Visiting markets in India has its own charm, especially in rural markets where the real India appears out of its womb to disperse the idea of its uniqueness.
I was visiting one of the Indian city rather a town surrounded by several rural villages. The market was huge, shops specially came in being just before the day of Deepawali, one of the biggest festival of Indian mind which is celebrated across the continents since ages and mostly known as the festival of lights. I was visiting an area ( SHAHDOL in Madhya pradesh, India) around Old Sabji mandi (vegetable market) and near Gandhi Choraha (Gandhi crossroads), one of the famous monument of the city.
Shoppers were selling things which are not only required in this festival but everything what one could buy and it has not changed since centuries; or shifts of changes are not such extreme that can reduce the identity of Indian soil.
Firecrackers, rice flakes, fresh peanuts to dry peanuts, fruits, vegetables, cosmetics for rural market, clothes, etc.
The market was full of people, some shopping before returning to their villages full of bags in which the dreams of their children for this festival is packed, some were still shopping and getting their turn to spend money. It seems that nothing is about money: it is all about happiness and joy what one brings in this festival.
Shoppers were also trying to sell their things as quickly as possible. They also have to return to their home to celebrate the festival with their family and waiting go get enough money so they could buy the requisite pleasure for them.
The scene was chaotic but the charm had enough strength to make me encircle the whole of market which seems to be full of never ending crowed. I was amazed to see the eyes of the people even those who seemed to be earning pretty less but were still able to find things for their beloved. No sense of tragedy was there, one can feature easily the villagers are still having the sense of their life which gives the idea of rural identity.
I can easily identify the city dwellers and villagers. City dwellers were tensed and in somewhat of hurry, this was absent in the villagers who seem to know the practical notion of life.
People were still riding their bicycle coming far from their villages and there was no one to tell them the sustainability or the idea of zero emission. They are sustainable by default, and had nothing to prove it. No one had any value to put on the ride what they do each and everyday, kilometres what they ran was not the talk of their town. The green by default.
The crowed was such that a policeman wearing the jacket of traffic police was standing just in the middle of the road with his motorbike but hardly making any sense there. No one was bothered about his presence, everyone was busy for their festival shopping. The policeman too was merely present. I tried to talk with him, first he was annoyed then I told him I am just wondering to know his own feeling on given day when he is supposed to be with his family. He reluctantly answered me, saying yes but duty is important for him, in spite he was overweight and nearly 50 years old.
I went to the vegetable market where the scene was not so different. People were planning to leave and trying to sell their veggies in any price what a customer could afford but I could see while buying that they wanted to make some profit too. I chose a lady who had just few things remain and bought everything, and soon she left hurriedly to go home, where the children must have been waiting.
On the way back I saw some city dwellers who were coming and going on the road and some still sitting in their shops but I could see that neither they were interested in Festival nor they had fun being in it, their mind was bogging somewhere else. I went to a computer shop on the way just to look what the guy is doing there. He was wearing new clothes which are tradition for the day but his mind was not fresh, it was dwindling somewhere out of town, he was tensed and not even answering to me.
Here I saw the real India: one which is going forward and losing the sense of its own integration and another, which is still bargaining with the future to ensure the happiness what they have in their life.
I was happy to see the two sides of Indian reality. I must say that I would like to be the one who is like villagers having a sense of my own idea where I have not sold my peace of mind and then spending for Yoga and meditation. In fact I would buy the idea of my own reality which is peace in my identity.
I feel like getting my root, which is on my rural identity. Where mind is dwelling within its reach, in present and where the future lies deep somewhere without worry. Life seems to be an idea of joy and happiness.
Deepawali seems to be a big festival for those who really know what it meant to be in festival. For rest, it is just a burden of past. Deepawali is celebrated all across the nation and in the world but I think the celebration really happens in Villages of India and burden is held in the cities.
I wish everyone around and near me a very happy Deepawali.