Autumn in Kashmir (Harud in Kashmiri)

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This is the season of great beauty. We call it harud in Kashmiri. Leaves are on fire and life presents a different look. But there is something missing which we would taste in the good old days of the past.
it's autumn (harud). The season when it looks everywhere yellow. Days of fall but of beauty too. The days when Chinar  trees are on fire, when winds shake trees and leaves bow to the ground. These are the days of harvest (rather the days of result) of what we have done whole year.
In these harud days the above mentioned things are in common experience everywhere, but there are some colours of this autumn which seem to be missing in this advanced world. The missing flovour of those things haunts the nature lovers like me.
Gone are the days, when we used to dry (sundry) vegetables like brinjals, tomatoes, bottle guards, red chillies etc. These vegetables were dried in open sun for few days, then stored for harsh winter days. When it was difficult to venture out because of heavy snow fall. Now, to our surprise that snow is too lost to global warming. Nowadays we don't feel need of those (tasteful, home made )things. Readymade things have pushed us to beds. Formerly, In harud (autumn)  people in Kashmir would collect firewood in nearby Jungles for cold winters.
The entire family would take part. This was a teamwork and enjoying activity too. Now this thing is restricted only to far-flung areas. These days firewood has been replaced by gas heaters and all that. Now, just money works other than hard work.
To our children, this harud (autumn) was so meaningful. With their conclusion of yearly exams, they would just switch to their relatives. Having a lot of fun and excitement. They just relaxed their body and mind. This also was a relationship strengthening exercise.

Alas !!! all these things are just memories now. The world has just turned and shrunk. We have lost ourselves in this fast age with no peace and satisfaction. Just busy in earning more and more. We have no time to relax our physical body and mental strain. This so called advancement has just caged us. 

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