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Posted on: Aug 06, '09

The oldest friends I remember

I was born in the beginning of the second half of last century. So my first friends go back about half a century. When I was just 5 years old I had arrived at a small town called Ghaziabad, then, in District Merut. This Ghaziabad, also known as Gateway to Uttar Pradesh, on the unending G. T. Road made by Sher Shah Suri, was just one of those small ancient towns whose history goes back to 2500 BC, but got its name from Ghazi-un-ddin who established the current town as Ghaziuddinnagar in 1740 which later got shortened to Ghaziabad.

(My in-depth knowledge is also because of a story I am writing which revolves around that period)

Like all the old towns in the north, it had its own Ghanta Ghar, Shiv Mandir, Kachahari (Magistrates Court) a college by the name of Manan Mission College, a Model Town, a Gandhi Nagar, a State Bank of India branch and my First School; Sushila Model High School.

Then a few old world bungalows. One of the most famed was the Diwan’s Bungalow, where we had resided for 4 years. This had an out house (which we occupied for a few months before shifting to the main bungalow), a servants quarter and a garage (probably housed some horse driven carriage once) with a high-ceilinged verandah supported by great Gothic Columns flanked on both sides by self contained living area having grand living room (sitting rooms they were called then) couple of king-sized bedrooms adorned with four-poster beds with provision to hang cotton mosquito nets. A kitchen and a dining area adjoining it. One of the living areas occupied by us and the other by Diwan Saheb himself, wellknown by the name Babuji by everyone and Mataji, his wife.

Neighbouring to this was a smallish house where my first friends Mattu and Rakesh lived along with their parents and grand parents. Their sisters Meena and Asha were elder by 8-9 years and were friends to my mother from whom she had learned her first words in Hindi.

A small Deepawali incident, couple of years after we were staying there, remained etched in my mind, that being the only reason I still remember them. Mattu, while playing with crackles kept on moving backwords and leaned on the parapet wall of the bungalow where a line of oil lamps (deepaks) were lighted and his shirt caught fire. As he started to feel the burn he started crying loudly. My mother, nearby tending to the deepaks ran towards him and with her bare hands doused the fire and tore the shirt away from his body.

Year 1996, April 24th. I, my wife Meera and daughter Gouri, along with my parents, on way to visiting my first cousin, a T.V Serial story and screenplay writer, took a detour to see our Diwan’s Bungalow. The bungalow didn’t exist anymore and that place was occupied by a residential building.

But, to our pleasant surprise, Mattu-Rakesh’s house still remained exactly as it was 36 years ago. Just to know what had happened to Mattu-Rakesh, we knocked at the door. A middle aged shortish man opened the door. We asked the whereabouts of Mattu-Rakesh. He asked who we were and why we wanted to know about them. My mother went ahead and told him who we were.

What followed was absolutely indescribable. ‘I am Mattu.’ he said excitedly.

He, like us, also had that one incident etched indelibly in his mind. That Deepawali incident, he even remembered how my mother had extinguished the fire. Mattu and his family still resided there. Younger brother Rakesh expired a few years back. Meena and Asha were married and settled and had grandchildren, too. By that time Rakesh’s wife, his son and daughter also had joined the reminiscing group with wide eyes.

We spent about half an hour with them on that eventful day.

Actually Mattu and Rakesh were the first friends I had.

..................................................Ken Featherlite

Tags: friendship day

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super45 said:
Hei Sureshbhaia
Yeh to bahuti acha peigam aapne dost ko diya hei ,dost milne se kitni khushya hoti hei woh to do dost kohi malum padta hei...

and winning a fropper prize is a double whemy

Take care
suresh

September 07, '09

Satya70cap said:

August 20, '09

kumarvarun2040 said:
Happy ending u met ur friend at last nice..

August 20, '09

geetsudha said:
congratulations ken for winning for a butiful memoris shared.

August 19, '09

skhawa said:
wONDERFUL MEMOIRS MY DEAR FREN.
cONGRATS!!

August 18, '09

King-Bulls-Ring said:
Hey Ken, Good feat buddy... Friends - Meories - Never fade. And above all, you won.. Congrats...
C e l e b r a t e .....

August 18, '09

dreamshow said:
Congrats!

This is really nice & Beautiful.

August 18, '09

Tulipscorp said:
nicely narrated ....Congrats for being the winner. regards

August 17, '09

nash5 said:
Nostalgic moments ..... It's always gr8 to rekindle old friends especially the childhood ones

August 11, '09

Nalindas said:

August 07, '09

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