How often is it that you see some kids playing and feel nostalgic? Blissful, Isn’t it? Well, this is a simple and sweet story of seven such kids from a village somewhere in Haryana.
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Every evening the kids gather on a cemented platform which the government made, around a huge Banyan Tree. They always start with the game of ChuppanChuppai. Some of them hide behind the bushes and others climb up the trees. They wait there until someone (It) finds them.
Now, he (It) starts searching for them after counting from 10 backward. He searches every bush by moving them, shakes trees to see if someone laughs or falls from the tree. These kids try their best to not laugh but occasionally one laughs and then everyone starts laughing in unison.
The next game they play is PakdamPakdai. One of them catches the others. They all run hither-dither. While running, they laugh gleefully, such is their enthusiasm.
Honestly, I can’t imagine a happier scene than this. The kids take some breather and then move back to the field because the next game in line is catch-catch. Any random object like a round stone becomes the object to be caught and then it’s all about the skill of staying in the game. Occasionally, one of them throws the object will full power, and then it falls on the main road alongside.
Sometimes, they climb up the trees and then throw stones in the pond. They enjoy this game the most.
Are you guys feeling nostalgic yet?
Let me tell you one more story.
This is a story of the same village that is also one of the spookiest places known. There is a small area in the village known as the ‘Bhootiya Jhaad’.
People of the village try their best to avoid this place. But, when they can’t, they have dreadful experiences. They see bushes moving when there is no wind at all. Some of them have also felt like someone was shaking the tree. They have heard a child’s laughter followed by the laughter of several children together. The laughter sound fades but the experiences have left people scared, very scared.
And, why wouldn’t they be?
If you heard some kids laughing, unexplainable sounds from a tree and stones falling from it, would you not be scared?
Spooky, isn’t it?
Now, let me tell you one final story.
A long time ago there was this village of happy people in Haryana. Kids used to go to a playing field near the Banyan tree for leisure time. They would play PakdamPakadai, I spy and what not. They would often take a breather and sometimes sleep in a pit around the Banyan tree and cover it with some bushes to avoid sunlight. They loved it. How innocent they were!
But, one day, some government officials heaped concrete from a dumper into that pit to make the tree foundation strong.
They didn’t know. But, now you do.
Still feeling nostalgic?
Glossary:
ChuppanChuppa: I spy game
PakdamPakda: Tag game
Bhootiya Jhaad: Ghostly Bush
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Photo By: Unsplash
This is an entry for Five00-9, #Vintage. Find all the entries here: https://writers.artoonsinn.com/category/five00/five00-9/
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