Tick-Tock Tick-Tock

Regulars @ the Line Dhaba !

Travelling to Tamkuha with Blair gave me a renewed appreciation for the everyday. Watching her experience Bihar with the eyes of a new comer was refreshing.  We walked past a half finished straw basket on the way to check out the new Husk installations. Blair wanted to buy 2, as a memory for us. The local producers could not understand why anyone would want to buy unfinished baskets. After repeated attempts of trying to convince them to sell them to us, we gave up. Instead we bought 2 finished baskets that ‘appeared’ from somewhere during the course of our conversations.

The unfinished basket
 that started it all!

The whole episode was truly entertaining for both the villagers and us. Men stopped and provided their two cents, women looked at us confused – telling us there’d be no use for the basket if it wasn’t finished and then there were lots of children, starring at the tall blond woman holding the unfinished multicolored basket. The villagers also insisted we take the baskets as gifts, since Blair was visiting all the way from the US. After much discussion, they allowed us to pay for a month’s worth of electricity for the two baskets.

The whole episode left me in admiration of living in the present. No one seemed to be rushing. The thirty odd on-lookers had time to stop and see what was going on. The producers had time to set aside their work and tell us about how they use the baskets and ask questions about why we wanted the baskets in the first place. We too had time to learn, share and experience. We all had the time to connect through our conversation and laughter. 

I wonder if as city dwellers, we maybe forgetting to live in the present or to make time to connect. I question how many interesting experiences I've missed out on because I thought I had something more important to get to. Next time I see something interesting, I’ll stop, peek and even throw in my two cents! I may find more unfinished treasures that’ll remind me to live a richer life by being present. 

Photo Credits: Ms. Blair Miller *
*Despite my numerous attempts to dissuade her, Blair took lots of pictures through out the trip. I'm really glad she did!