Transfer, Turmoil and Taj

Those who have been my readers through the years are well aware of my  funny, chaotic and dramatic life ..with sudden transfers, new settlements ,exploration and hunting for the needful .

Being a government officer’s wife it has become a part of my personality to just keep on  going no matter what. Though it feels like a snake bitten player in snakes and ladders… my personal hatred for the snake on the 99^th square has grown stronger since childhood till date.  Recently I became a part of this another transition and we have landed to the city of “Waah Taj”on one hand when I was in a state of dismay with the white piece of paper husband got home and on another  my friends and relatives were uplifting my mood with the other white but of marble “Taj Mahal”.  But,  somewhere back in my mind stayed a picturesque of the world famous Mental hospital of Agra which scared me a bit.  My new driver bhaiya trying his best to keep our zeal and enthusiasm keeps on updating me at every drive.  He with a very proud gesture introduced me to the campus of the Institute of Mental health, Agra with such a fervor that shook me till death.

He said,” Madam ji this is the world class Mental hospital one could ever imagine..”(his voice grew stronger and full of pride as if he was showing me another work of Shahjahan). He further continued “ Madam ji, once upon a time there was a mentally ill person he killed another and hung him dead on the rope of clothes..”  It actually scared the living daylights out of me … Still with some courage I asked “Bhaiya, but why what was the reason he did this bad?”Our dedicated driver bhaiya with a very serious expression said “ Madam ji ,he told the security and others that धूप अच्छी निकली थी तो मैंने सोचा उसे धोकर सूखा दूँ…”  Believe me my heart started pumping blood faster than it usually does.  I requested him to focus on his driving and let us know more about  a little later may be the next day.

 Transfers bring both dreams and damages come true at the same time.  I started the journey from being a newly married of 24 years old girl till being the mother of two being excited and enervated at every time. This vagabond life has given me lessons that no one could teach and a  peace that no one can reach. The Pride of staying in the king size den like "Sarkari ghar" which ur staff calls "bangla" and the Fear of spotting wild things in the same. No surprises of those who have experienced this adventure of frequent shouts "मेमसाहब  , उधर पेड़ पर सांप का बच्चा लटका है... सर, विषखोपड़ा(monitor lizard पत्थर के नीचे बैठा था..." every day starts with something new sometimes scary and sometimes crazy..!! Which becomes the news of the day and discussions between the" चाय ". HenceWith the hues of the situation i always get my doors and windows sealed hermetically and depend on the pest control. But, that does not let my nest to stop chirping ..my little brave boys with full caution enjoy their football evenings here.

I am born "छोरी गंगा किनारे वाली..." and was blessed to meet my "छोरा " Who also hails from गंगा banks. But, never in my life I thought of taking a dip in "यमुना" river( considered not so good in terms of everything, no doubt कालिया नाग resided here once..) So, after taking many holy dips I was scared to square up with the salty rill. As it is said "karma" comes back .... the moment I entered our alloted residence i could see every आवास had it's own tanks lined up " 1, 3, 7..24.." . To me it gave a glimpse of some war barrack with tanks all around. For your peace these are the "water tanks" of "गंगाजल" provided for a better stay at the city Agra meaning "Agravana" (which means paradise in sanskrit )as referred in Mahabharata before  ‘Ptolemy’, the famous second century A.D. geographer, who was the first person who referred Agra with its modern name.

Every soul finds it's own way to the peace and vice versa.. its been already a month and our routine has taken it's shape just like a  pot which sat as a clay for hours and days on the pottery wheel for a proper figure. Every weekend of unpacking have slowly exchanged there places with small drives near the Taj. The messy gardens have been turned into our space of quite strolls.

 The miracle in marble is just around 5 kms. from our residence , beleive me when slowly on your drive you approach the majestic architecture in the mild daylight you actually witness how deep the love between two people would have been that stands till date with purity and innocence....a love story that time could never erase...!! And yes so the new destination has started throwing it's magical charms with open arms to serve us with both " love and madness". "अभी तो बस नजरें मिली हैं ...दीदार अभी बाकी है...!!!"