Tracing The Beginning

  

Image: Random fromGoogle

Imagine you stumble upon a name that has a tag to it saying, s/he is the first person of your lineage. You are her/his descendent. No matter how vague the information might be or no matter how high your right eyebrow might jump over its authenticity, the truth is, it would be fascinating.
My adrenaline gland would definitely do some record breaking high jumps if I get my hands on such information.
Where did my family gene launch from? Where did it all evolve? Where there any foreign gene involved if yes then which ones and when? Did some lady look like me? Am I a photocopy of the female precursor or um a male in mannerism?
Raised in a Hindu family, I became aware of my Gotra which they say tells you about your lineage. An interesting thing to record I say. Though that can’t exactly give me my family tree given there are many Kashyaps all over the world, may be in millions and finding my kinfolk among them would be a not-so- bright task. Rishi Kashyap however, became my object of interest and I am still trying to get acquainted with him. I’m trying to identity with him but, his many wives and many children with various opposite traits are already mystifying me.

Mythology might not give the pleasure of unearthing my lineage, I was privileged enough to come across a few names of my ancestors. The names sadly impede at the great great grand fathers and mothers from both my parents’ sides. That didn’t complete my family tree, but I have names.
 The interesting part nevertheless, was covered by my dad long ago, when he told me stories of our predecessors. Some interesting characters they were. All zamindars, clad in crisp silk Kurta and dhoti , and a hooqah beside them. I am curious if they were those good-for-nothing-music-lover kinds or did they paint a different picture altogether. How were the ladies of the households? My grand mom generation ladies had their equal footing in the family, was it same with the earlier generation too? A certain ancestor I hear was loyal to his Queen and ostracized the British. Grandpa was a freedom fighter then perhaps that piece might be true; i.e. if we believe the gene pool carry such traits. 

These and many questions often churn out and to appease their heat, one of my bucket list items is to locate our ancestral Havelies (both paternal and maternal). Just to feel the walls that witnessed the lives of the people who lived their and the ground they walked upon. Who knows, I might chance upon a descendant of a neighbor or a family friend.  I am not sure if the villas still exist, I don’t know if a skyscraper or a mall would welcome me when I trace the addresses. Nonetheless, I would like to find them. I want to find them. That would be the main reason to visit our neighbor; visit Dhaka and Faridpur.
The success rate of this hunt is unknown. Till then, I will take delight in the stories and weave my own fantasies around them and enjoy the delicious recipes of the family.