“UTSAV” I was waiting for this day since long, when I can sit quietly with my favourite pen & paper and let my thoughts flow seamlessly. It always gives more pleasure to work on site rather than sitting in office and working on computers. Last week we completed the site survey of walled city of Ahmadabad, which could not have been done so nicely without the help and support of Aditya. During our M. Arch study also we kept visiting and working together in the mesmerising lanes of Old city of Ahmedabad. These small and numerous expedition across the city has taught us many aspects of life beyond the subject and perhaps that developed a very close association with the inhabitants residing over there. We decided to meet few of old acquaintance during site visit, with whom we felt warmth and homely. ….And we reached at the first house. Dhal Ni Pol Haldarvalo Khancho: Right at the end of street, loyal street dogs alarmed inhabitants of arriving strangers which was us! Ba was sitting on steps at otla and chopping vegetables... The door behind her was half open and my eyes were looking for the familiar face which used to greet us always with a smile. I was looking for the aunty who made us eat delicious breakfast throughout our stay at her place during the study. Ba had become weak with time. We said; “Namaste Ba!” She looked at us and took some time to recognise but she did precisely. As she began to recognize my face and the older times she asked for other two girls- Kerala girl and Rajkot girl. Me, Dhara and Priya documented this house together and we shared memories together. She was happy to see us. After sometime we asked her that where is aunty as we want to meet her, too. But this question brought expressions on her face which was not pleasing us. I thought she might have gone for some work or so. But she said something for which we were not ready. She gave us the sad news of demise of aunty some two years back. This was shocking and very sad. We left the place heavy hearted telling her that we would keep coming to see you! Taliya ni pol Aditya, Rishabh, Dipti, Neelam and Susanne documented this beautiful house. I do keep hearing from Adi that "dadaji hame idli sambhar khub khilate the.....!" I had been here before along with Aditya to visit this sweet and loving Dadaji...Today we were going there probably after 2 years. We knocked the door and we could see Ba sleeping on the couch in behind the Hinchka. Ba opened the door and welcomed us with warmth. Dadaji must be more than 95 years old now. He was so happy that we came. He made us eat ice cream though we never wanted him to make much effort for us. Aditya showed him the old photograph from phone taken with 5 of them some four years back. Time travels and when we go back to such frozen moments it revives lot many emotions, memories, and altogether like a chocolate box with different flavours. We waved him good bye and left. Ghashiram ni pol ...The beautiful house embellished with elaborate carving..... I said Ba......??? The voice came, "Come inside I can't see you from that far.” We entered the house and there she was sitting in the passage beside the Hinchka reading newspaper and solving crossword thing... We sat there for a while and recalled all shared memories together. She called her son and asked us to find a bride for him. We conveyed our best wishes to him for his future and leaved happily. From all these incidences what I feel is sudden and unexpected visit to someone who has been good part of our life, someone with whom we felt attached brings happiness which is at par to any other. These memories and more than that, the emotions flowing inside and happiness evolved is doubled when you have a better half who understands and values them more than you and with great sensitivity and I connote it “The festival called life-Utsav.” Glimpses of the Beautiful Old City |
AuthorAditya Jain Archives
March 2018
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