Nature lover

by Nayab Bugti (Pakistan)

Making a local connection Pakistan

We took our departure from Karachi at 9 in the morning, with a quick visit to Ranikot Fort (believed to be world's largest Fort) in the way, we reached Gorakh hill at 10 in the night. As we were tired of the long drive, after dinner we slept early that night. Next day early morning we went to see the famous tourist point "Zero Point", Wow! What a place to visit! Though most of the path was mountainous, where the last one-quarter of the way was constantly upward towards height. But at the top of Zero Point, one can see a wide range of small and huge mountains, only mountains as far as you can see. The scene becomes majestic because from the top you can see everything, dangerous vales with a range of mountains, nothing blocks your view. The scene brings you in a trance, it brings an awe of greatness of the Creator but it makes you feel closer to the Creator simultaneously. After spending some good time there, clicking photos, we decided to go back to the rest house for lunch. On our way downwards, we saw a cute child with a man, carrying water cans, when we spoke to them they pointed their living place nearby, there were few tents made from faded worn-out Rilli's(local handcrafted thin quilt). I badly wanted to have a close look at their house and their living style. The man said to my brother if your family (which included me and my mother) wants to visit my family they can go in. Once in the tent, I excited to have a closer look at their living kept on asking about what they do, their daily routine, their interests and hobbies, the way they raise their children. The woman who spoke to me was house lady living, in a 10*10 space covered by a Rilli, with her husband and five children. Outside tent 3 goats and few rooters were among their assets. That was all. They used to wake up at dawn, her husband would go to work as labor till late in the evening. She would spend her time with children. She would feed them, look after them. And then in her spare time, she would do needlework, she showed me one of her handcraft, a square piece which she would paste on top of her front of the shirt. I told her it was beautiful. Her life was surprisingly simple but she was astonishingly content and peaceful. A happy life was possible without any mobile phone, television, internet, house or car. Next day I visited her again, I was eager to know about her, and she wanted to meet a person from outside her world. The children playing outside tent paved way for me, when I got in at around noon, she was busy in her needlework. she gave me a broad smile, kept her work aside. We shook hands and she offered me a place on the floor to sit. She was a simple rural lady, who could not talk about recent fashion or new trends but she taught me two beautiful embroidery stitches. They go to their home town twice a year, it takes a whole day even more to reach our place, she said. To cover this travel expense they try to save the whole year. She owned only two dresses, would wear one wash the other, and repeat. So do her husband and children. Only one of the children owned three and the courtesy for this went to her grandfather since this child was so dear to him. There were mix noises of rooster crowing and children playing nearby, giving background music to our conversation. She had no complaints about life, her husband or the Creator. Not only Gorakh hill was admirable but this person too. After many days of my arrival back to Karachi, I kept on thinking about that lady. I got the lesson from her that no possessions are worthy enough more than your inner peace and nothing can buy it. Peace and happiness are a result of gratitude which she had an abundance of.