The Memory -The Picture....

After a long thirty years, Manoj Kumar came to his paternal house. This is more than a hundred years old. His great grandfather had built this palatial building. He was a Jamindar of his times. Manoj was settled in Mumbai. This is his native in Gorakhpur of UP. After his retirement from the job of Chief Engineer of Indian Railways, he came here with his wife to stay here for some time and had a plan to dispose of the properties. He is the only heir to this family.\

Manoj had his tea with his wife Sonam and now he wanted to have a round of this big house. He remembered his childhood was spent in this house only. He started moving around the house. He went to the big hall on the ground floor, which has arrangements for more than fifty people to sit and have a meeting. The wall of the hall is been decorated with paintings of his grandfather, great grandfather and his father. Along with that in the center of the wall below the painting of his grandfather the old big wall clock makes it more significant. The clock has stopped working and Manoj thought of going there and make that clockwork.

He started to reach near the clock and saw his wifr Sonam too was coming towards that. With a smile Sonam told him, woah you are also thinking same as I am!. Manoj replied, what are you thinking?... Sonam told him that she wants to make that lovely big wallclock to work again. It's a beautiful piece. Manoj replied by saying, yes this is very old and was there before he was borned. Maybe his grandfather or great grandfather had put it there. By this time both of them reached there. Both of them tried to get the watch down, it was very heavy. They both took it and kept it on the table. Sonam started cleaning the watch with the small napkin. Manoj was helping her. When they reached the back of the wall clock, they found some papers were folded and stuck there. As those were very old, Manoj tried to unstick those papers carefully. It has taken ten minutes to do so. Sonam finished the cleaning and came close to Manoj and asked with curiosity to know about those papers. Manoj and Sonam looked at each other and gone to the sofa to sit and open the papers.

Now sitting on the sofa both of them were very excited and curious to know. Manoj started unfolding the papers. He found three sets. The first one was a diagram of a house surrounded by agricultural lands. On the below, the size of the same was written and the place too. The place mentioned is Morina and it is around two hundred kilometers from Gorakhpur. Manoj was not having any idea about that. He could remember sometimes his parents talking about some properties, but as he was at the age of five couldn't exactly remember the details. Thst time he felt bit sad as could get the picture of his dear mother, who left him alone and passed away, when he was eight years old. Since then he had his education in the boarding school as his father wanted him to be away from any problems and to have the best education. Tears started rolling down from his eyes thinking of his mother and her love and affections. Seeing this Sonam told her, don't be so emotional. You are now seventy five and now just keep it here, we will see others after lunch.

Both of them took all those papers to their bedroom and Manoj kept it on one of the shelf of thr almirah.

Manoj was telling about his childhood, his mother and her love for him. He was missing all those since he was eight years old. Sonam also was bit emotional and console him. They finished their other works and having their lunch, Manoj was wondering about that property and thinking who can guide him about the details. He was trying to stretch his old memories. He could now remember a face, who was always helping his father and taking care of him during his childhood. He must be now of eighty seven and his name was..... Yes Rabi Kushan...

Now with a smile on his face Manoj thought of meeting Rabi Kishan and getting more ideas about this picture. Sonam had finished her lunch and she teased Manoj by saying, "what happened, got the treasure?"

Manoj just laughed and said no, but a link may reveal all. I will meet him.

Both of them finished their lunch and gone to the bedroom to have some rest. Sonam was tired and in ten minutes slept. Manoj was getting restless his anxiety to meet Rabi Kishan had taken away all his tiredness. At about four, afternoon Manoj got ready, took the picture from the shelf in his hand and started to go and meet Rabi Kishan. While leaving he told Sonam that he will be back by evening after meeting Rabi Kishan.

Rabi Kishan is one of the big farmers of Gorakhpur now. He is staying with his family. He, his wife and his daughter's family. Manoj took a rickshaw and was able to reach Rabi Kishan's house. He knocked the door and found an elderly woman who opened it asked whom did he want? What is his name?....

Manoj gave his introduction and asked to meet Ravi Kishan. Then he was asked to follow her. She took him to a room, where Rabi Kishan was just relaxing on bed. When Manoj addressed him as uncle and gave his introduction, Ravi Kishan stood up and embrassed him. He was very happy. The lady who opened the door was his wife. He told his wife about Manoj and some childhood mischiefs of Manoj. Then they had a brief discussion about their personal life and Rabi's wife left for getting tea and snacks for Manoj.

Now Manoj was thinking about how to start and Rabi could see the tension in his face. Rabi Kishan asked, "Is there any problem?"Manoj told no no, but I just wanted to know something from you, if you can help me!!!!!!

Then he got that picture paper unfolded and asked Rabi, if know anything about it?

Rabi was bit shocked and told yes I had been to this place with your father and grandfather twice.

Then the anxiety of Manoj reached the highest level. He wanted to know more details about this. Rabi told him," this is the picture of the big firm house at Morina, which was gifted to his grandfather by his father-in-law. This was a beautiful place. In the back of the house, a beautiful pool was there. The total area was about eighty acres. Every year his grandparents used to go there and spend completely one month on holiday. When Ravi was eight years old and Manoj's father was fifteen, both of them accompanied his grandparents to this place. This painting was made by Manoj's grandmother. She was a great painter. Rabi further told some of the paintings hanging on the wall of their hall were made by his grandmother. Second time Ravi and Manoj's grandfather gone after the death of his grandmother as she wanted to be cremated there. His grandfather was too with them. After that, he had never gone there. But he could now recall one MrHaridas was the caretaker there. After the death of his grandfather, there was some riot in Morina and since then that place is very sensitive. His father too was busy in his profession and never gone to that place."

Now Manoj was relaxed. He could now get his memories bit more clear. His father was a great musician. He was very busy with his profession, that's the reason after the death of his mother Manoj was admitted to the boarding school.

Now It was around six of the evening. Manoj got up and said by to Rabi and his wife. He was leaving his place and asked Rabi, "if required can he accompany him to Morina? " Rabi told with a smile, yes why not. It will be my pleasure always.

Manoj reached their house and was feeling very relaxed. He was giving thanks to his memory, he was thanking the picture, he was thanking Sonam, who had helped him get the wallclock down and get this picture. He was wondering how many things he came to know about his family and his memory!!! This Picture had made all these possible..... Now he decided to go into further details... He will go to Morina... He will meet Haridas..... He will go to his grandmother's graveyard..... He will reveal the present status of that property..... Now he took that paper of picture in his hand and with a smile of happiness saying "The Memory... The Picture"..... Sonam was watching his happiness from the corner of her eyes....