Sunrise or Sunset?

Photo taken from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/east_med_wanderer/

Someday someone asked me a strange question – What do you like better- the sunset or sunrise? Such questions can get pretty annoying because, without a doubt, its tough to answer them. Just like that classic irritant of childhood which all relatives would pester us with– Whom do you love more – Mom or Dad? And the little kid would wonder for a while and in the absence of any answer would churn out replies in which he would soon find himself trapped. But thankfully the adult me did have an answer this time around.

I figured out in my mind that I love to see the sun rise in the cities. The sunrise in a city life has a special meaning of its own, so much so that I see the whole life in cities revolving around this celestial event. It symbolizes a fresh start in the lives of people in cities. Having lived in villages for a substantial amount of time of my life, I know that the day in a villager’s life begins well before the sunrise. But that’s not how it is in the cities. In the city, the sunrise signals the beginning of all pursuits in life, once more. It embodies new hope, vigor and energy. The sight of the sun ascending up from behind the tall buildings as the cool morning breeze blowing against your face can fill you up with purpose and magically erasing the not so sweet memories of a burdensome yesterday. The sunrise is a hand from the almighty to lift you up from the depths life pushed you in yesterday. It is as if someone has washed your slates clean one more time for you to fill it up with your own story. The rising sun demands and commands respect in the life of a city and those who do not respect would be made to pay the price by the harsh city life sooner than later. The life of a sun even mirrors the life of a man in city. Once out of the comforts of the morning clouds, the sun appears to be in a race to reach the top, just like every average city man in pursuit of his goal.

However, the sad part of city life is that one can hardly see the sun descending behind the steel and concrete jungles that cities have transformed into. But one can in villages, where I feel it’s the sunset that is more beautiful. Personally, I never miss a chance to catch the beauty of the Sunset when I get to visit my village. And its not beautiful just because one gets to savor the charm of the sun setting behind the vast fields, with nothing obstructing the sight but only flocks of birds returning to their nests. Just as the sunrise in city life, the setting sun acquires a real and more powerful meaning in the village setup. Where the sunrise sets the wheel in motion in city life, the sunset in villages brings everything to a halt, quietly. It embodies tranquility and marks the end of a hard day. It sets in motion some human pursuits that are more important than the ones of the morning. Like the flocks of birds, men too return to their families as the village is enveloped by the eerie darkness of the evening. A sense of calm descends upon the now emptied fields. The home becomes the centre of all activity while the streets wear a deserted look with the fading away of light with the last sight of the sun. The evenings brought on by the sunset brings together everyone to the courtyard, as the distractions of city life like televisions and mobile phones still haven’t penetrated the hinterland. The serenity outside is complimented by the relaxed moods inside. The conversations are usually light and the dinner becomes the most awaited event before everyone retires to sleep to complete the day. In all, the way the sunset transforms the village landscape in a matter of some minutes is astonishing to experience.

Indeed, beauty doesn’t always lie in spectacular sights. Sunrise and sunsets are not beautiful merely for the incredible spectacle that they are. Instead their beauty lies in the innumerable beautiful things they set in motion on this wretched earth.

So..What do you like more – the sunrise or sunset?