It was October 2021, when I was roaming inside the campus of Humayun's Tomb with a dear friend of mine. It was an experience that I can safely characterize under the head "Majestic". Looking at that larger-than-life structure gazing at me is an experience in itself. I have had a strong appetite for stories since my childhood - All kinds of stories. Stories about people who are alive and about the ones who have left this mortal world. Stories about people who are famous and about the ones who are not so famous. Stories about the Emperors who have won the war and about the ones who died in the battle. Oh! I enjoy them all...
And yes, Stories about Seas and the Rivers, rocks, and the hills. Alas! they can't speak. I really wish they could.
I really wished that there should be someone who knows the secrets - All the dark and white.
The secrets of the Emperors and the slaves, of the rocks and the caves. The stories of Love and hatred. The stories which are said and which are unsaid.
That night I asked my friend 'Google' about some unsaid stories of Dara Shikoh. He gently smiled at me. held my hand, and took me to his girlfriend 'Youtube'. There, that lovely lady showed me a video called "Sons of Shahjahan".
And that night I discovered this gentleman who bridged that gap between those unsaid fables, and my super-strong appetite to hear them all. That very night I found a true storyteller.
A storyteller gives more importance to the flow of the story, rather than just putting up facts in front of his or her audience. He or she emphasizes more on the emotions of the characters, instead of judging them.
That night, I discovered Asif Khan Dehlvi Sahab and Delhi Karavan. Not only that, I discovered Jahanara Begum, Rana Dil, and a whole new side of Aurangzeb. I discovered a lot in that eighty minutes, short video.
I searched more about Delhi Karavan and the Silsila of Heritage walks. In a few minutes, I was successfully peeping into Asif Sahab's Facebook account. I couldn't stop myself from dropping him a text that how much I enjoyed his video and requesting him to give an intimation for any upcoming heritage walk.
And that night... nothing more happened that very night.
But the next morning I got a reply from him 'Zaroor :) See you soon.'
Next week I got a confirmation from Delhi Karavan that my seat is confirmed for the upcoming walk.
Wait.
It was somewhat like this.
Khoshamadeed Musafir
We have noted your registration for the upcoming walk on 23d Oct 2021. Your seats are confirmed...
I was before the mentioned time, waiting at the ticket counter of Purana Quilla (Old Fort). Wearing a Pink color T-shirt (I hate wearing T-shirts, especially pink ones) and a pair of jeans, I was feeding broken biscuits to a dog who was curled up near a pole. I texted Asif Sahab that I'm there at the ticket counter. I have this fear that what if they start without me or what if I misread the mail and waiting at the wrong venue? There are more 'What ifs' ringing in my head when I got his reply.
I'm reaching in five minutes.
Phew...
There were no more biscuits left in the packet and the dog sat quite near my feet.
Suddenly, people who were looking scattered part of the crowd unified when Asif Sahab walked in. I remember nodding at him when he asked 'Are you here for the walk?'
Yes Sir :-)
A Storyteller is someone who is looking at you while telling you a story without looking at you. He is in some distant land, watching events happening. A storyteller is the one who holds your hand and you can safely give him the sacred responsibility to take you with him with mere words into that distant land. Where there are Emperors and slaves, Rocks, and caves - and they all tell a story. And the storyteller beautifies it and gives that story the right words, and conveys it to you with utmost care - Umm... Like Koh-I-Noor on Taqht e Taus.
A storyteller is a healer who heals your unattended, invisible wounds with his words - Words that are justified, expressive, and deep.
Phew...I'm imagining speaking this in a single breath. I feel tired.
Wait, I have some more.
And I found all these impeccable storyteller qualities in Asif Sahab. The Walk started with the Royal dinner of the Pandavas and ended with the heartbreaking story of partition and the refugee camp - I could feel some of my unattended wounds heal.
For me, That walk never ended. It stayed with me like a close friend. I can tell you the minutest details possible of that walk, but it will increase the length of this multi-folds.
The next morning, I wrote every detail in my journal. And the first line of that entry was -
Yesterday, I went to the land of stories...
It's been a year that I'm associated with Asif Sahab and Delhi Karavan - Silently attended about a dozen walks - Without saying much to anyone. Without making much of physically visible friends. Yes, I made a few imaginary ones. Just listening to lots and lots of stories. Losing myself again and again. Finding myself again and again - Whirling on the tunes of stories.
I need to stop because I just imagined myself actually whirling. I look funny. But, I'm happy.
Let me whirl...
Let's end this with two lines I wrote some years back
जिस काफिले में जुंबिश कम और रौशनी ज्यादा होगी,
जिस काफिले में हर अल्फाज महकेगा
मैं, वहीं मिलूंगा तुम्हे...
Love, Laughter, and Peace
Himanshu R Nagpal
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| And It all started here... at Humayun's tomb... pc chitr_grapher |
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