Looking through a child’s eyes..

It was a June night when I departed from that beautiful, magical smell of Delhi. I had only my bag, some belongings of mine, my camera and of course my notepad with me. That was the first time I was on the roads all alone, towards the unknown in India.

While I was venturing into unknown lands I was feeling the sadness of leaving Delhi but I was also excited about reaching my dream that was on the postcards..

My route headed towards Himachal Pradesh, a natural wonder which adorns thousands of pictures. In my childhood I saw many photos that were taken here. I would dream daydream about it everytime I saw one. And that day I was finally on the roads. This time, during my travel to India, I did not repeat the same mistake that I did before and I bought a local SIM card for my phone. How would I have ever known that in this land of surprises the card would let me down when I most needed it.

Yes, during that three-days trip, the moment I left Delhi I was disconnected from the world. My card was not receiving any signals. But later, when I thought about it, I understood that it was better this way. I thought to myself how I would otherwise relieve the burdens of my past by constantly looking at my phone. While having a brawl for finding an empty seat in the bus, all of a sudden I found myself near Happy.

He was coming from Mumbai and was a professional theatre player. He was a decent man who would display the plays of his own all around the country. Discussing movies, India, politics, women's rights we talked incessantly on one topic after another until we got tired and fell asleep.

Just as the morning sun was rising above I could not believe it when I took a glance at the outside. It was like the movie “Taal” (a 1999 Bollywood movie) was being shot again around here and I was looking downwards at the most beautiful green up from the hills in a leading role..

We finally arrived at Shimla, the most beautiful city around here. Shimla was used to be the place where some important Politicians, even the President of India, would come to in order to escape the scourching heat of summer. There even was a special Palace built for presidents. In fact, while I was waiting quietly after I got out of the bus, I had realized that thousands of people came here, looking for a way to escape the summer’s heat.

I said goodbye to Happy and promised to meet again.

The vehicle that would take me to hotel was late, of course. But I was used to waiting. I wasn’t even getting angry at the disastrous transportation system here anymore. At that moment I gazed upon the rising sun as if it was never going to set. It was like somebody came and took away all my nerves.

After about half an hour later, the vehicle came. I settled in the hotel and got in the vehicle again for the tour as soon as I took my bag. And there we were wandering, gliding besides the foothills, in this heaven which God has created with the love he feels towards the mankind.

Rain was softly bathing the green, fog was raising around us. I was making the driver stop in every meter and taking shots. That moment was like a child’s reunion with his village from which he’d been away for so long. I was feeling this in the depths of my heart every time I’ve breathed nature.

‘’I don’t know if the poets were created to write about here or here created the poets, but it was definitely a place for which my pen was dying the meet with ink.’’

After a trip of 4 hours, we headed to Kufri which was approximately 20 km away from Shimla. When I arrived at the famous Hill Station there, I got out of the vehicle. I let myself among hundreds of other people. It was like civilization was built here again and has never changed for thousands of years. It was the reunion of nature and people. I took my camera out of my bag and just as I was about to take the shot, I caught a scene and..

..I stopped.

It was the eyes of a 3–4 year old child which stopped the all the breathing in my lungs. He was looking around so innocently that I saw that vast emptiness of the world in his eyes.

I saw myself, humanity, a whole life of mine in a pair of eyes. He had his dreams inside his heart too, innocent dreams, just like ours’. In fact that child was the proof that I’d never been able to grow up despite my age. I started to follow. He was curiously looking around without blinking in his father’s arms.

I thought to myself, if the dream I’ve had for so many years, all this road I’ve traveled was only for going after a child? But I could not stop following. Then I understood that it was the humanity who both destroyed and created these places, who gave importance to them. I remembered the candy in my pocket. I took it out and ran after them to give it to the kiddy. I tried to communicate with his father but I had to use gestures instead as he did not know English. I loved, kissed and smelled that beautiful innocent angel. The happiness he felt when I gave him the candy was indescribable. I was telling to myself that I knew those eyes, but how?

That question occupied my mind even after I left there hours later. I remembered those eyes when I was tired of walking around and looking at the landscape among the trees.

Yes, it was me, years ago, during my childhood.

They were my eyes looking at the Himachal in postcards with a never ending love. I was here now, but did I still have that innocence?

Did world still have that innocence?

But that child remembered me of those days that were without sin, questions.

Days that you would live without thinking about tomorrow. I sat among the trees and shed a couple of happy tears. I took my notepad and wrote these lines:

‘’I’m in a place where the creator

and the created met.

Looking down on you,

above from the great heights.

A cold breeze blows,

but I’m not cold,

I wonder if you know?

Near the foothills, in the postcard dreams,

at the heart of these lands that I’m after,

your sun rised inside me,

I wonder if you know?

The child is in Himachal now,

calling to you from thousands of meters above,

never will I let go of my passion,

of these lands worthy of poems.

I never found you,

though I searched every corner,

but this Majnun saw you,

in the eyes of a child,

I’m in Himachal,

looking at you,

with my whitest dreams..

..I’m in a place where the creator,

and the created met.’’

Poetry: -Harun Reşit Aydin-

When I closed my notepad, the sun was about to set.

It was the end of a long day in the middle of the nature. When I was getting back to the vehicle, the movie “Taal” which was shot here came into my mind.

That moment Akshaye Khanna’s words echoed all around:

If God is in your heart, the truth is resolute.

Yes, truths are always resolute. Even if it was just a dream in that child’s eyes, that dream was worth fighting for.

‘’Remember to come after this beauty near the foothills one day. Be assured that in here, where the clouds are joined, there’s a story to be written for you, a story never to be forgotten. For in that child’s eyes, you can find the dreams of everybody.’’

Author: Harun Reşit Aydin

Memory from the childhood ‘’Taal Se Taal Mila’’ song from the movie Taal..

END..

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