Bhulla Long time ago there was a village called Kotdwara, at

the foot hills of Garhwals. The village was near woods, so it had mother nature’s blessing on them. There was an amazing bond between the forest and the village.

If the elephants would ever cross the forest line and enter the village, the villagers would peacefully stop and send them back to the forest. And so goes with the monkeys or the deer or else. They would never harm each other. There was a river, called Khumbhi river, that passed through forest to the village. All the vegetation was due to it. In hot summers it fulfilled the thirst of forests and village.

The villagers knew that they all are the child of mother Earth and so they should live in harmony and peace. There were sufficient resources for all. The people worked in farm for their livelihood and had a good livestock. Thus their life was simple, peaceful and happy. They had no worries except one.

It was a boy named Bhulla , who always had irrational questions and doubts on almost everything. He would often ask silly questions like, “Why animals can’t talk like us? Why can’t fishes fly? Is it possible if some day birds will come out of a bottle gourd rather than eggs? Why is the sun round and not square or triangle in shape? Why can’t plants grow up side down?

His endless queries used to irritate people, so they would avoid him. His habit of asking questions would often make him a subject of laughter. “ Ha ha ha , Bhulla ji, the most foolish boy of the village. Don’t you have any doubt today? , his people would ask.

Bhulla was the only son of his parents, and so he was very dear to his pa and ma. They never discouraged their son for anything and were not very happy with the way the villagers treated their son.

One day Bhulla heard his parents talking. They seemed very worried. He heard his Ma saying, “I think it is going to be a bad year as it has not rained. Our neighbour are moving out to their relatives place which is in another village.”

Pa, “ It’s sad. What will we eat? I think we will have to move to a new place as Sarpanch ji was saying.”

Sarpanch ji was the most elderly man of the village.

Soon the time came when the farms , the rivers started drying and the villagers were struggling to survive. There cattle were left countable. The people were left with two or sometimes one time of meal. Bhulla’s family were facing the same problem.

And then one day there was a meeting held. In the meeting Sarpanch ji and all other people had gathered. Bhulla and his parents were part of it. He heard the tense voice which came from the mouth of the old man. Sarpanchji was saying, “My people, it is the time to leave our place and move to some other. We are left with nothing except few cattles and our life. Take your things and we will leave tomorrow. ”

Everybody rose from their place to do as they were told.

Suddenly a voice came” Why are we leaving? Why can’t we make this trouble leave us and make the rain come back?” Bhulla shouted. Everybody was annoyed on hearing this

“Don’t start again? Can’t you see that we really are in a great trouble?” someone said.

This time Bhulla’s parents apologized on his behalf.

“It’s fine”, the Sarpanch ji rose up, “I think he is right. What he means is if we try we can save our land and us from any worse condition.

We should give a try? After all we are farmers and we should work hard for our survival. If we will not fight for us how will mother Earth help us?

So they started to sow seeds and work hard again. They dug wells, saved water and stopped cutting trees.

Soon their hardship showed its true colours. There farms were green and to the surprise it rained.

And then the time came when everyone was happy again.The life was normal, the villager had everything they wanted-, forests, the farms, cattles and the peace.

Now no one teased Bhulla . He was the real hero of the Kotdwara village.

The End