My Lost Scarf

 

I like exploring new places. I love how most of them turn out to be exciting and astonish me. Mind you – I am talking of places which are less visited, mostly of scenic beauties in nature, not one that has not been explored yet. But one that doesn’t have enough pictures, very few outsiders except the locals visit that area.

I must have explored more than 20 such places, all within 60 kms of Cuttack. The information of such places comes as word of mouth along with stories. It came to me from my friends who might have gone there or from friends who have come to study at Cuttack. There are various types of stories that I got to hear – of good, bad, astonishing, and even ghostly experiences.

A few years ago, I went to a place called Munduli with my boys’ group. It is an astonishing beauty hidden away from the people of Cuttack. There is a place where there are dozen of peacocks. They inhabit in a deserted Odisha Police firing range. Infact the firing range was functional when they were first seen and the Police decided not to use that place anymore and they feed the birds out of their personal money and with donations of visitors.

Right after crossing that, there is a beautiful hill (the reason for firing range being there) that is climbable with a little effort. We all did some effort and reached the top. The view and the wind were mesmerising. I remember all of it, even today. We had carried tea in a thermos flask. We thought it would be best to do, looking at our adults (Guess who now wants to be a kid again). There, while sitting and sipping tea, I kept my scarf aside.

Those days, I was new to using a scarf. Learning different ways to tie it matching to the attire. I love the dual function it has – saving me from cold and making me look better and stylish. I had taken one of my favourites with me that day.

While we completed drinking and then repenting about not getting a camera or a camera phone with us, we walked down. Lost in the conversation, I left my scarf there. I remembered it after I had reached home, some 40 kms away. I couldn’t have possibly gone back. With sadness, I let it go.

A few days back, one of my friends visited the place. I got to know about it from Instagram. He found a scarf quite similar to mine, in a pit along with other discarded elements. It was visible from the hill and appeared as if someone had thrown it. I recognised it when he sent me the pictures. I was both sad and happy. I knew I couldn’t possibly go back to get it because it wasn’t in a condition to be used anymore.

But I was happy to some extent. I am not sure what the reason was behind it. It felt like I have found something that warms my heart, even though it isn’t with me. I found my lost scarf, to lose it forever.