Reminiscing Old Times - part 2

I used to be quite a brat during my early/mid-school years. And I used to get angry a lot. I remember once, I got angry on mom for some petty issue and in the fit of my anger, I banged the door of our TV stand. The stand was quite high and the force of the bang was such that the TV got dislocated from its position and since I was still standing near the TV stand, the TV fell and hit me right on the head. I started wailing like crazy and mom rushed me to the doctor who said I just had a mild concussion. (Now when I look back, I think it served me right! I had no business to get angry like that.)

This was the last time that I was so cute. :-))

During the summer vacations after my 8th standard, mom, dad, granny, sister, brother and I, all of us went on a temple tour to Karnataka. I remember on one trip from Dharmastala to Udipi, we just about managed to get the last bus at 10:30 at night and all seats were occupied. Somehow (a few extra bucks always helps) we managed to convince the driver to take us. So, my mom, brother and sister were seated in the main seating area, while me, my dad and granny sat on the engine cover next to the driver and cleaner. Next morning, our faces were covered with engine soot. :-)))

The 9th standard was the most memorable for me because I participated in a lot of extra-curricular events and won a couple of prizes. I also fractured my leg and was in a cast for 3 weeks. The most difficult part of being in a cast is that when you are in it, your muscles become stiff because of lack of movement and when the cast is removed, your muscles ache a lot since they havent been active for quite a while. Anyways, one of the awards I won was when I participated in a science exhibition and our school won the 2nd prize overall. We were given a shield for our achievement and it was a real proud moment for me.

The Three Young Stooges (Sis, Bro and me) - During a trip to Elephanta Caves

When I finished my 10th standard, I went on a month long trip along with granny visiting all the famous temples in Tamil Nadu. The temple at Rameshwaram, is one of the hugest temple I've visited. The temple complex contains 42 sacred wells and its customary to move from one well to another taking quick shower from the well water. I was enthusiastic and excited about the whole thing and so I ran ahead and somewhere midway I came to know that granny had fallen down and had hurt her knee. She had slipped her footing on the wet stone near one of the wells. So I ran back immediately to support her and me and another uncle "transported" her to the bus where we wrapped her leg in bandage.

My granny used to have rheumatoid arthritis - a disease (if I may call that) that affects the ball-socket joints wherein the sockets somehow expand and the ball does not fit snugly into the socket. So there's always a wobble and sometimes the pain from the wobble is excruciating especially when it stresses the ligaments. After the trip, the orthopedic surgeon said that the fall resulted in a minor bone crack and poor granny leg was kept in a cast.

The next couple of years were quite an eye-opener for me and I was no longer the cute boy from school. We got cable TV, I was in college, new friends, new atmosphere and a "liberated" feeling. Through friends, I got to listen to rock music. I remember watching Guns-N-Roses' November Rain video, Nirvana's Smells like teen spirit, Meatloaf's I'd do anything for love, etc. Through friends I got to know of porn. Amongst all the so called "dont-dos", somehow, I managed to keep myself away from smoking and drinking.

Most of the 2 years that I spent in junior college, granny stayed at my elder uncle's house in Chembur. It was also during that time when there was a huge turmoil in the family and people never used to talk to my family and we were also told not to talk to any cousins or other uncles. I dont want to elaborate on the issue here mainly because its a very very personal thing.

Engineering went off like a breeze. Family problems, concentrating on studies, 4 hours travelling between goregaon and vashi, weekends spent at coaching classes, all this left me with very little time at home. There were more new friends, more freedom, yet somehow I always managed to keep my feet on the ground. I got such amazing friends in engineering and I'm in touch with each and everyone from my group of 10/11 friends even today. Its been nearly 12 years now and we are still such a close knit, die hard buddies.

Most of my buddies used to indulge in beer and alcohol. We used to have regular "daru-parties" DPs wherein I used to participate but never drink. My friends never ever forced me to drink and although they made fun of me (all in friendly humor of course), they always respected my decision. Somehow, I refrained from it till the final year when I had some whiskey during the send-off party.

Immediately after finishing engineering, I tried my hand at a few computer courses and after much studying, I got through in CDAC and then my first job. My first salary was around 7500 rupees and I bought ice-cream for everyone at home to celebrate it.

Family problems persisted and finally after a big gap of 6-7 years, the whole family got together for my cousin sister's (the eldest of my generation) wedding in 2001. Granny was pretty excited. She was to get her first grand-son-in-law. My granny only had sons, no daughters. Apparently, the story goes that somebody from my great-great-grand-father's family, had insulted the wife of a saint and the saint had cursed that there will not be a single girl child for 3 generations. Curse or not, it is true. My great grand father was the only child and his cousins were all male. My grand father was also the only child and my father has 3 brothers. So when my elder cousin sister was born, she was the first girl child in our family tree for 3 generations. And now, amongst us 10 cousins, 7 are girls and the rest are boys (me included).

My Dearest Granny 1929 - 2007

Anyways, the wedding was pretty good fun but once it got over, everyone went back to their old ways, until this year when there was a reunion again for my sister's wedding and then finally for conducting granny's last rites. Honestly, I dont think any further family reunion's gonna happen coz the only thread connecting the 4 nuclear families happened to be my dear granny and with her demise, the thread is gone. She tried her best to bring us together but alas, the differences were so great and the chasms so deep that they could not be bridged.