The Masquerade - A Novel

                      THE MASQUERADE

A NOVEL BY B.C.HARI SANKAR

In advance , the author seeks pardon for being forced to publish the Novel in different parts( only during week ends)  , since  during week days the author will be busy masquerading for satisfying demands from various quarters on the premise of leading an ordinary life as per the expectations of the mundane world ( at the cost and risk of loss of self ) to which the author is helpless .

DISCLAIMER

ALSO , IN ADVANCE , THE AUTHOR SEEKS PARDON FROM ANY READER WHO FEELS SEMBLANCE  OF SIMILARITY WITH ANY CHARACTER , EVENTS OR  CIRCUMSTANCES NARRATED IN THIS NOVEL, ON THE GROUND THAT SUCH SIMILARITY IS ONLY COINCIDENTAL AND NOT AT ALL INTENTIONAL IN ANY WAY AND THE NOVEL , ' THE MASQUERADE ' IS PURELY A CREATION OR FIGMENT BORNE PURELY OUT OF THE IMAGINATION OF THE AUTHOR ONLY AND THAT THE NOVEL IS NOT INTENDED TO COMPROMISE AUTHOR'S  HIGH RESPECT TO THE CURRENT SOCIETY , CULTURE , VIEWS , THOUGHTS ,  TRADITIONS ETC OF THE CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY  WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT IN MAINTAINING THE SOCIAL FABRIC. IN FACT , THE AUTHOR WILL BE SATISFIED AND HIS IMAGINATION AND INTELLECTUAL INSTINCTS WILL BE SATISFIED , IF ANY OF THE CHARACTERS , CIRCUMSTANCES OR EVENTS NARRATED IN THIS NOVEL PROVOKES THOUGHTS AMONG THE READERS WHICH FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE SOCIAL FABRIC THROUGH EMANCIPATION OF PERSONAL DIGNITY, FREEDOM , LIBERTY AND CULTURE

 

  .

                                                It was a sleepless night for Nimmy. Tomorrow she and her brother Vishal will fly to  ' the land of her dreams ' - the place where her parents were born and bought up before they immigrated to this place in search of better prospects some 25 years back. She once again went through the luggage and ensured that the tickets, passport everything is safe.

                                  Ever since childhood, she had always listened with awe the narration by her parents about a land where mind boggling philosophies, civilizations and  culture merged across centuries incubating the genesis of a rare genre of humanity which welcomed with open hands all major civilizations of the world and upheld the concepts of personal freedom , liberty , tolerance, sacrifice and co - existence.

                                  Her dreams and sleep was disturbed by a knock on the door. It was her mother.

"Nimmy, It's time you get ready", her mother said.

"Yes mother", Nimmy replied.

                                    She leaped out of the bed and hugged her mother. Her mother once again reminded her about the diary she had given to Nimmy detailing the Do's and Dont's  to be followed after landing in her native place. Nimmy once again promised her mother that she  and her brother Vishal will observe all the commandments enshrined in the diary and compiled by her Mother.

"Nimmy, John called you yesterday. he told me to convey his best wishes for your journey", Mother said.

                                    John has been Nimmy's classmate during her MBA course.

Ever since she decided to do Research  for her Doctorate in Philosophy( which has always been her pet subject and topic of interest life long )   in the land of her parents native place, John was very envious and had always told her that he don't have such a place to go. He became more confused when she told him that she will only marry a person from the "Land of her dreams".

John always wondered what is special about the ' Land of her Dreams'

                                   John always felt envious of the imaginary person of Nimmy from the land of her dreams but he always admired her and her thoughts though which left him always confused.

 

                                   

                                   The announcement from the pilot of landing, within half an hour in the ' Land of her Dreams '  made Nimmy and Vishal jump in joy in the comforts of their flight. Nimmy and Vishal leaned to the window and stretched themselves to have a view of the land below.

                             

                                          Down below like dots which came more and more big, with the descent of the flight, she stared into a green patch of land entrenched with lakes, rivers and sea.

She felt sudden burst of emotions and a strange feeling of landing into a fairy tale world.
                  
                                                   To Be Continued, next week end ..........