Reliving the Childhood

“Running from something in hope to find one thing”, leaving behind everything… memories, scars, voices, talks…which you want to take along with you but don’t wish to.

Finding a realm where you would find the inner peace. The silence, where you can listen to your own heart beat. Sitting alone in a jungle surrounded with trees and rocks. Where you can smell freshness of air, can feel the wet and cold soil, can hear the voice of the river flowing in the mountain at a distant place. The voice of birds…Can hear the voices which are hovering in my head.

I have found the place I was looking for. Isoti, is a small village, 6 hours of drive away from Kotdwar. I have already been to this place many times in my childhood but that time I never got the opportunity to explore the place.  This village is surrounded by hills and forest. Isoti is my Mother’s native place and my nana ji and nanji (maternal grandparents) and their family used to live here. The house of my nana ji was at the top of the village and this use to be a very happening and reputed family.  Family of my nanaji was very big. He was the eldest one among four of his brothers. He had two sons and four daughters, so you can image how big his family was. During our summer holiday we all cousins use to come here to spend our holidays. We use to roam here and there and had fun. But now, since the death of my nana ji and nani ji this place has never been the same.

image courtesy: flickr-swetlana hasenjager

Once this was much happening place of the village now has turned into an abandon place. The place where the voices of kids surrounded everywhere now the voice of air passing through the trees is audible.

After the long gap of 10 years I came here again to relive all those moments of my childhood. Again walking on those pavements which once was difficult to cross now becomes very easy to walk on. Meeting with those old faces which use to be young once. Houses are still there but the people are missing.

There was one temple of goddess “Durga” at the top of the hill where we used to come. This temple was very famous and still is among the villagers. On every occasion like either marriage, birth of a child or at any festival they all use to come in a groups and worship here.  In the corridor of the temple there was one big tree of “Horse chestnut”. This tree was also famous among people and they use to gather around it and worship it. I also loved that tree a lot. Whenever we came to the temple I use to swing on the branches of the tree and climb over it.

To relive those moments again, I went to see the temple. When I reached there I found that the structure of the temple was totally changed. Now the temple which used to be very small and built of rocks only has been changed into one big temple. The small boundary of the temple now has been changed into one big wall. But the Horse chestnut tree is still visible from outside the temple. I got excited and to have a look of it from nearby I ran towards the temple.

The tree was still looking the same. Looks like not a single leaf of the tree had shed. I sat on one of the root of it and started looking around. I closed my eyes and after some time all the visuals of my childhood which I spent here with my cousins were appearing in front of my eyes.

That place was very quiet, calm and peaceful. I lay down beneath the tree and didn’t realize when I fall asleep. There is something in the air and environment of Uttrakhand which would take you far-far away.