Thursday, June 21, 2007

Lansdowne, this time



Sometimes, you have to revisit a place in order to understand it; to find new meanings. It is somewhat like putting your hands in an old pair of worn-out trousers, and discovering crisp currency notes inside a pocket. That is what Lansdowne felt like to me this time.


Deep inside the pathway leading to Dhura, I found the ruins of what used to be the mansion of a lone English Forest Ranger. Only a few walls is what is left of it now, almost hidden by pine needles.

I imagine the officer, collecting hot water in his stone basin, to shave off his stubble with a razor. Then I visualise him penning down a letter, addressed to himself, just for the heck of having the pleasure of tearing open a letter with a silver cutter.

I imagine writing about Dhura in the introductory passage of my novel. I can see my friends trying to track me down around this path, as I sit, overlooking a valley, with a notebook open over my lap; my back resting against stones so round that it would seem that the Gods had played a game of Pithoo Garam (Seven Stones) there.

One day, I will shift here. And write.




5 comments:

Shubhra said...

and i will come and visit you... great peice and complimenting pictures...

Anonymous said...

Awsome pictures and place to visit.

Kakshi said...

Lovely pics.. and 'Pithu' wow.. the last i heard that word was when i was in 5th std .. :) Seven Stones/Tiles is wat the more sophisticated kids of today call it!!

Kakshi said...

I loved the pic in your template.. mujhe mere gaon ki yaad aa gayi.. n it feels as if.. abhi us glass se maine lassi pi .. aur use wahan chhod kar.. main talaab ki taraf daud gayi!

Shalini said...

nice one :)