Today I m going to narrate a personal anecdote. I live in a village called ”Talangam Pulwama Kashmir”. My Aunt lives in a nearby village namely ”Narwa”, about 3 kms away from my home. However, there is also a canal that connects the two. One day, I left my Aunt’s home to go to my own. While I reached the passenger stop, I found no vehicle. Therefore, I decided to go to by foot. The way which I took through the meadows and orchards was fulled with lush green avenues. The path looked so pleasant with the apple, pear and peach orchards in bloom. It was one of the most pleasant walks of my life. It took me about an hour to reach home and by then it was almost dusk.
When I reached back, I narrated my whole episode to my family. They were shocked and asked in surprise, “How can you all alone at HARANDAR (a place which hardly anyone dare to walk all alone even during day time) in evening”? They described and discussed HARANDAR as a horrifying and gruesome place. I thanked God for having reached home safely and started brooding the different creatures of almighty which I encountered during my way back. A few days later, I felt inwardly a strong desire to visit the same place once again this time with my father. It was bright day. But while I treaded the path, my heart was shivering and nervousness was quite visible on my face. What was it that made me to enjoy HARANDAR during my first travel and fear it on the other. It was the perception, the way we think something is. Initially I did not realize the gruesome reality about the place, I enjoyed HARANDAR. But when my mind was being filled with horrifying images about it, I began to fear. The story bears much resemblance with our studies as well. If we think a topic or a lesson or a subject is frightening, it will seam to be. But if we take it it without other people’s opinions of it, we might enjoy and love it..
GHOSTS OF MY MIND by Aijaz Ahmad Dar
