A look at the Pensieve

Its not normal for most people to have their most cherished memories & moments in their life triangulate to one place, a place that is so deeply woven to the past. Well, we the Kamals are different in that regard because 23/11 wasn’t just a number for us, it was the epitome of merriment for our childhood.

Back at a time in technology when land phones and film roll cameras were a thing was the beginning of our childhood and the house overlooking the mountains of Hantana was the best of places.

All I can remember of it is after the millennium but the occupants of the house have bank full of memories worth decades.

Gate less it stood facing the garden of our beloved grandmother and the playground for us which was used for the plethora of games we used to play.

Just as much as Hogwarts had a forbidden forest, we had one for ourselves. At some point in being a kid, everyone was scared of it having reasons of their own. I myself believed for a while that the forest had Dinosaurs up above the hill. But as we grew up, the times we explored it was among the best of moments, where we discovered not the horrors but the amazing variety of greenery, landscape and fruit trees. We had avocado, cocoa, mango, jack, jam, guava, papaw, peaches, on and on I can go. You name it we had it. We even had strawberry’s for while.

All we wanted was to get out of the house and play in the garden. From simple Run & catcher to Kabaddi, we have played it all. And a big vehicle being parked in the middle of the garden is the perfect time to run around. If the ground had the ability to sense, it would know the amount of times we have fell down on it, the amount of times we’ve fought while playing, all of it.

The house on the other hand with 4 large rooms lived a whole family. No matter how many there it always had ample space. The vintage furniture and structure of the house were elegant and serene. Each room, passage gave us a different feel. We the occupants changed and grew over the years but the house stood as it is.

The mornings there were less eventful and more majestic. As the crickets chirp and birds sing we wake up sluggishly. The sunlight painting the dark black sky into blue seen over the mountains were just splendid. The band music from the school adds a little bit more feeling to the very good mornings there.

The evenings were playful with us waiting for the ones who left on work to return. Not actually waiting for that person per se but expecting that someone would bring a snack or a sweet for our evening feast with a cup of tea. The ‘sweet paan’ from Rathnayake bakery was among the favorites.

There will come a time in our routined life cycle of home & school, that is when all cousins meet on a vacation. Those were the days. It would be as if Eid came early for us. We would all stay together, play in the garden, watch movies, enjoy the time of our lives.

At times the older cousins would do stuff together while we the kids would play games of our own. And a game we all loved was “Dark room” which is not even scary but would end after a while by someone crying getting scared.

Playing tournaments of carrom and cricket splitting into teams were fun. The craziness when a team wins is so amazing. When gathered, pulling each others legs and quarrel until we get punished, which we don’t even care about and playing the fool, the days went on….

To make matters more interesting we’ll go on an outing in Kandy and have dinner at times which was exciting. The gossips and dumb lies we tell each other while sitting in the rocks besides the Jack tree were a piece of cake for everyone.

The house would be full of life and noisy with all the chatterings everywhere. Life was so simple and yet so entertaining and memorable. The laughter and joy were on an all-time high level.

Just as much as anything our reunion days would end faster than expected and we all are left to ponder about the great time we had and time goes on with us waiting for another getting together event.

On and on we grew up and the house played it’s part in our life being the significant place of our early youth.

And now having grown up. All families and every one of us are on a different path, wanting various things in life. A reunion is as rare as a solar eclipse. The reason upon giving a thought is that the house which connects us isn’t a part of lives anymore.

Now with a gate it stands, not only does it isolate the house but also part of our childhood and memories.

By Ammar Moujood