Dinarani.Thats the name of our house.One that is no more.The promoters have taken over.They are coming up with yet another plush multi storey.Nevertheless,memories die hard.My childhood memories occupy most of my dreams.Of special reference is the Dinarani terrace.The rooftop,the chhaat.I get dreams wherein i see myself exploring the hidden charm of the terrace.

There was a water tank.My priveleged cousins would climb that up(with ease)..and I would keep staring at them.I couldn't follow suit.I was scared.Ever since we heard the news of Dinarani getting demolished,I have been dreaming about the terrace.Its like an unfullfilled desire.I wish I had climbed that water tank at least once.The last time I went to Patna,it was to bid adieu to Dinarani.I tried climbing the tank,but was usuccesful.This time ,it was not due to the fear of heights,but because I felt awkward.What if i climbed the tank,and somebody from the neighbouring flat caught me in action?It would be embarrasing.


Now I regret.The terrace comes to haunt my dreams every night.

There was another thing I never did.Along with the water tank I never climbed up,there was the parapet,the karnish that i left unexplored.The parapet was quite a place,very popular among us,specially during the bouts of hide and seek that reigned supreme over the long summer afternoons.I never jumped down to explore parapet.Again,I was scared.

Perhaps it is because of these things that the terrace keeps recurring in my dreams.Even when The dream is not ABOUT Dinarani,the terrace is the permanent background for all the situations.For instance,that day I had a dream ,I was sky-gazing in Russia.The background was the terrace.Then again whenever I dream about my school,the classes are held in the(lizard infested) attic,and the terrace is the playground.

I have talked about my dreams to all my relatives,to all people who are associated with Dinarani.Strangely,nobody claims to have had such strong dreams.I pondered over this and figured out,maybe it is because I ma the only one in the family who thinks a lot,about these things,is not busy,has sufficient amount of time to harbour a lot more than just nostalgia,when it comes to Dinarani.Most importantly,the dreams recurr because after nineteen years of living life,I have only about two 'unfullfilled desires',the unclimbed water tank and the unexplored parapet.