Its time that I come back to my readers. I have a beautiful memory to be shared. A beautiful past, where I was pampered in most ways a village boy could ever be. Sure those days are worth to be called "the good ol' days". I believe it's been the same with you too.
Its summer vacation now. When I see out of my door, in Bangalore, I see children playing cricket in the narrow corridor of their houses. When I see it, an alarm rings inside my head, it says "this might happen to your kids too".
During our days(Every generation has one 'our days' that they consider the 'golden era' of the history. So do I.) it was a celebration, the vacation. There are two main spots of vacation - Own home and mom's home. Which one first, it depends on my aunts, uncles and cousins. Simple. When my cousins are coming down to my home, we(my two sis n me) defer the journey to the second spot. How many cousins? Let me count. 5+4+4+2=15. Plus 3 at my home including me. Its a whopping 18. I forgot to tell you, I got 5 aunts, one of them is put up very nearby. So, from the 18, I have to subtract 5 people who are my eldest aunt's sons and daughters. They were a bit older than us and hence dint come under our group. (Generation gap, you know. he hee). And yes, one more. She wasnt shy. But she never stayed overnight. May be her dad-mom couldnt sleep without her. ;-). Hence we were a dozen. Wow. my math is still good.
So, whats the agenda? Actualy I cannot remember all but some. And thats the reason I started writing this. I just rememberd one of our favourite sports. I have to specify, its a biys game. Guess what?? No. I wont tell this now. You read this full then you will know what it is. Hide and seek, its fun. Isnt it? So, the routine. Before even brushing our teeth(by the way, when did I start brushing? I remember, before it was "umikkary" that we used to use. Mind you, its the best, the teeth shine like whitest white, m sure even the best teeth whitener will fail before it. And the bundle of old "eerkkili"), we go to the mango trees. Why mango trees? You guessed right. Its summer, mango time!!!!!!! How many mango trees we had? is that the question? We had many. One "komavu" just in front of the house. The mango was not so sweet. So we were not so interested. Two "moovandan mavu" in the west boundary. Then one more "panchara mavu" or the famous "chappi kudiyan" in the west boundary. And two more "moovandans" in between. We get plenty for our needs. Once we collect all those which have fallen down, its time for the "umikkari" treatment. For all who do it themselves, its nice. For others, its one of the hardest part of life. So sad, they have to undergo the umikkari treatment by some elder and for sure they will make sure the teeth looked white. Ufff. This was torture. First of all the rule - to do the umikkari treat daily. and that too by and elder. Limits. For a five year old, it is one of the toughest situations. Mummeeeeeeeeeeeee. The session is near the open well in front of the house. Elders will get water. No motor. Old "kappi n kayar". It will take some time for us to finish as the elders will start, young ones will run to escape the umikkari and needs to be caught and then cleansed. In the meatime, some kiddo will try to reach the well wall and try to look into the well and that needs a screw near the fleshy butt. ssssssss. I can feel it now. he heee. By this time the middle aged will start sprinkling water on each other.(FYI - At a time when 'pichkoos' were not available, it was the natural pichkoo that was used. THE MOUTH. he hee). Finally, it will be a bathing session too. Most of our dress will be wet and either amma or ammamma will say "I wont let you in like this. Get them cleaned and bring them." The order is for the elder ones. Whatever the younger ones do, the blame and punishment is for the elders. And they sure will pass it on without fail, sooner or later. he hee.. But, it was fun. It was great fun. Believe me, each item that i said here or the ones which are about to be said are long enough to be written as a novel. I dont know how I would tell you all that. I would tell you the precise contents and the imagination is left to you.
Its breakfast time now. "Kangi" or the rice porridge(wow.. what a name.. isnt it? "Rice porridge") was the usual breakfast. Also, one usual item during summer - "manga chammanthy". Then some "uppery" or the other. You know how good it feels to take one single bite in the group of your beloved ones than having stomachfull of best dish in the world, alone. Most probably you would have seen that. In classrooms, fighting over one another, holding ones hand, struggling hard. Thats the spirit, thats the joy. He hee. Games. What games? Whatever entertains us for a while is a game. There were so many that we never got enough time to play all in a day. After sometime it will be lunch time and this is when we(boys) do our special game!!!!!! What shall I call it?? "Pump game"?? "Pump action"?? Whatever. Before you guys take any wrong guesses, let me explain. It was simple. We had a verandha from where we(only kids) pee. Specially during night time when we are afraid of all the villians waiting for us in the dark and when moms are tired of daily work and tell us "do it from here". So the game. We boys stand in a line. The one who pees farthest wins and wins the bet or whatever we have bet for - may be a sticker( a sticker label- dont you remember?). Yesssssssssssssssssssssss. We used to try the game in the night too. But couldnt see the pictures that we Michael Angelos and Da Vinccis drew on the muddy ground near the coconut tree whose trunk was the farthest that we could reach by our "streams". Never wondered how girls would play this game, we were so innocent then. he heee.
For lunch, mango again is a hero, which comes in different styles everyday. "manga pachady", "manga curry" and many more. After lunch, its bed time, rather its "paya" time. Amma will give payas and pillows for all. All lie down, fight for sometime. Fight for not getting a specific pillow, big one, small one, what not. Some yelling, some crying, some "screw"ing from elders, all calm, all asleep. Mid-day sleep is broken by the smell of some snacks or our famous "nalu mani unda". Yes, since the snacks are served at around 4 in the evening, the rice unda got the name - "nalu mani unda". For this the ladies - amma, ammamma and the elder girls (who get scoldings for sleeping like kids. "Sleep sleep and sleep. Dont you need to go to a guys home one day and manage a kitchen there? What will you do then? Come and help me? Sleep sleep and sleep.." The murmuring will go on and become louder if the elder girls dint respond. And eventually a thud if they dont get up before amma gets free time.) work hard in the kitchen. People, do you know who has got a longer work time in the world? The housewives. Or the one who cooks at home. Whoever it is. We have to appreciate the task that they do. Wellness or sickness, they are to work. From early morning to late night. They had to work. Ladies and those few gents who do this task, I salute you. Time has changed. But timings has not changed in the kitchen.
Evenings are very busy playing around and watching all elders play. Nearby children come home or we go somewhere to play. But for small kiddos the role just becomes that of spectator's as the elder ones dont put them in a team as it may weaken the strength and spirit of the team. ha haaa. How many times I have done it myself. Sorry kiddos, I was a spectator once. But mind you, I was happy to have one if the other team took one with them. Clever, huh?
Finally, the time of the villians, night. Its TV time. As I remember, Doordarshan used to start broadcasting at 6 in the evening or something like that. I dont remeber being stuck near the TV for a long time during childhood(but now is different. Almost 10hrs a day is a whopping time in a life. Either its a monitor or the TV. What difference does it make?). Krishidarshan, the news, etc had no glitz and glamour attached. But I have to tell you, I was so attached to a series - "Space cities sigma". I still remember vaguely how the set was - it was a space ship and happenings in it. There were laser guns, or sophisticated tech in it. By the time pappa will be home. Appappan too. Dinner time. Small small quarrels, patch ups and paya again. Oh sorry, the "Pump action", then paya. Good night.
