The Abandoned Fort

It sat on the top of a hill as it had been for the last five hundred years. These days it did not have many visitors. It remembered that even fifty years ago it used to have some children visiting (accompanied by uninterested adults) and marvelling at its vastness and the large size. They would stare with wonder at the high stone walls, royals’ living areas, swimming pool (with no water inside) and even the penitentiary. People had plenty to see back then even though the Fort was well past its glory even at that time. But visitors were rare these days and came only occasionally, that too, not to marvel at its greatness, but to express pity that the fort had fallen on bad days.

 

After the independence, it had hoped for better days, but that was not to be. The Government had formed an institution which looked after old forts and monuments, but this fort apparently did not have the history and importance attached to it, so it was ignored even after independence. 

 

Over the last few centuries people had looted it of the stones and used them to build their own houses. But last fifty years had been catastrophe. People had even started damaging its walls for the stones. Earlier they used to take only those stones which fell off the walls. There was no one to stop them. God only knew how much time was left for the Fort to stay alive, right now it was slow death arising out of neglect and boredom.

 

Alone and forlorn, the Fort sat on top of the hill brooding about its fate. It remembered the day and date when its construction was completed. It was a Wednesday in the auspicious month of Ashadh when the Fort was inaugurated and the king occupied the throne for the first time. Memories of that day and the celebrations were still etched in its mind.

 

There were separate parts for the royal meeting halls, queens’ residences with a separate swimming pools for royal men and women, meeting halls for junior officials, residences for the king and army commanders. There was even a jail for housing ‘prisoners of war’ and other criminals. There was a huge hall where any commoner could go with his complaint to the king. On Saturdays of every week such meetings were held in this hall. Now the hall was still intact, but there was no roof over it, only walls stood as a reminder of what had been. The Fort was spread over many acres of a hill which had been levelled for the construction of the Fort.

 

The first two hundred years were the best part of its life when it was used by kings as a seat of power. One fine day it seemed the reigning king was dethroned by an invading army. The Fort felt sad but hoped for better days under the new dispensation. The existing king was exiled to a small palace a few miles away. The new ruler thought the Fort did not befit his status and placed some minion of his in the Fort. That was the time when the decline for the Fort started. The next two hundred years saw it being occupied by different people at different times, but none of those could match the grandeur of previous two hundred years.

 

Then came a day when the Fort was completely abandoned. It took the Fort a few years to realise that it had been abandoned and would never be occupied again by any ruler or even a commoner. It overheard a conversation of some visitors that the Government had taken it over but it would never see any government or any of its officials as they had far better and more important things to take care of.

 

The stories of other forts being well looked after travelled to the abandoned Fort’s ears when some people visited it. But most of the people never came back. Nobody was interested in seeing the ruins. Life was slowly ebbing out of the Fort.

 

It was evening and the Fort was looking for another lonely night. In fact, for it there was no difference in day and night as visits by people had become rare in the last fifty years. Yet it missed those days of king’s courts, the evenings which brought back king to queen’s palace, the laughter of children playing around their doting parents and its busy life. Now even memories were ghosts which rarely made their appearance.

 

As it thought of ghost, it felt someone or something to breeze in. But nothing was visible. Then it heard someone speak softly, “I have lost my away and landed here. I guess I am lost.”

 

The Fort asked, “Who are you? Why can’t I see you?”

 

In answer a ghostly shadow appeared, “This is the best I can do. I cannot materialise fully. But I guess that should be enough for you.”

 

“Why did you choose me for the company? I have been spending my time for the last many years in loneliness. Nowadays nobody comes to visit me. I have been abandoned by kings for so many years that I have lost count of years.”

 

The Ghostly figure asked, “If you don’t mind, can I ask for your age.”

 

The Fort was immediately plunged into its glorious past, yet it regained its senses and replied, “I don’t mind at all. In fact, I have yearned for the company, so your questions are welcome.” 

 

It paused for some time, before addressing the original question. “I am five hundred years old, maybe a few years more, but certainly not less.”

 

A semblance of smile appeared on the ghostly face. “We are of the same age. I have been roaming around for the last hundreds of years in search for someone who could understand me. Most of the people don’t even turn when I try to talk to them.”

 

“Well, you can stay here as long as you want. I don’t get many visitors these days. At least we can talk once in a while.”

 

The Ghost replied, “I have got some peace after so many years by just talking to you. I guess it is ffate that has brought us together. “

 

It was already very late into the night. Both of them slept peacefully after many years. The Fort no more felt abandoned and the ghost had someone for the company.