A Walk Down The Memory Lane

Ever wondered why we take a sudden liking to anyone who belonged to our school/ city/ college/ colony etc etc etc...we enjoy sharing memories. So many things that may have happened years ago still make us smile.
I love these memories...I love living in them and getting lost in them sometimes...its rejuvenating.
This is just a collection of memories at random, only a few of them, whatever comes to my mind here and now :)

1st day at Fergi, junior college- ID line, met Anusha. Little did we know, standing in the ID line, that we'll become such great friends. We were the junior most of all. There comes a guy from some third yr graduation prog and tries to get in the line, ahead of us because his friend had 'reserved' a place for him. We were standing since hours. Anusha walks up to him and gives a good lecture and he is left with no options but to quietly go back and stand in the end. :D
That instant, we clicked!

Remember, all the rainy day holidays we'd get in schools! It was so much fun. After waking up on cloudy mornings, I'd hope it rains heavily so that I won't have to go to school. It starts to rain. We call on the school number and ask if it is a holiday today. Emanuel bhaiya says it is not confirm as yet. I get ready happily knowing that by the time we reach school, it would be raining so heavily that we'll have to come back. :D
We'd still have our tiffin boxes (mothers!!!) which we'd finish on the way back home. :D

Then there was this disastrous stage performance I had done. I was in 5th std. and crazily in love with dancing (I know it is hard to believe given that I am terribly bad and shy of dancing today!) and there was this cultural prog to be organized in the school. The entries were finalized and there was no more vacancy but I pleaded and persisted and coaxed Sujata teacher to permit my group dance. She did. All of us would go to my place everyday and practice.
Finally the D day came, and heights of bad luck, the tape got stuck. All the girls (with me right in the front and center) were on stage all set to dance at the first sound of music. But no sound came. And our teacher, instead of calling us back she insisted that we sing the song on our own and dance!!!! Imagine my embarrassment!! We did that...for how long and in what way...I don't remember :D
I have no further memory of that day :D (I think I pushed it into the unconscious mind ;) )

As a kid, I always loved dancing. All of it, with expression and costume, everything! Every time we had a guest, I would force everyone to sit down and watch me dance :D
I'm sure one of them has put a curse on me and I can't dance any longer! :D :D

I had even loved dressing up, some of my childhood pics are soooooo embarrassing I have hidden them away, because I'm so dressed up I look like a fool from some drama show! :D
Then, it was a complete U turn. I lost all interest in make up. There is something about adolescence, it makes you wanna be a nobody, so shy and so cocooned :)
Now, I am trying to strike a balance. But I guess I abused the make up thing so much in childhood that the disinterest now seems to be everlasting :D

The guava trees in Naani's house...which we relished in summer holidays
Rasna, jeera biscuit, jelly biscuits, panha, dasheri aam, Fruity...they filled Naaniji's kitchen waiting for us
I was the Rasna queen, I loved the stirring :D
The process of making it was far more enjoyable than drinking it. I'd make Rasna for everyone, in my house, in Naani's house. It was a like a game!

The paper boats in rains!
The dancing in the rains! Getting completely soaked and loving every moment of it, not a single care in the world!

Disney hour (Duck tales, Tales pin), Gayab aaya, Mowgli, Potli baba ki, Mahabharata (that was my do-not-disturb one hour on Sunday mornings), Udaan, Byomkesh Bakshi, Chitrahaar, the 4 pm Sunday hindi movies, Dekh Bhai Dekh...

I love the smell of new books. And I enjoyed covering books a lot. Every year, before the school reopened, I'd wait excitedly for the books to come. I sat and covered them all at a stretch, then my brother's books and then the books of 3 kids. Their father was our domestic help. I'd request him to bring their books for me to cover :)

There was this samose wala right in front of our school (he still is), his samosas were AWESOME! I'm telling you, no exaggerations, never again have I found that taste anywhere at all! The thele-wala ki gatagat, chatmola and pepsi (the ice candy)....Wow! Does anyone know where we can find gatagat in today's world? I loved it!

I used to always go to the school so early that there were hardly any students around. It drove my brother mad because I made him get ready much earlier than needed. But I liked the ride with dad early when the streets were empty. I'd drop my brother in his class and then I'd stand in the gallery of the school and watch the people come in, one by one, everyone. I liked watching. I'd then chat with a friend till the bell rung. I loved that little extra time I got everyday :)

My kid brother is really interesting. When he joined school, we'd all go in one rickshaw. First few days, he'd cry his heart out leaving the home, would sob at least for half the way. It was difficult for everyone to console him. Even the elder and exp members of the rickshaw (Parul didi and Sumona didi) had given up. They would ask me to shut him up since I was his sister and he may listen to me. But seeing the cute little thing cry so much I'd also start crying!! :D (Don't laugh, I was also chotu at that time!) Parul and Sumona didi would be so exasperated and annoyed ki kisko chup karayein! (I hope he doesn't make me edit this post :D)
When we had admitted my bro in school for the first time, the nursery, we chose a place very close to the house. First day mom waited in the premises throughout. He cried all the time. Next day, we were told to leave him and go or else he'd continue to cry. But to our shock and amusement, he ran away from the school during the small break they got and came home :D

The shivratri fasts....I did them only because I wanted the yummy aaloo sabji, kutu ke aate ke pooris, sabudana wada (my fave), sabudana kheer (I never really liked it actually) and the yummmm charnaamrit!

Our principal, Fr Benji was an amazing character. He was nice and friendly. As students always do, many made fun of him. He was funny, I agree, but I really liked him. He was always full of inspiring stories, always encouraged students to do new things and have multiple interests. He had made me write letters to a German girl and befriend her. But the best thing about him, which we should all learn is that he always tried his best to have a one-to-one approach with every student. I have not seen another person remember SO many names, he'd greet students individually (with their names) and smile at them every single time he's around!
He had made moral science compulsory for all classes and moreover passing in it was also mandatory to be promoted to the senior class. I doubt another school has a supplementary exam for moral science ;)

The computer lab (I have always wondered why was it called a LAB?! ) was a place for time pass :D
Of course, we'd learn something something...DOS and all. But my favorite was Paint, I am still not good at it. But making shapes and filling any colors that too with the permission of the teacher...what more can a kid ask for! :D

I have always loved sketching, drawing and painting. I used to draw a lot of things in summer vacation and bring the drawing book to school when it reopened for my drawing sir, Mr Kishor to see. He was the one person who appreciated me the most. Not only did I want his approval, it was mainly the 'good', 'very good' and 'excellent' he wrote on my drawings that I wanted. I'd later sit and study the drawings again as to why the excellent one was excellent and others were not.
He was also quite a character. He wore such tight pants we'd all fear one day they'll tear off (but they dint!!). He'd call us 'baalak' and 'baalikayon'. He'd come to the class, take out a handkerchief from his pocket and unfold it, spread it on the teacher's chair and then sit on it. :D

Then there was this day somewhere in 8th or 9th standard. One of my close friends, Priyanka was unwell and we'd come to my place after school. We later begged her parents to let her stay overnight. Next day was our Geography oral exam. We had to make charts and all. We chatted and chatted and chatted. Charts toh ban gayi but we didn't study anything until early in the morning the next day. We had even gone for a walk on my terrace at 2 in the night, it was so much fun! We didn't sleep the whole night. Early morning we decided we'll go walking to the school so that we'll study and revise on our way. My parents tried to show us sense but we didn't listen. Only after we had reached midway (those from Raipur, if you know Surana's gift shop) we realized that we will surely get late and we were so panicky! Thankfully, dad drove by (he was dropping bhai), we got a lift and we were saved! Miss those fun days with friends! :)

I loved watering the plants. Naani ghar, later our own house. Luckily so far, we have lalways had big gardens. Mom would have her kitchen garden plus the flower beds and the old trees stood tall. I'd water the plants every evening, I love the way the leaves look so fresh, green and bright after they are washed with water. The smell is awesome. It is beautiful, as if they can talk to you!

First july, school reopens, LONG assembly, strong sunlight and by the end of the assembly- tapak tapak tapak....students would faint in huge numbers! :D

We had this interesting mystery couple for neighbours once. It was a huge bungalow which overlooked our garden. It was like in the movies you know, rough and middle aged man; beautiful, long haired, delicate wife....they'd be missing half the time. Every time I'd see someone in that house I'd be so curious to know who exactly are they, I'd spy from my garden :D I never really found out though!!

I, my sister and my maasi...we'd all go to Prakash swimming pool in summers. Its only my sister who genuinely tried to learn. I and maasi played around in the water all the time. We had made another friend, whose name I dont remember now. All of us would have so much fun. We never wanted to come out from the pool. Result was for two seasons we stayed in 5ft depth only. :D
1st season I got an ear infection, 2nd season I got a bad injury over the eye from the iron railing in the pool and so the swimming was stopped then. But those days were SO much fun, I wish I could have them back!
After we took a shower and got ready to leave, we'd have the hot aloo parathas mom packed in the mornings :)

My youngest maasi has been one of my closest friends. She is an amazing person; a child with a child, a child with an adult :)
Absolute darling! During my 10th boards, just before the math paper, my granpa expired. Dad was already in his hometown, mom too left next day. I was to stay alone with my youngest mama and maasi. That was such a rocking time! They'd both fight all the time and I'd have fun watching. She'd stay up with me while I studied. We made some new experimental yummy dishes. I & maasi would go to my house every few days for a routine check. It was very far from Naani's place. One day, while leaving, I asked maasi if she has kept my house keys and she was sure she has. In the scorching heat, she drove me down on her Luna for 40 min and we came to my house only to discover that she has forgotten the keys!

We still have a good laugh about it :)

Anyone remembers Nandanvan and Maitri garden? The picnics to Bhedaghat...

It is endless. I dont know how much I have written. There are still so many memories flooding in my head. I want to write them all down, lest I may forget. I don't want to forget, I want to remember them all, dwell on them again and again and again....
May be some other time....enough for today :)

This reminds me...I'd talk endlessly as a kid, and by now you know that I still do :D
I had only shut up for a brief period as an adolescent! :D