eyes on you

Journey in a new state and new city had just begun. The puzzle that this world is, was getting solved by its men in many ways. Some believed in science, some in religion and many found ways to trust both at the same time. Often giving God, the credit for the success that science had had and discovering the signs that does God exists, without having to invent any new stories to prove the same. 

When we arrived at our new house well after midnight in this mountain city, the nocturnal critters were already marching through the hallways. The first step accidentally took the life of an alpha cockroach who fearlessly marched under my boots. The entry could not be grander, and we could not announce our arrival louder to the crew waiting for us at home. This did throw doubts on rest of the cockroach army which made them scatter all around and hide behind the first thing they could find where light doesn't fall. I did admire the art of hiding in the shades and balancing the body unseen in the dark which reminded me of the job that I had left behind. This was a real case study for my division of Indian Army which focused on the covert operations. Or maybe everything just reminded me of my past life from which I thought I had run away for good. I was sure in the coming days, I had the tough decision to make on how many of them I would allow to roam the corridors, and which one would meet their creator.

Mornings in Landour looked as if the sun is still waiting for the green signal in some celestial highway. My struggle to keep myself warm and fit for a future call-up from my ops team, forced me out of bed by 5:30 a.m. I often felt someone from my past was following me whichever turn I take and this did freak me out a bit. I would run as if I were chased by a mad dog whenever the feeling got stronger in my head. After days of running, one fine morning I gathered courage to turn back and face my followers in real. I was taken aback to find the two German shepherds who religiously followed me from my first day here as if I was their only saviour. The furry cute canines had caught my eyes and the shabby suit of a coat, and long nails did give away their current masterless living condition without much effort. I could not stop myself from inviting them home and share my breakfast with them. In fact, I gave my breakfast to them, as the lazy me had not dared to make a breakfast beyond sausage and eggs for a decade now. My wife was not very happy to see the new roommates and warned be above the diseases they are carrying and the possible arrest on account of stolen dogs' case unsolved in the locality. I did know her well enough to understand what all she could put in my head to throw these two innocent creatures out. Rest of my life in Landour, they both joined me for my morning run until they decided to retire from this world.   

Every weekend, we would drive down to Mussoorie lake for a relaxing boat ride enjoying the calmness of the water all around us. I would often notice few fishes coming and take a leap of faith to the sky and while dropping back into the water they take a peek at us as if it was accident and then dive back into the water carelessly. Made me wonder whether I was really a star there for those little swimmers. Lake visits were very eventful as one thing leads to another; the lake boating led to bird feeding. I was so frequent there that I started recognizing every bird among those hundreds of them. They found come close to me and look into my eyes before taking the feed from me. Some even dared to sit on my hand and shoulders demanding more food. After the bird feeding, we were allowed to feed the fishes on the fish food that we had to buy from the store there. Fishes would come and snatch the food from your hand if you even accidentally dipped your hand in. They were so impatient that they even didn't realise sometimes they were sucking my full fingers into their mouth assuming it was food. I felt very uncomfortable in the beginning but later I made it a habit to fool them into trying to nibble my finger and go back upset. They never stopped and kept coming for more which eventually made me buy more fish food resulting in making the shop keeper who had the monopoly there richer every week. I assumed I was the only one in the whole town feeding them, seeing how hungry they were. The weekends never ended until we sipped those wonder drug coffees which gave the fuel for the whole week from Emily's. A roasted chicken and Aglio Olio was the perfect partner to a Landour sunset and us. We had made this our routine and would drive back any day to Emily's who stood there from 1840 making us witness how slowly time travelled in Landour.

Evenings were spent within the limits of our home normally but in some Months, we got to witness the fireflies who would fly into our compound lighting up the entire deodar tree would look like Mall Road in Mussoorie during Christmas when these beauties come home. I would spent hours counting them and often trying to catch few and save in a jar for home entertainment. Most times I would fail in my attempt while once in a while some voluntarily gets into the jar seeing my efforts to welcome them home. After few hours, my guilt would make me take them back to their squad and drop them for happy life ever after whatever that after meant to them. While we were busy witnessing the wonders of the nature, the monkeys would raid our home for food. I am sure they felt at home at our home considering how often they came back for more. I understood there was no way fighting them and ended up keeping a bag(biodegradable) at the back door evidently placed for them to pick and take back home. It took few Months for the monkeys to understand that it meant do not enter, we surrender in front of you. Few of the monkeys came home with their small kids to introduce us to them or at least that is what we felt. Sometimes I felt maybe they wanted to introduce them to us. Either ways it showed them how to continue seeking food and who were the weak links in the area who would readily feed or surrender or maybe are scared to retaliate. Any ways their food was guaranteed as long as we were in the vicinity. 

There were no shortages of flowers throughout the year and our garden was no different with innumerous flowers which bloomed at night. This did attract a quarter of the moths around to our garden often displaying their rich colors and patterns which was itself a work of art. I would think of how the creator got so much time to think of so many patterns and colours or is it by accident or is it evolution? I had to visit the town multiple times after I finished the film camera just by taking moth patterns and it took a while for me to realize this had kind of become an addiction for me. We often had the migratory and non-migratory(pests - pun intended) avialae flying into our hearts and demonstrating the various formations making us guess whether they were preparing to attack us or defend our attacks. The would sometimes fly in one direction with one in the front and then forming an inverted V. Another time we would see a real V with two in front. Sometimes a U, some other times multiple shorter Vs. Few times a great W and some sad days a single line. The cutest thing was to find that single rogue one who would just not fly in the formation but do what it likes, I have also seem how others would peck on him or her to come back to order, could be his or her parents resembling human life. Wherever they were going, better they hurry as nights would come sooner in Landour. Some rainy days we would find a battalion of them parked in my car parking and they would fly off first thing in the morning after a nights rest seeing off the rain. 

Spotting the leopard in our backyard was the masterstroke whoever scripted my life story did to me. Before we could rush home and lock ourself safe, leopard cat ran into the home making it his den. My wife had almost frozen to death seeing it, but I am being the brave one(atleast in front of her) gathered courage to comfort her. I for sure knew another day all alone, I would have fainted leaving myself to the mercy of the big cat. She being there was my only reason to be braver. Leopard had come home to meet us and then stayed at our home for two straight days, and yet, not with us. We had to lock the main door and rush out to seek help. It took two good days for the forest guards to sedate, capture and take the majestic cat to his new home. I think they named him after me as this house was known by my name. 

The more I think of the experiences this life had given me in Landour, I wonder whether it is by chance or am I the chosen one? Do these wonders of nature really feel safe with me or am I safe and comfortable with them? Do I choose them or they choose me? Or is it all pre-planned by someone who knows what I would love? Strangest thought of all is, 'Are these animals the eyes of God who is watching us through them and these animals the real CCTVs of this world managing our afterlife accounting for our actions here?" 

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated - Mahatma Gandhi