Memoirs of (my) childhood!

Being the only child.... I was indeed a spoilt brat in many regards. I was given the first priority and everyone doted on me! Some incidents are very special to me for reasons unknown and they form my most coveted memories. Here are the top 3!

1. Age 3-4: Excursions with mum to the temple and garden.

I remember (mostly cause my mum brags about how much she did for me as a child in an attempt to blackmail me to do something I don’t want to!) going to this temple with mum...its a tiny place in the middle of a ‘basti’ literally and I used to love it... somehow I felt very much at peace there.

Another memory is playing at the Johnson and Johnson garden in Mulund W... and please it was not as shabby as it is now.. it was really lovely and was rather far away from my home... so visits to this garden were not so common a trip. I was little older here...may be 6 or 7... and I adored it... because it was huge with a big lawn and comparatively smaller play area... I even remember wondering why anyone would build a smaller play area and waste space on lawn instead! (giggles!)

2. Age3: Lunch with ajji.

After the morning nursery session I was brought home to my nani’s (maternal grandmum) place for lunch. And believe it or not feeding time was the hardest... and a challenge then literally (so I hear now!). But nani used to serve me lunch and fed me too... I remember the way she used to arrange everything... which kind of tricked me into eating!

When I was little older... she used to narrate a story about her, ajjoba (grandpa) and me. The three of us ran a restaurant “SUPUSHRI” wherein

SU= sumati (my nani), PU=POO= Poorva; SHRI = Shrikrishna (my nana)!

The aim of the restaurant was to earn enough money to buy a brand new red maruti (very popular then)! The story was all about how my nani cooked and the food serving arrangements. Will never forget those days! Sometimes even today we discuss those recipes. BTW: my nani is the bestest cook ever.

3. Age 5-7: Trips with papa to sarvajanik Ganapatis during Ganesh chaturthi.

I was super doooooper excited because I was out late with papa. We had a two-wheeler then and I used to sit on top of the petrol tank and ride to the Ganesh celebrations. The roads were all lit and crowded with people. Peddlers selling cheap toys, whistles, balloons and many other colorful stuff littered the street. It was amazing and I think I had more fun then, than on any other trip. Sigh.... REWIND PLEASE.