Friday, March 20, 2009

Lost and found

So Dad and Mom made a trip to Kanyakumari last week. Dad couldn't be more excited. It was his dream to live the phrase 'Kashmir se Kanyakumari tak, Hindustan ek hai'. In fact, his first LFC (a sponsored trip that bankers get) was to Kashmir in the late 70s, and now with a few months left to retirement, he decided on Kanyakumari for his last LFC.

So after he got back, he wrote me two (!) long emails describing his trip to Kanyakumari, criss-crossing with his memories of his Kashmir trip. One of the highlights of his Kashmir trip was how my sister, a toddler back then, got lost in Srinagar. She was playing under the watchful eye of my grandma who happened to doze off, and my adventurous sis decided to wander off and quite literally live the phrase 'Kashmir ki waadiyon mein gum' (gum as in lost, not chewing gum in Kashmir's valleys). Mom and grandma ran out on the roads to look for her and after a while, found her, crying, but otherwise safe in the hands of a Sikh gentleman, aka "God Himself" in my Mom's words.

Dad went on to describe how years later, I, at the age of about 3 or 4, decided to repeat my sister's act, and got lost in a large and busy vegetable market late in the evening. I think I remember what happened -- this fisherman was cutting fish and I was so fascinated I just stood there and watched him cut the fish. (Bhai's violent streak started young, eh?) Meanwhile, my folks had been looking for me all over the place. Finally, they decided to go to the nearest police station. To their amazement, they found me standing next to Dad's motor-cycle at the parking spot. (Yep, those were the days, when my sister and mom would sit behind my dad and I would sit on the petrol tank (!) and we would ride around town, living the phrase 'Hum do, hamaare do'. Man! What's with my family and living the phrases??) Anyway, back to my lost and found story. Of course, they were stumped to find me there. Apparently I told them, "I knew you would eventually come here." Wah wah. Well done, baby Sash.

At every family reunion, we would talk about these two stories. And more, of how cousins got lost and were found. Of how the neighbours' kids got lost and were found. With the help of the panwala, the domestic helper, the police, the watchman, the dog, the nukkad ka lafunga, a complete stranger, and what not.

Over the years, I discovered that as a kid almost everyone had been lost at one point or the other and been found eventually. I guess Sonpur ka mela doesn't happen to everyone.

As kids, when we were lost, someone or the other knew where we were. Someone or the other found us.

Somehow.

Damn. Wish it was as simple now. Now, as growns ups, we're all lost again, but in a different way altogether. And sadly, this time around no one knows where we are. No one really knows where to find us. We just have to do it ourselves.

Somehow.

.



22 comments:

Ipsita said...

Gold... :)
really agree with your last statement..

moi said...

fascinating and entertaining post!! Just your style, i like it.
So you seem to be getting philosophical in the end!!

The Furobiker said...

profound thought

Jass said...

/*we're all lost again, but in a different way altogether.*/

Philosphy mat jhado bhai, life enjoy karo!

*Opens a bottle of virtual-vodka

P.S: Nice post! :)

Sum said...

True....
And sometimes even we too will not be able to find ourselves....

Unknown said...

SILVER!! (nobody claimed!)

Last para takes the post to a complete different level. Great post!

Anonymous said...

I guess every one gets lost one or the other time!
I got lost when I went to get a haircut with my sister. I got lost in the market and didn't cry at all. Instead I decided to walk back home. I reached half way when I saw my parents coming. Apparently, my sister had called them up :)]
Nice post. I'll surely visit again :)

mathew said...

lovely post and with the right tinge of emotional chord...

moi dad retiring this december..and I have been encouraging him to take his LTC as well..

rt said...

feeling left out after reading the post..no incident of getting lost in childhood!!! ;-/

rt said...

feeling left out after reading the post..no incident of getting lost in childhood!!! ;-/

Dewdrop said...

Wow! last para made it profound!

Jina said...

That made me happy ad sad at the same time..:)..(

Sanchit said...

my mausi got lost some time after independence... and the female who found her, claimed her as her daughter.. this is what i've been listening since childhood... who knows that our parents found us somewhere in market ;)

~anu~ said...

nice one sayesha.. like everyone else i too liked the last para which unfortunately made so much sense.

Jaya said...

Getting lost just makes life more interesting than it would otherwise be (provided you have a chance for reclamation, that is). Sorry to interrupt the philosophical discussion here, but is that someplace in Singapore? 'Cause I could do with some serenity and good landscape.

amna said...

oh yes, so true..

Anonymous said...

Nice post.In the hindsight, I have not been lost during my childhood days, but certainly totally lost now.
Another observation, you seem to start many of your posts with 'So'. Around 8 of you last 12 posts have begun with 'So'. Any reason; or simply SO? :)

Iya said...

couldnt agree more!!!

chanakya said...

not this would make a great tag :D

Sayesha said...

#Ipsita,
:)

#moi,
Thanks. :)

#Abhishek,
Thanks. :)

#Jass,
Virtual vodka it seems! Kyun bar ki maryada ka apmaan kar raha hai? Hahahaha! :D

#Sum,
Yeah that's true too. :(

#Sanket,
:)

#ramya,
Welcome and thanks for commenting. :)

#mathew,
Ooh where are they off to?? :)

#rt,
Hehehehe... :P

#Dewdrop,
Thanks. :)

#ursjina,
I know what you feel. When I was writing it, I went through the exact same thing. :) :(

#Sanchit,
:)

#anu,
Thanks. :)

#Jaya,
//is that someplace in Singapore?

Sorry, which place are you asking about?

#Nags,
:)

#varshaac,
Yeah, I do start a lot of posts with 'So'. So? :P

#Iya,
:)

#Chanakya,
Take it up then! :)

Anonymous said...

I like these 'so' posts. It gives me a feeling at the begnning itself that this is going to be one relaxing read. :)

Sayesha said...

#varshaac,
Heh heh! You know I was going to start my latest post with 'So' and then I thought of you and I didn't?? Sheesh! :P :P