Destiny

This is such a fertile land, why do you want to spoil this, agreed you need money, but this idea of yours is not right, think again, friends advised Thrupta.

Being from agricultural family, he owned two acres of land, came to him from ancestors. His father was a well known farmer, for making use of innovative techniques and growing variety of crops. He had high hopes of his son also leading his path and serve mother earth. This village has fertile land, is famous for fruits which had good demand in market. 

The fast growth of a nearby IT city had fueled the demand for real estate in outskirts and was fast approaching this hamlet, though most natives were reluctant to give away their properties and still wanted to pursue the traditional work they loved, farming.

Thrupta, initially had lot of interest in developing his farm, and invested his time and efforts. It had variety of fruits and trees in additional to the main crops. A banyan tree, may be hundreds of years now, had become home to numerous birds which had made it has shelter for generations.

As time elapsed, he heard of news on how the demand for land has gone up and people are making quick money. Though his village was still far away to get into the real-estate swirl, his eagerness to make quick money fueled by ambitions to lead luxury life made him to search for suitable opportunity for his land.

There were heated debates in family. None of them agreed to this idea of giving away land for another purpose. There was emotional attachment to the land, trees, and soil which had fed them for generation but Thrupta was reluctant and wanted to explore the options. He fought and made everyone silent.

He had many friends working in different professions in city but still retained their land in village. Even they advised him not to do such things and instead can try their method if wanted to make additional money but couldn’t convince him.

Finally, Thrupta found a developer, not very well known but had good project plans. The deal was made to develop the property into an apartment building on joint venture basis. The builder convinced him that people will be interested to buy such properties, as it is in outskirts of the bustling city, had serene environment of farmlands in surrounding.

Neighbouring farmers tried convincing Thrupta not to sell. They tried explaining various schemes introduced by Government for agriculture sector which he can make use for higher income, which they had succeeded. However, he was inspired by the big amount the builder had shown on the paper, by selling the flats how much money they both can make.

By taking a minimum token advance, he finally allowed machines to enter the property. The agreement was to sell flats in joint venture and landowner will get good share of that. Hence, he didn’t get big amount as advance.

Family members were in tears when the land excavation started, tearing the fertile land in to dump of soil.  The big banyan tree, which had tested times for decades, finally got grounded. Hundreds of birds screamed for help as the little ones got crushed along with their nests.

Next few weeks went fast, the earth mover machines mined the land, digging and later filling it with cement debris to make foundation.

By than the news of a new type of virus intruding humans became a major issue across the world. Countries were sealed down, and employees could work wherever they are. This led to mass exodus of individuals to their natives and the IT city lost its charm.

Hundreds of properties became available for rent in city and new bookings got cancelled. As per new study, lakhs of people had decided not to return to this big city and rather will settle in their natives or smaller towns to lead peaceful life.

With this, the builder of Thrupta property went bankrupt and dumped the project. Though he promised to restart the project later date, there was no hope of it, thus leaving a land full of cement debris and dust, with no trace of the fertile soil it had, once. It was irrecoverable change. 

His friends, working in city returned to village and started cultivation as full time. They were happy of being safe with family and having something to work on during lockdown. Luckily, the monsoon was good, and crops grew well.

There was a big regret, in everyone for the destiny Thrupta got in to but it was too late.

Today, resting in hospital bed, in an isolation ward, after being infected with new virus waves,  Thrupta is thinking was it right thoughts to lose land or wrong decisions to make money, or why he lost both. Is it the curse of mother earth?

Was the decisions of Thrupta lead to the destiny or the destiny made him to take decisions...

These thoughts were disturbed when his phone beeped with message from family - His friends from neighbouring farmlands have arranged money for his medical treatment….  Do not worry and Take Care.