Thursday, April 24, 2008

An amazing experience

There is some celebration going on there...for sure. I hear folk songs; see colorful lights; noise...lots of noise but not chaos, I think. I move slowly, dazed towards the source. I see children running in circles and singing. I see them jumping on one leg and laughing. Aah..that smells like hookaah. I see charpois (small beds to rest) lying outside a big house. Elderly are smoking hookah and taking rest. But the most amazing thing in this wonderful village, at this moment appears to be this house. Looks beautiful; magnificently lighted; ladies singing songs; dholak and ghunghroo can be distinctly heard.
Wow...so many people in the kitchen; so many sweets and they are making more. I try to go inside. "अरे आपको नहीं जाने दिया जायेगा। अभी बहुत रस्म बाकी हैं ( anyone but you can go inside. there are more rituals to go)". I simply obey them. I move on. I see lots of people sitting in a room on floor. They are talking about something. In the middle of the room I see a frail figure lying on a charpoi. As I move close he looks at me. He gives me a fatherly look, full of love and tenderness. He gets up and embraces me. I am speechless, moved. "कितना इंतज़ार किया बेटा तेरा. चल जा थोड़ा गाँव घूम ले (I waited for you so long. Go have a walk in the village)"
I find myself far from the house. But what do we have here ? This is unbelievable, amazingly wonderful. I see huge, colorful animals grazing around, huge birds flying. Totally unperturbed by each-others' presence. Am I in some pre-historic era ? How can such animals and humans live together. More I look at them, harder it is to believe this sight. I ask a bird "How come humans and you co-exist ? How is this possible ? "We all come with a purpose here. And thats the sole thing we should worry about". And I am awed and content with her answer. "Go back to your home" and she shows me a way. I simply obey her, mesmerized, and start walking. At each croos-road I meet someone who shows me the correct path. Everyone seemed to know me. How is that possible ?
I find myself in the same room again. But this time there is an old lady sitting beside him. I go and sit beside her. "मौसा जी की तबियत तो सही रहती है न ( Uncle's health is good.. rite) ?"। "अरे वो तेरे ताऊ हैं। बचपन मैं देखा था तुझे एक बार । उसके बाद आज देख रहे हैं । तुरंत पहचान लिया तुझे बहुत इंतज़ार किया तेरा। (He is your another uncle. Not whom you think him to be. He just saw you once when you were a baby. But still he recognized you today immediately. He waited for you so long) ". My uncle looks at me again. He is crying. I see so much love in those eyes. He puts his head on my chest as tears flow and holds me as I put my arms around him.
Everything is fading away. Whats happening ? I hear some noise. Its different from what I had heard till now. Its dark now...but I see something flashing. I see "Gulati calling" flashing in a corner. I don't feel good about it. But I continue to head in that direction.