Grandmother's Treasure

It's the year 2012, you all are going to witness one of the most valuable treasures of an old woman who spent her entire life in a small village called Almora which is in Uttarakhand, India.

It's dusky outside and cloudy too, it's not easy for Tara to walk outside on her own only with the help of her wooden stick, she's a 92-year-old woman who can't see clearly at any time of the day but today she's somehow walking outside her house in the lawn.

A sound came from behind calling Dadi, it's her grandson Raj who is a 14-year-old kid.

Raj- Dadi, why are you walking alone you should have told me that you wanted to go outside. Is there anything that you want?

No, beta (son) I just wanted to breathe some fresh air.

Suddenly it started raining and both went inside the house.

Tara slowly laid down on her bed and Raj sits on a chair by her side.

Raj- Dadi, tell me some stories about your young days.

Okay! Raj but I'll not tell you a story, come close to me I'll tell you a secret. Tara whispered in his ears that, she hid a treasure box in the underground chamber of their house.

She added that the treasure box will be a dusty old brown paper box, wrapped in an old cloth and told him to bring it fast as she wanted to see her treasures, she sounded desperate and uneasy but Raj is a young kid who wasn't able to understand her unease.

Raj hurried and went to the chamber for that treasure box, suddenly he heard a crying sound of her mom.

He closed the door of the chamber and run for his mom, what he saw there shocked him,

His grandmother is no more, a few minutes ago he was sitting by her side and talking to her about some mystery box and now her soul left this earth, he started crying and asking her to come back I want to listen more of your stories, please Dadi don't go anywhere...

After 20 days of her death, Raj was roaming around on the lawn outside his house and suddenly he remembered the treasure his grandmother told him about, he runs towards the chamber and started searching for the brown paper box.

He found a box wrapped in a cloth, it was very dusty, he removed the cloth and opened the box, he was surprised when he saw the treasures cause it was no gold or diamonds just some paintings on a sheet of paper.

He took the box to his mother and told her that Dadi lied to him!

This is no treasure it's just some sheet of paper.

Her mom laughed at him and told, Raj your young mind will not understand the value of these papers still I'll try to explain the meaning and values behind these papers.

In the old days when we were still fighting for our Independence, there were few problems of our own as a country.

These problems were evil practices we used to do before such a 'Sati pratha', 'child marriage' and many more...

Your grandmother was a victim of child marriage, her parents forced her to marry at the age of 14.

She was confused about her situation and how to adapt to her new family, your grandfather was 3 years older than her, he was a very kind and supportive man.

He learned about her interest in paintings and supported her secretly to follow her interests in art but they both knew that this secret must remain between them if other members of the family get the slightest idea about this,

they will not let her continue to paint.

She kept all this a secret for many years even after the death of your grandfather she never let anyone know about these paintings.

These are no less than a treasure to her, these paintings have the smell of her beloved husband, all those beautiful memories of love and support are being reflected on this painting, this is the symbol of trust she had for her husband, despite all odds she knew that her husband will always help her to follow the interest she wants.

Raj started to cry after listening to the story as he wanted to show her treasures for the last time.

He started to cry heavily and promised his mom that he will always take care of his grandmother's treasure.