, he began narrating tales to his wife and daughter about the time he had spent with his grandfather and in his village. “You know Kathy! People in my village may be poor. But they are very affectionate towards each other. They help each other in times of need. There are green fields all around the village. We used to spend most of our time in the fields.”

 On reaching the airport in his home country, he was startled to see a modern and new airport and looked at his wife with pride. However, he had to abandon the plan of staying in a hotel in the city and going to his village after eating something because he got to know that his grandfather had passed away. He hired a taxi at the airport to go to his village.

The three of them hadn’t eaten anything for some time. Kathy was worried that their daughter was hungry. When someone dies in the village, the kitchen in that house is not used for that day. But, other members of the village take care of food for that family.

The taxi had rapidly reached the road towards the village. On seeing good roads instead of the old mud roads, he began to feel happy even in those moments of despair. He told Kathy that they should be able to see the green fields very soon.

But he felt devastated on seeing the fields. Plastic bags were strewn all over the abandoned fields. Kathy’s look at Vinay was full of questions.

The mud houses in the village were replaced with modern houses. Expensive cars were parked in front of many houses. Vinay was again happy to see these changes in the village. As soon as Vinay arrived, they left for the funeral. At the funeral, most of the youth were busy with their mobiles as if all of them had come to count something. Some of them talked to him but they were more interested in the latest features in Vinay’s mobile. After the funeral, most of them went away.

The kids were wailing with hunger. Vinay’s uncle asked him to go to the nearest town and get some poori and curry packed.”

‘Uncle, neither there are green fields in the village nor people take care of the family when someone passes away. The situation has changed a lot.”

“My son! Here, the Level of the water table and moral of people is lowering day by day here.”

Kathy was listening to this conversation. Vinay’s eyes were looking down.