Chronicles of Krish..

I dont know why I made up my mind to visit my hometown again. It was years ago that I first visited there, along with my newly married wife. I never had a chance to, even think about my town since then. I( as the busy man I was), was always behind new technologies and innovations. I almost always worked till late night and came home tired and sleepy, to find an equally tired wife coming home. In between the busy schedules and endless projects, I had no time to enjoy my family life as well as think about my childhood days. It was one among those busy days, that I discovered an inland letter addressed to me on my table. I picked it up thinking it was some reminder of my LIC premium. But I was surprised to find the 'from address'. It was from ''T.K. Gopal, Vasanthi Nagara. To be precise, from my uncle. I was surprised because it was years since I heard from him, not to mention about my other relatives at home. Last time he wrote to me, to invite me for his son's marriage, which I conveniently forgot. Seeing that he never once received a letter in return, he stopped writing to me. I opened the envelope o see what has caused him to suddenly write to me.

"Dear Krish", he wrote, "I am writing this letter to you because bhabhi persuaded me. Our family assets are being partitioned to all of us(that is bhabhi's decision, of course) and you are also requested to come back here for that. She is going to read her will on 8th of next month. Hope you will be here. Convey my regards to your wife and son. Love, Gopal Uncle.

House Partition! I was devastated. Suddenly, my childhood memories went through my mind in a flash.My big house, crowded with nana, nani, mom, dad, uncles, aunties and all those chotu-motu-chippi gang...Childhood was bliss. The way we climbed up almost all the trees, stealing from neighborhood mango trees, fights, clashes, progress reports, shouting... the unending memories...those which lure us to secretly wish to go back to our past again.

I was brought back to the present again by a gentle tap from my manager.
"What is it, Mr. Krish, Are you okay? Did'nt you sleep last night?",He asked
I smiled mulishly and shrugged. I had so many works to finish, which means that I had no time to 'walk down the memory lane' right now.

I completely forgot about the letter and its content till evening. I was reminded of it again when I went back to my home. My wife found the letter from my bag and was now bringing it towards me.
"Are you going there?", she asked me.
"I wanted to visit all of them there. But, I don't want to witness the partition either. It's been ages since I went there,I wanted to visit mom", I told.
"I think you should go", she told "whether it is partition or not. Who knows,may be this is the only chance for you to see your house in one piece. After partition, some of them may sell their share".
The sight of my house being divided , startled me. I couldn't sleep that night. I tossed and turned around, much to the displeasure of my wife. But, by the next day morning, I had made up my mind. I called up my office and requested for leave till 8th of next month.
(To be continued...)