Read how a book led a girl back to the past!

FINDING THE LOST PAST

-By Sarah Khan

There had been years since Madhvi had worked as a librarian but one of her attendant changed everything for her. The sun was setting on a warm summer morning when a man came to her place.

He was a doctor and he had come to donate his medical books in Madhvi's library. He seemed to be a genial person but beneath his cheerful smile, there was a discern of seriousness. Madhvi collected the books and he departed. Madhvi got his smile stuck in her head. It seemed like he resembled someone she couldn't recall. There was something fishy about the man. 

Madhvi, on suspicion, opened one of his donated books. There was medical surgery nursing content, Geriatric medicine and more. Just when she was about to close the book she observed a queer aspect on the last page of the book- the name of her native place. Well, the man had already seemed like someone she had seen somewhere. As she flipped through the other book, he discovered a photograph tucked inside. To her amazement, it was Madhvi's family photograph!

Madhvi had reminiscence of an incident of her childhood which detached her from parents. She lost them in an earthquake tragedy and got separated from her younger brother in the chaos. She was then adopted by another family where she was raised and she grew up to be a librarian. Madhvi found the possibility of that doctor being a relative of her. She felt a rush of emotions and nostalgia. She ran towards the exit with the book and photograph to follow that man.

Unfortunately, she needed to stop on the railway crossing while that man had already passed across it to the other side. She felt frustrated and upset. As the train had departed and the railway crossing was opened, the man had already vanished the other side. Madhvi opened the book again to find more about him. She got to know that the man worked in 'Mahima hospital'. 'Mahima' was the name of Madhvi's mother! Now this is how she was joining dots and these clues were drawing her closer and closer to the lost past.

Madhvi leaped from the taxi as she reached Mahima hospital. She enquired about the man and realised that his name was "Manoj". A flash of memories landed her brain and tears rolled through her eyes as she realised she finally found her brother. Her young little brother! She waited for him to meet.

"Someone from your family has come to meet you," the man was told.

Manoj bewildered as he didn't really have a family since the earthquake. He had been an orphan ever since he was detached from his family. He walked with misty eyes and as he got to know that she was his sister, he couldn't believe it. They embraced each other in exhilaration and reconciled to this reunion.