Vanishing act in Lucknow's Imambara

Some childhood memories never fade. Decades back, my father, who was working with the Railways, was posted in Lucknow — a city rich in culture. Weekends were for family outings — boating on the Gomti river, strolling at Hazratganj, shopping in Aminabad, savouring rewri, gachak and fragrance of ittar.

One Sunday, we visited the iconic Bara Imambara, home to the mysterious 'bhool bhulaiya' — a labyrinth of more than hundreds of passages and doors. Before we entered, our guide warned us, “Don’t wander. Without a guide, finding your way out might be difficult.”

After exploring for some time, my father joked with our guide, “We heard so much about this ‘bhool bhulaiya’ but didn’t see it!” The guide smiled and pointed at something. When my father turned back, he had vanished. We started calling out frantically, “Where are you?” Suddenly, we heard his voice, “I’m here,” but could not see him. Eventually, he reappeared, laughing; “Now you’ve experienced the 'bhool bhulaiya'.”

Whenever someone mentions Lucknow, the memory of this playful trick of space and sound always comes rushing back.

GP Singh, Mohali