MEMORIES

Memories

When I come to think of it all again I feel like I've gone back to time and have relived all those wonderful moments once again. Yes I've relived my wonderful childhood today and the feeling is simply amazing. Every moment that I spent today at our "Purando Mamaghar" was memorable and reflective-walking down the streets of Bhotebahal with mummy, my younger brother, Siron and younger sister, Simran, observing the people, the houses ,the shops around, then passing through the same postcard shops where we used to come every time we came to mamaghar to buy the postcards of our " dear heroes and " (mostly Divya Bharati, Manisha Koirala, we had almost made a collection of 500 postcards which most unfortunately are lost now, probably thrown away by mummy) many things were changed but the old charm and the old touch was still there. finally when we reached Lagan Tole I was not able to recognize the place at first...everything looked so different, so new but there are things that never change. My heart was filled with joy and remembrance. There stood our "Purano Mamaghar" with the same old charm and my eyes automatically went to the "Buigal Jhyal" (kitchen window) from where either our "mamas" or aunty or "hajur ama" would be peeping to welcome us. And to my sheer happiness I could see "Thulo Mama", "Maiju" and priyanka looking at us. It was at that very moment when I had the feeling of timelessness, I literally felt I had gone back to my childhood again, it was hard for me to demarcate the line between my past and present. After we had reached "mataan" (first floor) climbing the same traditional wooden staircases with holes in between, our whole family was eagerly waiting for us- that was the perfect family reunion and also the reunion with the past. I was too excited that I couldn't simply hold it, I was full of some nostalgic happiness, curiosity and excitement. I wanted to go to every room, wanted to see every object, in fact so many memories were associated with every small object, every simple happenings...those same windows through which the whole outside happenings of the busy street could be seen, the same dressing table where the drawer would be full of mysterious and amazing little things which would be enough to arouse our childhood curiosity, the kausi, the puja kotha, mama ko kotha- I wanted to see them all, wanted to feel them all again, but unfortunately most of the rooms were given on rent and we cud get access to the kausi, buigal, mataan and puja kotha only. Nevertheless it was a wonderful experience. I kept telling the small ones about our adventurous childhood memories associated with the place and they were also glad. Observing through the kausi I could see that amidst so many changes, so many things were still the same-the white old palace still stood tall and majestic , the huge and long white house where uncle used to stare most of time (because he had a crush with a girl who lived there) was still the same. The neighborhood was still the same, the activities and the lives of the people also seemed much similar with the same old hustle bustle. Perhaps there are some things that never change. I had read in one of my favorite books that we humans are constantly in search for newness, yet we always fear the new. I don't see how this can be related here but staring through the terrace, I felt like i wanted the old things to happen once again...I felt neither any desire nor any excitement towards my future...all I wanted was to relive my past.....Finally as I think of it all again, all I have to say is Life is all about Memories and Feelings, Life is all about Dreams and Simple Joys...