Wah. (That's the name of my gaoun)
Yeah, that's my village.
Yeah, that's my childhood.
Yeah, that's no place for me now.
It's been so long since I went there. 1 year 5 months to be exact. To think it was the same place where we used to visit every summer, where I have all of my precious memories, where my loved ones lived. Summer's here, we're off to Wah. Goodbye city! My gaoun is lovable & satisfying than anything else in this world!
What part of life have I not lived there? What cousins have I not cherished there? How many times had Amm(Naano) stuffed our faces with food, spoiled us rotten, made us feel fresh and alive all over again?
I was on the phone with my cousin a few days ago and we were recounting all the memories. It's weird how quickly time flies by. So, my family has this love for dogs which we never got! Now here are the names of a few precious dogs/bitches cousins had:
Fanta
Pepsi
Billi (Yes, BILLI!)
Dinky
Jackie
Prince
Kaalu (Because he was black)
Stanley
So with these dogs, we have a gazillion memories. Feeding them raw bones, running away from them, playing with them etc etc. A few of them literally growing up with us. Going home every year and being greeted by these barking dogs who don't even recognize us. Maybe they did. We were just shit scared. =) Home. Not now. They're just houses now.
What memories! The time when the Dumbas (I don't know what they are called in english) chased us. Me, Sultan Ada, Farhan, Abdullah, Apa, Aisha Apa, Ada jee all running here and there to save our lives. Having numerous nicknames for each other. Fire crackers everywhere. Going to the kathay (ponds) and swimming in the Mailaan (umm..another type of pond?). Hatiyaan (small teeny tiny shops) and the toffees and bunties available there. Waleed, Nauman, Maarij, Rabia Apa, Zunaira Apa, MSK -- including a few others, playing Teelo-Andaa (Hide and Seek). Getting bitten by tarbooreez (Honey beez) every freaking year. Sitting in the bangla. Taking a walk, going through the gaoun to go to the baagh (Ruins of the Mughal Gardens). Getting up early in the mornings to have water fights from the freezing water from the pipe at 10 AM. Playing in the monsoon rains to come back inside and have Amm keep charpaiyaan out for us with warm chaadrein (quilts) waiting for us. Sajda baybay's (That's what we call them respectfully) delicious Pakoray. And the even more delicious fried Bhindi. Any type of food cooked by my Amm. Especially the chooree. =). (Paratha mixed with sugar and desi ghee). The stories we told about the Maari (Hawaili type. See pictures)
Now, that place is just a house standing. 3 houses, empty. It's weird how people die and take away every ounce of happiness with them. I miss you Amm. A lot. Sab se zayadah. Sometimes, when the CLI says the first 3 digits, I always stand and pray that one day it'd say 087. It never will, I know. But still, Khuwab adhoray sahi, khuwab saharay to hotay hein.
aik shakhs sarey sheher ko veeran kar gaya..-
Maari:
The Bangla:
A view of the gaoun:
The Baagh(part of it):
The ruin of the Mughal Gardens:
A partial view to one of those empty houses:
and your post made me all nostalgic about the days i'd spent at gaaon.. and gosh! it's been more than 10 years since i went there.. all i have is faint memories of my childhood..
and let me just put in two lines from me --
ab to hur gali, hur ghur veeran hai,
suna hai rehne walo ne thikana badal liya
The love the shair. Makes me want to cry like a baby =)
Waisey lucky you, atleast you have lots of cousins and a gaoun to go :) !!
i have never been to this place... but if i am not wrong yahan garmiyoun main ziyada garmi nahi ho gi kya ??
Anyways best of luck for your remaining papers i hope you do well and enjoy your holidays :) !!!
ek apna shair kehta houn ...
Tadziya teri yaadon ka is dil lagi sey kia tum ney,
Hanste hanste is Kafir ko rula dia tum ney...
A gaoun which is so dead that it literally pinches me.
Nahji this place is near Peshawar Islamabad waghaira. Infact, Hasanabdal ke saath hai. If you know what place it is.
Their summers JUST started while we melt in the heat already.
And thanks for liking ittt =)
And thanks for the well wishes and same to you !!! =)
yeah i get it now ... which place is this :)
yes the gaoun could be dead but you have so many good memories there well enjoy remembering them while you are at the place of your childhood :)
and thanks lets hope that i atleast pass :)
But then home isn't home, without the people that make it home! :)
Siras: It's heaven. =) And I couldn't agree with you more.
life has become so tough and busy key this thing happens !! Waisey i know you would be anxious to go there ... and nevrous to what to expect from this holiday ... which makes it more exciting !!
Lonely: You really should. It's hardly an hours drive away. Even less.