Kanaso Nanaso..

It was a silent town - somewhere in North India, maybe Uttar Pradesh. It had a distinct landscape. Big old havelis and mohallahs and warm people. The whole thing looked very strange to me and I really enjoyed being in such a place. It was a new experience and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Was there someone else with me? Maybe a friend of mine. I guess it was him who took me to the big-haveli. And I don't know where he disappeared after that. Or maybe, the aura of the haveli took me over and I did not notice him enough. But what a grand house that was! It had a very huge entrance-room. On the walls of this room were hung larger-than-life size portraits of men in grand clothes. They looked like kings. What the hell was I doing in this grand haveli? I came looking for something? I was let in - inside the house. I cannot call it a house though. It must have been a palace in the past. The people living in the house should be the descendants of a royal Muslim family, I guessed. The house was old but grand. The interior of the house was exquisite. It had pillars with intricate glassy curves. Everything in the room was so illuminated. This was a smaller room, but more beautiful. There was so much light in the room, pure white light, like the light of the Kohinoor. As I glanced through the old vases and royal decorations, velvet-carpet underneath my feet, I saw books, a lot of books placed on shelves in another room whose door was open. The sight of books was very pleasing. I decided to have a look. As I entered the room, I found that it had an amazing collection of Urdu literature. I knew Urdu? Who maintained such a wonderful collection? Then I saw something very beautiful. In the corner of the room, a beautiful young lady was talking to an old man. She was wearing a yellow salwar-kameez with beautiful designs on it. I cannot describe her sight but she was in all essence what the word 'beautiful' could ever mean. Her sight was so compelling. I tried to avoid looking at her but she was so beautiful that I could not help stealing glimpses of her. Then she came up to me and asked what I wanted. I don't remember exactly what I spoke to her, but I did speak of literature. She was impressed. Then she told me that she would like to introduce me to her grandmother. She had immense knowledge in Urdu literature. She had the calmness and serenity on her face that I had never seen before. They looked a very dignified people. Indeed they belonged to a royal family. They seemed to be very well cultured. Her grandmother was a grand lady. I spoke to her for a very long time. I spoke about so many things, from literature to pythons. Her grand-daughter was standing in the corner and smiling. I was offered to stay in the house for one more day. She told me that her grandmother was very impressed by me. The next day she asked me to have a look at the small temple in their front-yard. I went to check it out. And I found a letter near the shrine. The most beautiful lady in the world had fallen for me. She spoke her heart out in the letter. I said, this is a disaster. I never acted in a way to impress her. She was beautiful and possessed all virtues a man like me would ever want to see in his beloved. But, I said I can't fall in love twice. I knew it would hurt her, but I ran from that place. I came back, but still wondering if I did the right thing.

I opened my eyes to see that the Sun had still not risen and I could afford more such sweet dreams.

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