Thursday, March 31, 2016

'यह दिल तो पागल है! -(with apologies to late Yash Chopra)'- by K.J.S.Chatrath

 There were times when a young lover could be expected to say to his lady love, 'मैँ तुम्हारे लिये सात समुंदर पार कर के, दुनिया की सभी दीवारें फांद कर आ जाऊँ गा.  And what is happening now a days? Here is a 72+ old man climbing atop a wall. यह क्या हो रहा है?


Yes, a serious explanation is in order. I have been working on inscriptions on christian graves for quite some time. I have a website- www.gravematter.in, and have published an illustrated book 'The Last Post: Inscriptions on French graves in india'.

Whenever I go to any new town, in India or abroad, I make it a point to visit the old cemetery and take photos.

Last month a went to a town and stayed there for 3-4 days. I had placed a visit to the local christian cemetery on my last day's programme. It was a Sunday and I had hoped that the cemetery would be open. I took a taxi and after some difficulty reached the cemetery. I was greeted by  a ground with high walls around and a well locked gate.

I peeked in and saw about a dozen youngsters inside the premises. 'I want to come and visit the cemetery. How did you get in', I asked the boys innocently. दिवार फांद के' replied one of the boys. 'मैं अंदर कैसे आ सकता हूँ, I persisted. I got the same reply: दिवार फांद के'.

Hmmm, I thought, having come this far to climb up or not to climb up was this Hamlet's dilemma. What the hell, I said to myself, go, man go! And I climbed up the wall. My old brittle bones respected my adventurous act and I was soon inside the cemetery premises, with all my bones intact.
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