I live in a small village named Dagra, situated in the West Medinipur district of West Bengal. My village has around 60 houses, and most people know each other. Life in my village is slow-paced and peaceful with agriculture being most families’ primary livelihood source.
Since farming is practiced by many people in Dagra, the village is surrounded by cultivated land with flourishing crops during the monsoon season.
The rice crop is most widely grown but other crops are also grown.
Greenery and natural beauty surround my village. There are water bodies that are home to a variety of fishes. The lush green trees give the place a very clean and unpolluted aura.
Evenings mark the beginning of the post-school playing hours for the children.
They all love to come outdoors and play with each other.
Although the pandemic and digitization of the world have impacted people in our village it is still very minimal in some cases.
Most of the housewives do not have their own smartphones. More often than not, the households only have one smartphone for all the family members.
Even in this sense, there is far more connectivity and solidarity amongst people in the village when compared to the modern-day big cities.
Although with each passing year, more and more people are moving out of the village (including myself) for better opportunities, careers, and exposure, my village still holds a vital place in my heart. The simplicity and beauty that is present in every aspect of rural life are so rare in the outside world. I have grown up in this village and I am part of its life. My memories, my childhood, and my family belong to this place. I have big dreams that I want to achieve, places that I want to visit, and aspirations that I want to fulfill but no matter where I go my village will always be a part of me.
