As the town sweats under a searing sun, the amount of work in wheat sowing areas increases manifold. The departing month (March) harbingers the arrival of wheat harvesting season. En masse movement of people from urban centers to rural areas is witnessed everywhere. They pour to the villages in a bid to earn wheat grains to be utilized during the rest of the year. With elated faces and glowing eyes, they are ready to say welcome to this particular season.
I was one of such persons who were eying a good return of their crop in the form of hard cash. I, being a university student, needed enough amount not only to pay my fees and other associated charges but also to support my family comprising seven members. The crop was ready and hopes were high.
Temperature was rising gradually, that was a good omen for the activities to be carried out in connection with harvesting season. Blacksmith stalls, selling special quality sickles to be used for harvesting, were thronged by the workers to have a sickle of their choice. The season was delayed a little, a bit, due to mild weather during the month of March. However, at the outset of April, the sun began to blaze, leading to the surge in Temperature. Hot weather conditions are said to be ideal for collecting the wheat grains.
My mother used to complain of her diseased eyes. That year, I had a firm belief that I would get a handsome amount by selling the wheat grains in the market and would get my mother eyes treated from the nearby eye hospital. Almost all arrangements were done and time was drawing nearer for the inaugural ceremony of harvesting.
At one pleasant morning, a cool wind began to blow from north to south. Soon, it brought some patches of clouds that started growing in size and in a matter of hours the area was shrouded by thick dark clouds. Severe thunder and lightning horrified the overall environment. Farmers as well as laborers became scared and started praying to keep their crops safe from a natural calamity. The weather conditions deteriorated swiftly.
The uncertainty prevailed till evening. I was sitting in my room with a window having outside view. As the night fell, raindrops began to trickle down the window glass. No doubt, it was a captivating scene, but at that moment, it turned out to be a nightmare. There was a spate in the streets as a result of incessant raining.
My mother entered my room and began to express her fears. I myself was not in a condition to say some consoling words as there were no signs of clouds to be dissipated soon. The roaring clouds seemed adamant to deluge the area. The splashing winds added fuel to the fire. Whole population ranging from children to grandfathers/mothers were in a state of frenzy. There was no noise except thundering of wild clouds. However, except this, the only sound heard off and on, was barking of stray dogs and hoot of owls.
At around midnight, the sound coming from outside abruptly changed as hailing began to pour in. When I realized this, I felt my desires going down the drain as hailing was all set to tear down the wheat plants, causing irreparable damage to the already ripe crop. The dawn was approaching when rain and hailing were observed to be ended
In the morning, albeit, there was still overcast in the area, people started pouring out in streets with their legs taking them towards their fields deliriously. I as well mustered the courage and left for the piece of land being cultivated by me. Just stepping out of the village, the very first view I witnessed was a corn field that was razed to the ground with no plant standing straight and intact. This scene was enough to make my mind that everything was over, leaving only stubble with no grains
There were other wheat fields alongside my fields, I saw the farmers sitting there with shattered dreams and pale faces as the last night rain and hailing completely devastated the wheat crop. With a heavy heart, I began to commiserate with the neighboring farmers, with my own eyes filled with tears
Now I had to face the most difficult stage of telling my mother about the appalling conditions, we the farmers were tackling at the moment. Somehow, I managed to inform the mother who did not care about her eyes, but was worried about my university fee and feeding of rest of the family members
The somberness continued for a week long and during this period, the topic of debate was how to pay the loan taken for wheat crop and how it could be made possible to sow the next crop without money in hand. Finally, livestock was chosen to share this onerous task. We sold animals to run the day-to-day affairs. When quotidian activities began to take place, there appeared a positive change in overall attitude of the people of the area. They exerted more effort to make the next crop a bumper one
Now coming to me, undoubtedly, I sold the animals, but as I had to make extra expenditure in the shape of education dues and treatment of my mother eyes therefore, I knocked at the door of financing institution and secured a necessary amount as a loan. After few months, people became oblivious of the tragedy and got themselves busy in their routine activities
Excerpt is that hardships are there not to bow a man, but to make him more strong and determined. All those who face the challenges tenaciously, ultimately reach the destination. Hence, keep it up and never lose heart, you will come out of the ordeal victoriously
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