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I was born in Mavelikara, Kerala, India in Philip's Hospital as were lot of my relatives and without doubt lot of people around my age group in the neary by villages. It is still there and was one of very few hospitals around at that time. I still remember vaguely about the hospital.I visited this hopital last again when one of my cousins was born. That was around 20 years back. My father's home is near by called Ennakkad. I spent my early childhood in Nagpur (I was one year old), Thripunithura (near Ernakulam) (Twoyears), Aapanchira(near kottayam)(One year). I still can remember an injection done on me at Aappanchira ( Mother says it was the BCG) as it was really painful and probably had some swelling. From Aappanchira we (my brother Mukund ,harldy two years younger to me and my father) used to go for long walks along the railway line connecting Ernakulam and Kottayam. Also I have very "painful" remembrances about how my Father was a hard taskmaster. He used make me drink sweet emulsion of milk and egg. I was a "anorexic" at that time compared to the "bulimic" me now.After first glass I "naturally" vomited the whole stuff....mother was ready with next glass...this went on for three four glasses till i lost the sensation of taste and finally it found a place in my tummy. This went for quite a few months till i was tired to be bothered what went in.( Which my parents rued later and now my wife). I studied in a single school, KendriyaVidayalaya, Newsprint Nagar from Class 1 to Class12 ( Fortunate more than unfortunate in my view). Few of my friends have even done kindergarden from the same school. Unfortunate because that school does not exist anymore. The school was funded by the Hindustan Newsprint Limited(HNL) (where my father had his job) under aegis of Kendriya vidyalaya Sangathan. Although the "school" has been taken over by another management and is now called Bhavan's Newprint Vidyalaya. The school was big considering the area and buildings it had but was modest by the number of students. The classmates turned friends now have a group to keep in touch. As my father moved to another Job in Tamilnad. We ( now incusive of three brothers) moved from the quarters to a nearby village called Velloor to continue studying at the same school. Velloor gave us the joys of living in a village with all its ingredients but we were in touch with HNL township day to day. The Muvatupuzha river which passes by is senile and at end of its jouney. The river experiences estaurine tides. It is to this river we ran as we finished our schools and came back home.After around three hours of belligerent abandon and gay we used come back home. This was a routine except in the monsoon season when the river was in full spate and nothing could withstand its currents. The water used to flow in the reverse direction into the rivulets and streams joining it. The huge and noisy whirlpools below the railway bridge has taken many adventurous fishermen. Other wise river was a huge "watertheme park" for us kids. The high board dives were learnt from the branches of riparian trees. The only fear during those days being in river was River Otters( In Malayalam we used to call them "neernaya or water dogs"). There were lot of stories how a group of four to six Otters would come tear away your flesh( which ever part they could get hold of). We were worried about "loose hanging" parts on our body other than the light towel we used to wear. I still remember how some of us made my younget brother Unni to Cross the river( about 200 meters wide) by swimming when he was all of just 5 years old (People say you have less fear when you are young and experiences makes you hesitate). The temple festivals especially Mudiyettu a Temple Ritual art form, which is only performed in that part of kerala ( which i learned later) was rare experiences. It is an enactment of a mytholgical story....you have drama, comedy, tragedy everything involved in it. There is especially a charater called "kooli" who enacts some sort of kidnapping of the onlookers. He comes and picks up anybody he can find and give him breastmilk. (some context in mythology interpreted comically). It can be a huge embarassment to grownups...But was fun. The School buliding itself was a huge octopus with classrooms extending like long arms. Since the company had enough area at its disposal the school had large grounds. Also there lot of woods and fields nearby. The kids of the cities miss a lot when i think back and see the present conditions. I used to think i had a lot of stress during my school days. But when you compare to kids now especially those in cities it was heaven. |
| Yesterday Once More |
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