Living in Chandigarh since 1956, I fully qualify to be the one of the City Beautiful’s oldest inhabitants. I have witnessed its journey from its inception to a thriving micro-metropolis.In early years, Sectors from 14 onwards were developed primarily for the upper and lower middle classes. Independent plots of 5, 7, 8, and 10 marlas were typically purchased by middle-income families. In those times, a 10-marla plot in Sector 15 could be bargained for ₹1,150, while a 5-marla plot was available for around ₹500.However, in recent years, the prices have shot up astronomically. Now, the buyers are ready to pay over ₹3 crore even for a 5-marla plot.This surge in prices have created fortunes for property dealers who get a hefty commission on these sky-rocketing prices.In our times property dealers would follow an interesting modus operandi to lure potential sellers. They would begin their mornings by scanning announcements of ‘uthala’ or ‘kirya’ in newspapers. Their focus would be on two aspects: whether the deceased owned a house and whether he or she was elderly. If both conditions were met, it was assumed that dispute among the surviving family members was inevitable. Property dealers would then approach the bereaved family members, luring them with attractive offers.During my 70 years of living in the City Beautiful, I have witnessed many such incidents, but one stands out for sheer cleverness of the property dealer. He was pursuing the sale of a 10-marla house in Sector 19 located on the main road and close to the market.The owner had been my friend since the late 1950s. Once, in 1981, I ran into him at Sector 17. After exchanging pleasantries, we decided to have coffee. What he told me later was nothing short of a filmy tale.They had a house at a prime location in Sector 19 where the whole family lived. Property dealers had made many lucrative offers but the family was not interested.He soon revealed a twist in the tale. An influential family moved into their neighbourhood as tenants, and soon became friends with my friend’s family. Before long, they subtly and slowly started carrying tales from one family member to another, creating misunderstanding within the joint family. The resulting discord ultimately became the basis of persuading my friend’s family to sell the property.My friend said after the sale of the house his family discovered that the so-called neighbour was, in fact, the property dealer behind the deal.Dr VK Anand, ChandigarhTribuneindia.com invites contributions to SHAHARNAMA. Share anecdotes, unforgettable incidents, impressionable moments that define your cities, neighbourhoods, what the city stands for, what makes its people who they are. Send your contributions in English, not exceeding 250 words, to shaharnama@Jattvibemail.comDo include the name of your city and your social media handles (X/ Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn)