The New Neighbourhood

A new day has arrived in the horizon! As I take a stroll on the village roads - I am taken aback by an enigmatic surprise. Well, it turns out that I now have - new neighbours.

As I recall the days strolling the village roads alone in the village - reminiscing the stillness, peacefulness and cacophany of birds that could be heard in the backyard, I feel a great sense of nostalgia. I had to trade-off some of the beautiful bounties of nature that were exclusive to this vaddo to pave the way for the new-comers. I feel partly happy whilst sad as I miss some of the unique parrots with long tail beaks that I would spot at day time on a huge tree. This tree, was not just any tree - it was a cotton tree. It stood in between my house and other houses in the vicinity and provided shelter to other creatures. During the summer months, pink coloured flowers would spring out from its branches and colour the village pathway with its beautiful petals. It was a trove of the neighbourhoods memories for years and years apart and was sadly chopped off to make way for a small bungalow - hosting one of our jubilant neighbours.

To the left, there was an old potters house as what it looked like prior to the transformation. With overgrown weeds, grass - it was a haven to snakes and all other animals that trespassed this area. It was routine practice either yearly or quarterly to burn the overgrown grass and weeds of that area. The burning smell was so strong, that I often caught an allergy every morning as I started my day when I was in Goa for sometime. As I see the area, it has now transformed to a breath-taking villa with a beautiful gazebo dotting the entrance.

As its now evening in the village, I can still hear the sound of the cookoo bird signalling the close of another day at hand. With a few crows still calling out to each other, and the night insects chiming in - I see from far afar a new community emerging.

I pray to the Almighty lest its development leave undisturbed the beautiful neighbourhood I still hold dear at heart to date.

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