Reminiscing

Some of my favorite childhood memories:

Playing all kinds of sport - starting from cricket to ‘gulli danda’. Also the games we invented along the way.
The endless hours spent playing with friends
The strolls around the neighborhood
Manipuri dance lessons - faking heartburn and tummy aches to avoid the lessons so that I could continue playing outside.
Our stint in England.
Celebrating all festivals – our own way. Especially the singing, dancing and feasting around the bonfires all night long into the wee hours of the morning during Magh Bihu.
Badminton days – representing the State, traveling on trains with unreserved seats to places across the country to play tournaments, wins and losses, triumphs and disappointments, meeting people and making friends from different cultures and backgrounds, trying out new cuisines
The food on the trains.
The family trips especially to Shillong.
New Year parties, birthdays and family get-togethers.
Fighting incessantly with my second elder brother .
Swimming at the local club.
Drinking a bottle of ‘Fanta’ at the local bakery after a practice game.
The day we got our first television – just in time to catch the inaugural ceremony of the Asian Games, our living room filled with people from the entire neighborhood watching the tiny screen with awe.
The day we got our puppy – Jinney.
Watching early morning/matinee shows with my eldest brother.
Watching movies with the family in special box seats .
Stealing ‘sips’ from dad’s drinks .
The school days – uniform, bunking classes, silly crushes, giggly spells, emptying the tiffins way before lunch time, eating junky and crappy food, the bus rides, friendships, partaking in functions, organizing events.
Singing with my brothers out on the balcony under the dark sky especially when there was load-shedding or the so called ‘black –outs’.
Diwali nights –huddling up inside our neighbors jeep and listening to ‘ghosts’ stories after having done with bursting crackers.
Learning to drive.
The environment in general- safe and secure. Few bad elements, no political turmoil, just hope and promise of boundless opportunities.
The innocence of it all......