Village ride

I relocated to Vasai when I was 29 years old, now I’m 45. At that time, I’d hear many people fondly refer to it as Vasai gaon [Vasai village]. It was greener then including the street where I reside now. A chorus of birds would be my natural alarm clock at dawn. There were many green fields in my neighbourhood Evershine City.

Buildings started coming up. The street got crowded and more vehicles started plying. My town started being called Vasai-Virar city. My vaccination centre was in the neighbouring town Naigaon. Yesterday [22 July 2022], I took a rickety auto rickshaw ride to Ishaan Hospital which was the allocated hospital for this purpose.

The road to this hospital which is still predominantly green and swampy is now being engulfed by the brick-and-mortar world. Mechanical cranes are busy gulping mud which is depleting the number of white feathery cranes scavenging for insects, snails, worms, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans,  fish, fruits, roots, grains, nuts, grasses etc. Whereas the machine cranes may be getting indigestion from devouring mud, the birds may go hungry and die. The driver of the small cab opined that soon I will not be able to see these villages anymore as city lights will start glittering here.

The nurses and receptionist of the hospital were quite good, loving and caring. I was the only person there, I didn’t have to wait in line for this pre-booked appointment. The healthcare workers have done an amazing job during this pandemic. Mashi had accompanied me.

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