The Village Scene at Night

Points: The scene at nightfall — The scene at midnight — A dreamy and strange atmosphere

             At sundown, the village I live in looks like a different village altogether. As if by magic the crowds of people vanish and all noises die down. The roads or mites become almost invisible. The trees form a mass of shadow. It is so dense at places that even a full moon cannot cope with it. 
             As the night deepens, fire-flies are seen floating in the air. The crickets chirp hidden in the grass. Some night-birds and bats scuttle across the treetops. A lone passer-by on the highroad is heard singing an old song. Dogs bark at a distance, now singly now in a chorus. The Chowkidar is out on his round. The village defence party is also out with its volunteers and torch lights. They challenge every stranger they come across on the road.
             The Great Bear or Saptarshi (seven stars) hangs pasted on the midnight sky like a big question mark. The village at night appears to be a cradle of fairytales and dreams. Each tree seems to be a living person, having a story to tell.