Summers (e)scapes
It's May 31st and one more month of school to go (read, one more month for me to have me-time, I've got used to it). July and August is summer vacation and top of my mind is one thing - am going to be so grounded. We are making plans of where to go this summer [yes, still:)]
I have always been keenly aware of the arrival of spring. The distinct flavour of manjri on the mango trees, the scent of the Neem tree in our angaan, a welcome freshness in the air, a sudden profusion of flowers, lilting bird songs, a sense of anticipation..........Summer vacation was a hard won prize considering one had to first write the final exam and all the much necessary swotting, revising that ensued. Once exams were done with, there was such a lightness to the heart, and a feeling of emptiness too. The 1 month in new class, I would impatiently wait for the summer vacation, when I could get up quite late, read books from the library all day (Enid Blytons, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drews, Amar Chitra Kathas, Nandan, even the Saritas and Manorama which my grandmother would read), play with colony friends, summer homework, impromptu picnics..............
Mostly we stayed home in the summer. Every 2nd or 3rd year, we would visit my Nani's house, something we really looked forward too. There were 5 cousins in Hubli in varied age groups. My mother has 4 sisters and each masi averaged 2 kids at least, so that made Hubli visits so much fun and memorable. After some initial awkwardness and shyness, we would soon get ourself into our cliques and get into the vacation spirit.
It was not the time of TV or the computers. Come to think of it, we did'nt have too many toys at our disposal. Board games were played under strict supervision of the older cousins. But we were never bored, or wanting in our imagination and creativity. Even doing nothing was doing something. Oh, the number of hours spent in the big sprawling garden trying to catch a snake with red eyes, stopping to pluck sour nallikai's and chomp on gulmohar flowers, black jamuns. Then climbing on the roof to catch the super-quick squirrels. Climbing all possible trees and walls, spying on the neighbourhood kids, ice-spice, blind man's buff, catch-catch, skating. Once we even tried to paint the garden border with red brick paint and handmade brushes of our own creation. We went inside the house only for meals, that too only when the implorations would turn to threats. We used to get so filthy that evening baths before meals was mandatory. In the evenings we played dark room and when our eldest cousin joined us it was indeed special.
This was also the mango season and I tend to associate Hubli with mangoes. Aam-ras, doodh keri every other meal and the awesome pickles my nani would make. Also churmuri and imli golis! Most of the times, my Mama's would plan a picnic to some nearby spot and we would fit ourselves in the two cars (all of us). The gola wala, rusk wala were regular visitors. And the visits to Glass House, Nruptenga Betta, Unkal Lake and temples. Sometimes, other friends of parents would want to send in their lonely child to play with us and we would try and be nice. At the end of the stay, all the children would stage a performance for the elders, directed and choreographed by the elder cousins. I still remember the secret practice sessions we had, even the very youngest was given a role.
Monsoons come early in Hubli and would herald my cousins' return to school and we remaining a smaller group, a bit folorn till they got back home. Madness started again.
Today we are scattered and far away- my cousins and me, but these summer memories make us smile and easier to reconnect from our very different lives.
I have always been keenly aware of the arrival of spring. The distinct flavour of manjri on the mango trees, the scent of the Neem tree in our angaan, a welcome freshness in the air, a sudden profusion of flowers, lilting bird songs, a sense of anticipation..........Summer vacation was a hard won prize considering one had to first write the final exam and all the much necessary swotting, revising that ensued. Once exams were done with, there was such a lightness to the heart, and a feeling of emptiness too. The 1 month in new class, I would impatiently wait for the summer vacation, when I could get up quite late, read books from the library all day (Enid Blytons, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drews, Amar Chitra Kathas, Nandan, even the Saritas and Manorama which my grandmother would read), play with colony friends, summer homework, impromptu picnics..............
Mostly we stayed home in the summer. Every 2nd or 3rd year, we would visit my Nani's house, something we really looked forward too. There were 5 cousins in Hubli in varied age groups. My mother has 4 sisters and each masi averaged 2 kids at least, so that made Hubli visits so much fun and memorable. After some initial awkwardness and shyness, we would soon get ourself into our cliques and get into the vacation spirit.
It was not the time of TV or the computers. Come to think of it, we did'nt have too many toys at our disposal. Board games were played under strict supervision of the older cousins. But we were never bored, or wanting in our imagination and creativity. Even doing nothing was doing something. Oh, the number of hours spent in the big sprawling garden trying to catch a snake with red eyes, stopping to pluck sour nallikai's and chomp on gulmohar flowers, black jamuns. Then climbing on the roof to catch the super-quick squirrels. Climbing all possible trees and walls, spying on the neighbourhood kids, ice-spice, blind man's buff, catch-catch, skating. Once we even tried to paint the garden border with red brick paint and handmade brushes of our own creation. We went inside the house only for meals, that too only when the implorations would turn to threats. We used to get so filthy that evening baths before meals was mandatory. In the evenings we played dark room and when our eldest cousin joined us it was indeed special.
This was also the mango season and I tend to associate Hubli with mangoes. Aam-ras, doodh keri every other meal and the awesome pickles my nani would make. Also churmuri and imli golis! Most of the times, my Mama's would plan a picnic to some nearby spot and we would fit ourselves in the two cars (all of us). The gola wala, rusk wala were regular visitors. And the visits to Glass House, Nruptenga Betta, Unkal Lake and temples. Sometimes, other friends of parents would want to send in their lonely child to play with us and we would try and be nice. At the end of the stay, all the children would stage a performance for the elders, directed and choreographed by the elder cousins. I still remember the secret practice sessions we had, even the very youngest was given a role.
Monsoons come early in Hubli and would herald my cousins' return to school and we remaining a smaller group, a bit folorn till they got back home. Madness started again.
Today we are scattered and far away- my cousins and me, but these summer memories make us smile and easier to reconnect from our very different lives.
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oh, what a lovely recap of old times.
ReplyDeleteHolidays were such fun then!
Enjoyed reading this, Vibha! :-)
Yes Uma, indeed, those were the days! It's such a different summer for my children!!
ReplyDelete