The Night Scene in a Town

Points: The evening scene — The scene at late hours — The mysterious night sky.

             The town I live in is not as big as a city. Still it is full of bustle in the daytime. At night it is not as quiet as a village. But it becomes quieter than in the daytime. At nightfall there is a rush of cinema-goers for the evening show. The commuters return from offices, mostly from Calcutta. The shops still make good business if there is no load- shedding.
             As the night deepens, the streets become more and more deserted.The street lamps look like watchmen’ of the town. A few cycle rickshaws ply from and to the near-by railway station. At a particular hour, the cinema goers return from the night show. They often discuss loudly the hero or the heroine. Slowly the town sinks into silence and sleep.
             If the smog is not too heavy, the stars look bright and dazzling. The Great Bear or Saptarshi (seven stars) shines prominently in the midnight sky like a big question mark. A lone passer-by may often be heard singing an old song. The night scene is, on the whole, dreamy and drowsy.

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.