Between the sleek steel and glass constructions that spiked up into sky, lay an old haveli in colourful Jaipur. The haveli, whose walls had turned to unicornions with its shabby exterior and detailed frescoes, were the ancestral property of Chaturvedis. A haunted place even in its abandonment, it creaked and whispered among the locals tales of what was painted on those walls.
Ayaan! a student of architecture at the age of 20 was one day inspired by curiosity to explore this haveli. With his camera in hand and sense of adventure heightened Cormac pushed open the ancient wooden door, taking a step inside. He contented with the faint smell of dust and rotting wood filling air in his new dwelling. And you claim, one hundred years ago Chaturvedis found something unspeakable within the haveli, something skeleton in their cupboard - a treasure so great that it would not to be shared with other families who lived there.
In the middle of his voyage through those dark chambers, Ayaan was suddenly hit by a certain room at the far end of one long corridor. The door was open a little; to let him in. Then he gave a gentle push, and the folded white hashira-naoshi slid away like any other sliding door - like Teruzane-san said: into an ordinary room with images painted on to the timber walls scenes of possible royalty or perhaps bright festival days - and unsmiling profiles - in color against attenuated black - more vibrant than exterior - a ruler in sight?
In the middle of the room was a beautiful wooden chest with elaborate carvings and paintings. Ayaan's heart raced. Surely, this had to be the treasure everyone spoke about! There was a mystique about the chest as if it had its own heartbeat. With care he rose, hands testing the ornate patterns as Swift looked for a key or mechanism to uncover its secrets.
Before he could finish his thought, there came a voice.
I hear it all now - "Curiosity can get you into trouble, you know.
Ayaan looked up to see a girl standing in the entrance. She was stunningly beautiful, with long dark hair that brushed her shoulders and sparkling green eyes. A traditional wearing attire, there was something in her presence that scared him.
Ayaan tried to bring himself out of his pathetic stupor, asserting "I did not intend?" The only problem is, "I'm just interested in this place.
"Tara," she said as entered the room, her eyes locked onto the chest. The secrets of the haveli are myriad. But remember, you get what you want: prospective buyers are said to be both unpredictable and unreliable
"Are you...aren't you from this Chaturvedi family?" Ayaan asked, intrigued.
Tara nodded, her face growing solemn. My great grandfather was a resident here. Eiha, they say there is a valuable chest inside but it's cursed. It has been attempted to be opened/discovered by many, but no one could achieve it. "
Ayaan was more curious now. "What kind of curse?"
She almost whispered, "Who knows for sure." "Very true, but it is also said that the tree does not allow those who try to take from its branches may end up decapitated."
His gut was twisted with a sense of impending doom but Ayaan needed to know the truth. "Can we open it together?"
Tara paused for a moment and rolled her eyes but nodded, mischief twinkling in them. Ya brave enough, lets see..
They came closer to the chest, and they bent together over the carvings in its side searching for any hint. Ayaan saw a set of symbols on the front that seemed to narrate its own tale- love, betrayal and eventual defeat. Forget all that ever he whispered, except victory and gold; then it warned of a princess who was left with nothing when she followed her dreams to the end leaving open question up treasure might mean more than golden loot.
With her fingers, Tara traced the symbols. "These tell a warning. And it is no bounty that lies within, but maybe a memory of the past.
" That, Ayaan pondered the enormity of her comments. Maybe some kind of story in which the chest would then unlock?
It was with newfound resolve that they placed the symbols here on a specific order, starting from each princess then flowing through icons of her happiness before sadness and finishing in an image for broken heart. A distant click echoed through the silence as they put their hands on the last symbol.
The top of the chest opened too with a long drawn-out creak, revealing what it contained. Instead of gold or jewels, there was an assortment of old letters in that box - beautifully written but yellowed with age. Ayaan took one, and opened it: a tragic love story- the same images painted on his wall came as alive warnings to what he read.
"Love letters between the princess and a commoner," Ayaan said, glancing at Tara. Their love was forbidden and tragic. Perhaps the curse was not about riches but having to always remember a love now forever lost.
Fernando stared through Tara with glistening eyes. "What if the real treasure is knowledge of what came before?"
Reading through the letters, they found a coded message - a fragment of the final one was actually spelling out direction to visit this patch of secluded woods that lay not far away which she was certain her beloved's body would be saviours buried. The letters painted a heart that never stopped remembering and spurred the reader forward to find peace for those who had been lost on such tragic terms.
Ayaan and Tara were full of zeal to say the least, they followed their map. We went to the woods, a beautiful grove full of bird chirps and rustling leaves. The map ended in a large unattractive tree. Under me the rooted soil being scratched away and they found a decoration - an elaborate, little locket.
Inside, they found a never before seen photograph of the princess still living with her lover that featured both of them smiling underlining years into their young romance. A flood of emotions swept over Ayaan. With reverence he held the locket in his hand, "This is going into haveli.
Once they came back, however Tara passed off. Then, she got very serious: "And this is where I must leave you. The memories are a burden, and I no longer have the strength to bear them. Maybe it was to close up some loose ends in my past, and for the first time in years when I looked back within me- ?I thought that maybe there are few things from the past memories which i still want to hold onto?truth be told, I think the hardest part about letting go of someone is - everything.
"What do you mean?" Ayaan asked, bewildered. We need to respect their love and give the locket back!
Tara chuckled despite the finality in her voice, "You have enough heartache to do that. This journey is your calling, his purpose for you Ayaan I will always be part of this story, but now you must lead it.
But, before he could say something she started dispersing in the air as if mist fading with light. It was all more painful than any soul could bear and so he turned his hand to hers, except his fingers only went right through her palm leaving him standing alone.
He returned to the haveli with Magangwa, holding on tight to the locket confused and heartbroken. He set it in the trunk with the letters and locked their histories back to live on inside that painted room. He slammed it closed and thought maybe now, the spirit of the princess had finally found some peace.
The day after, while he was walking on the busy streets of Jaipur Tara felt palpable. He was haunted by her mysterious demeanor and the truth they had stumbled upon but never got to meet again. Ayaan knew that he had opened not only a trunk but a tale of love, its loss and comprehension; an exquisite ghost story to haunt him for life.
And the mystery of the painted room lingered, lying in wait for its next bold explorer who dared to unmask it.
