महाशिवरात्री का मेला

Every year, it happened and every year, we waited. It was like, most auspicious, and most fun day of our childhood. I now, am very well lost in this world of 3G and technology, however the roots, which once brought a zeal to liveitall and pursuit to happyness, came from this mela.

Ours is a small city, of many and many businessman, and a lots and lots of Johris. People know each other by names, in my case, by faces. If you stay, at गोल प्याऊ चौराहा(main market), you will find someone familiar to chat with. There are no traffic lights, and roads are in bad shape, still youngsters love bikes, and those who think, that they have little sense of business, love cars. I liked cycles. My friends and me were so enthralled by these cycles, that we used to play hide on seek on these, and domain was limited to two-three nearby colonies.

Girls used to play territorial games on the road, like 8 पाले, घड़ी etc. , 

   

Source 8 पाले

while boys indulge themselves in cricket at barren plots and gilli danda in streets. In midst of this normal life, there comes a place called Harni Mahadev, where annual mela happens on the day of Mahashivratri.

I know, what I wanted.See maut ka kua, tedha jhula and dollar swing. And eat lots of chat. There were churan shops, we used to go there and try to taste all of sauf and churans. Then shopkeeper realizes, what we were up to, so he shushed us away. And then, our parents came to that shop, or rather we brought them there. We, with innocent eyes and devil mind, act like perfect gentle kids, and taste all of them again. It was so much fun, it seemed like we were having a blast.

Before enjoying all of this, came a visit to the शिवलिंग, surrounded by rocks and pundits. They used to tie, लच्छा on our hand, and it was like, a new birth, a twilight in our little lives. Constantly messing up with, temple bells, trying to ring them again and again, with our parents help. It felt, like god may not play dice with numbers, but hell, he lets us play with him. It was so kind of him.

Now, time has passed, the fun and our concepts of prank have changed. I do not see, myself in those melas again, or even enjoying those little rides and the amazing chat.

But still, our देसिपना. Yes, it still endures.