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Friday 7 February 2014

My Memories


Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevenwrig383058.html#R6U6aKiLEfeSfCTs.99
"Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories"   Steven Wright
The quotation  mentioned above is so  true. When I look backward, memories come gushing  to the fore. I am at a loss what to include and what  to discard. In these 78 years of my life I have seen and learnt  a lot. As per the name of my blog, Kuch Khatta, Kuch Meetha, I have experienced a life full of happy and not so happy events. I am jotting down and sharing some pleasant and  happy memories.
 I was the eldest of  three sisters and and two brothers. My father was an Engineer. He was always a topper. In Roorkee Engineering  College, even now his name appears  on the Honour Board.  My mother and father were very liberal and broad minded. My mother was always well dressed and instilled the habit in her children. 
I was admitted to Convent of Jesus of Mary,in KG when I was five years old. All the  girls were crying on the first day. I was the only one who did not weep. I was trying to console the others. I remember that Mother( most of the teachers were nuns) gave me a lollipop as a reward.
I remember that there was a  Flower Show. It was inaugurated by a senior  officer.  I and my sister  sang on the stage. I remember that  it was a marching song. Kadam kadam badaye ja. There was a great applause . After the performance the chief guest called  for my sister and myself. He made us sit on his lap . We felt very honoured.


Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevenwrig383058.html#R6U6aKiLEfeSfCTs.99How true is the above quotation !! When  I started thinking of old memories, a flood of memories came gushing into the mind. I am confused what to write and what to omit. Just imagine, in a life of 78 years how many memories will be stored.  I flash back to an incident when I was four years old. I was in mortal fear of  an injection. I remember that I had chicken pox and severe cough. I was taken to the doctor. He  said that he would give an injection. The very word gave me goosebumps and I started howling.  Three people held me tightly.  Out of fear, I caught the doctor's shirt  and pulled it so hard that the sleeve of the shirt was torn. It must have been very embarrassing for the poor doctor. I was admitted in KG class in Convent of Jesus and Mary. I remember that all the girls were crying. I was the only one hopping around merrily. I remember that the 'Mother'( most of the teachers were nuns) gave me two lollipops as  a reward. I felt on top of the world. I studied there upto class vi.   Another incident that I can think of   was a  flower show,which was inaugurated by some Sr. official. My sister and I sang a song on the stage. It was a marching song 'kadam, kadam badhayeja, khushi ke geet gaaye ja'. There was great applause. The chief guest  made both of us sit on his lap and praised us. Both of us felt very proud.
 I also remember that we used to go  for picnics very often. My father's close friend and our family always went together. In summers we used to go India Gate lawns for moonlit picnics and in winters to Kutub Minar, Okhla etc. Once on a picnic to Okhla, we were waiting for the driver to bring the car. I felt something soft and slimy under my feet. I bent down trying to decipher what was that. My mom noticed me  examining the thing I was standing upon.She screamed, 'a snake, a snake'. Everyone was stunned, that I was standing upon a snake. 
            Every year on my father's birthday, we used have  a family photograph in some studio, followed by dinner at 'Chelmsford Club' or 'Gymkhana Club'.  Given below is a photograph  taken on  one of father's birthday. I am standing behind my father.
                    
a family photograph
When I was in class seven, my father was transferred to Sindri, where a fertiliser factory was being constructed. There was no satisfactory schooling facility, so my sister and I were admitted in Vasanta College for Girls, at Banaras.  Both of us were put in the hostel. In the beginning, I felt homesick,but later on got adjusted very well. In fact the years spent there were the most memorable period of my life.  We used to get parcels of chocolates  very often and shared them other girls.. We became very popular with other children.  There were many mango trees in the school compound. Whenever there was a stormy wind at night we used to run outside and collect  raw mangoes. Behind the sick room window there was a guava tree.  All the girls admitted in the sick room plucked guavas  and hid them under the pillows and enjoyed eating them. 
                     I must  write about  a very funny incident which occurred when I was in class viii. All the girls had lice in their hair.  Every day our warden shouted at the girls. "Why can't you girls maintain  proper hygiene" and " I  will report to the hostel superintendent  to punish you all." We were all fed up of these warnings, which we got at regular  intervals. One day we made a plan.  At night we combed our hair with  small combs and collected hundreds of lice on a piece of  paper.  This lady never bolted her room from inside. One girl tip toed to her bed and emptied the  paper full of lice in the hair of the warden. In the morning we found her itching her hair  non stop, and enjoyed  the scene. Of course now when I look back and think  of this incident I feel that it was a foolish act on our part.
                There is no end to memories. We enjoyed a lot in the days gone by. I smile when I remember them.



myearliestmemoryI am  participating  in Write Tribe Prompt  My earliest Memory


 Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevenwrig383058.html#R6U6aKiLEfeSfCTs.99
enever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevenwrig383058.html#dI0Ws8R7BIGe
Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevenwrig383058.html#dI0Ws8R7BIGeSj2D.99
Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevenwrig383058.html#dI0Ws8R7BIGeSj2D.99
Whenever I think of the past, it brings back so many memories.

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevenwrig383058.html#dI0Ws8R7BIGeSj2D.99

20 comments:

  1. One which takes the reader to the shore of memories.

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  2. Lovely memories M'aam:)
    http://vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/my-earliest-memory

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  3. Lovely post. Hundreds of lice on her hair ? Ha ha ha .

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  4. Beautiful memories of the years gone by!! The snake incident must be so scary and lice in the lady's hair, My God, what little devils you all were!! :D

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    Replies
    1. Yes Shilpa,those days were so good, without any responsibility. They bring a smile when we think of those days.

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  5. Beautiful memories, I often think what we would do if we didn't have memories to keep us smiling all the time.

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    1. Yes Rama wish those days could be revived. It was an awesome period.

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  6. Aww Nostalgic memories :)... You girls were very naughty

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  7. Memories have a strange habit of uncovering many more hidden memories...The mischiefs we all indulged in childhood brings smiles each time we think of it, I wish I could see the warden's expression after the lice incident :P

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    1. Ya, Reshma those childhood days are always fresh in memory.

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  8. An ideal childhood you have had, ma'am! made a lovely read. Oh god! can't imagine the warden scratching her head with nearly 100 lice on her head. Some childhood pranks are great memories:)

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    1. Yes Asha childhood memories and pranks bring a smile. It was a wonderful experience.

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  9. You actually collected lice? My god, that was a complete shock for me coming from you. I can imagine the laughter riot that your group would have had after seeing the person itch and twitch. Memories are often part of us and as we grow, they also grow along with us and some are shared, like you have done and some remain buried within us. Memories are often strange - we always only remember the good ones and feel nostalgic but the bad ones are just for learning. I am so happy that you chose to share snippets of your life with us. Thanks for allowing us to partake in your cup of life, dear Usha.

    Joy always,
    Susan

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Susan. Those were childhood pranks. Now I am a completely changed person. Those memories seem to be very amusing now.

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