Shadows of Memory: A Ghostly Odyssey

As my readers know, I have an assistant called Babulal. Long back he brought one diary which he got from a raddiwala.

The diary

,......

It was dark,I was sitting alone by the side of Ganges in my home town, Chandan Nagar. Hearing someone approaching,I turned back and found a man with many photo frames.

He was giving ghosts on hire,he asked whether I wanted one. He showed me the pictures framed,he informed me those are pictures of dead people and now available as ghosts. I asked him what use those ghosts will be for me. He informed me these ghosts can help me in finding things lost in the past through their ghost chain. Also he informed me that I can take one on rent. Simply I have to take the photo frame. I asked if I could keep it for a day to try. He agreed against 1000 rupees. I took the frame to our 150 years old ancestral house. My wife was out of station with her office colleagues so I thought it was the best time to use it. In the night I asked the ghost to find out my higher secondary certificate which I was not able to locate in my Delhi house. Next day it was on my table,faster than FedEx. I rang up the ghost renter and requested him to allow me to keep the frame for a week. I transferred money to him as rent for a week.

As I continued to explore the capabilities of the ghost, I began to realise its potential went beyond just finding lost items. The ghost seemed to have a unique connection to the past, allowing me glimpses into forgotten memories and untold stories. One day, while searching for my misplaced childhood journal, the ghost led me to a hidden room in my house that I never knew existed. Inside, I discovered a collection of old letters, photographs, and a dusty typewriter.

On the roller of the typewriter there was a typed letter which read,

“If you wish I can alter your past but your present will remain the same “

I knew immediately that the letter had been written by the ghost.

I thought deeply about the proposal. It was a kind of catch 22 situation, he can change some of my past events but the present will remain the same.So my financial wealth,my health,my family ,my position in society will remain the same even if he alters my past.

 Contemplating further, I considered the option of erasing painful memories, preserving only the pleasant ones. However, this meant forgetting dear ones who were no longer present—a compromise I couldn't accept. In the tapestry of aging, both sweet and painful memories are treasures; nostalgia, a means of mental transport. Erasing a significant part of my memory seemed akin to walking with vision limited to the illuminated, oblivious to the dark.

I returned the photo frame after keeping it for a week.

When I shared my experience with my friends then they in turn shared with others. I started getting phone call from various people like doctors, lawyers, businessman, accountants etc . May be they want to alter some of their dubious records !