Third Person Narrative
I see no address, but the house is specific enough, it probably was late 1930's, pre-independence, situated just off Mall Road in the city of Patiala, Punjab. Mall Road cuts connects the main artery leading to Chandigarh to the north and Delhi to the south. Mall Road also known as Thandi Sadak, cool road was popular for post dinner strolls. Over half a century ago it was sprinkled with water on hot summer evenings by men carrying goat-skin water bags (MASHK) around their waist. Arteries of mall road are still considered fashionable areas, they have bulky colonial style houses, set back with empty and well watered lawns. On the east side of the street where the forlorn house sits there is a cluster of low rise shops, modern and dainty is the ever expanding Gopal Sweet Shop. It takes a moment to realize the abandoned house with its over-grown grass, Milkweed and bushes, must have been identical to the intact neighboring building. A heavy mesh metal fence blocks the driveway, hints of missing details suggests a heavy labored doorway. There is no signage, no names, no door bell, no emblems to speak of a family. I see no "No Trespassing", the barricade is a hindrance to no-one except for the ones looking for the ones gone.

A plot of land is legally granted, a wall built around to protect. But now it lays abandoned, to abandon means to cease control, to not preserve or protect, to discontinue, to not support, to desert, to curse, to condemn, to censure, to excommunicate, to prohibit.

Madhaan Singh originally from Bharatpur, Rajasthan lives in Chander Vihar neighbouring the town Vikas Puri, West Dehli, visits Sarva Priya Vihar, GK 1, GK 2, most Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays, recorded in galli no 11 at 12pm in Sarva Priya Vihar, South Delhi