WHO KNOWSA Story by Ananya A middle aged woman's journey through memories
Past my prime....that's me.
I didn't know I would find the house same, past its prime...broken, dull, wrinkled. But it was waiting for me to come back to it. With its baskets full of untold tales, it was waiting for me restlessly, wishing to tell all in one breath. I looked at the biggest arch in front yard...the words written there on the occasion of my wedding were still visible though dulled through time. The coloured paper decorations tied around the terrace wall has faded as well. But the were whispering in the breeze ....look, we are, we still are, here, holding the memories of times gone by in our little embrace .... A whole army of grand-kids accompanied me investigating every corner of the old bungalow. Excited and curious.... " You used to live here, gramma? In this palace?" "Really gramma, when you were our age?" "Its your daddy's bungalow?!!!!!" "Its been many years since...no?" " A hundred years, gramma?" They giggled..... "Stupid. Even gramma is not of hundred years yet." Molly jumped in with her know it all what if I am just a third grader attitude," She is fifty-eight. Aren't you, gramma?" She put her thin arms around my neck and hung there. " How many years then, gramma?" A tough question....hard to calculate..... (The army leaves, laughing, raiding the past, once again) So many years that a whole era went by...a whole life, lived and spent..... "Liar" the walls whisper in my ears. "Nothing gone, nothing spent. Its all inside, glowing like a burning candle" " Inside you?" I whisper back, eager to see it all. "Inside you, too,"This whole city, this whole lane, this whole building......" The walls laugh a laugh that sounds like that of two girls meeting after years and dipping today into yesterday's memories.... There, in that corner of the yard, there used to be a fire of forest tree....rest of the yard is tiled.... In the center of the yard, there used to be a big chandelier...whenever it was not lit in the evening, we used to feel afraid of ghosts.... " Were there any?" Chillu asks Molly holds his head in her little palms " Crazy" And kisses him on forehead There was also a neem tree there, just outside the tiled area... " Its still here" And neem rained a thousand nimbories just at the moment...tuppppp Actually, so many sheds of little shops have mushroomed around the tree that it doesn't feel like out old tree... That temple in the corner...has expanded its area to double and it has been painted red and yellow. Only Hanuman ji is same....same as before. There used to be grand prayer ever Tuesday...don't know if it happens, still.... The priest in the temple used to move the burning incenses and lamps around the idol.. mesmerizing sight, circles of light... After prayer, everyone would touch the plate.... Saturdays and Tuesdays were special...prasad of laddoos or tasty brown peras ... " Pandit ji, Let him place the prasad on Hanuman ji's feet. He got first division in his exams...Touch pandit ji's feet, son" The circles of light stop. A shy face, hesitant eyes.... " Bless you, son. May you always find happiness and success" The butter lamp glowed brighter.... The face blushed, shying even more... Many congratulations poured in, many pats on back...well done... I had tried to see through the crowd ...Who is this first division holder. No, I don't know him. He doesn't live in our lane....still, you came first in your class, I like that. You must be a good boy. All the boys in our lane are stupid. and even I got a second division. But its just three marks less than the one who stood first...and that too just because of maths...I felt like crying, but managed to hide from all. What to do...I do not like maths....my brother used to tease me. ( To be CONT.....) © 2016 AnanyaFeatured Review
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3 Reviews Added on July 6, 2016 Last Updated on July 6, 2016 |
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