Early Childhood

One of my earliest memories, I have of my childhood, is that of falling and hurting myself real bad on my forehead. I think there were many guests at home then. I was taken to the hospital screaming my head off, stitches had to put. I remember admiring them in the mirror later. To this day, Ive got a scar on the right side of my forehead commemorating the incident. I was prone to such minor mishaps, and secured yet another momento from school the next time, on my right temple. This scar looks something like a division symbol in mathematics.

Our flat was situated in some interior area of ghatkopar, and I remember taxi walas wud hesitate to ply to our place. The road from the highway, to our building was kuchha and on either sides were jhoppadpattis/ slums. People would be attending to calls of nature on the roadside, and the stink was awful. Once I reached the beginning of this road, I would refuse to budge an inch and Achhan was compelled to carry me all the way home! However, there was a private road which by passed the dirty kuchha one, and we usually opted for this one.

My school was very near our flat, and on my first day in school, I remember kids hollering all around me. Somehow, I did not cry, perhaps I was too dumbstruck seeing all the other kids bawling. Those were the days of the Indo-China, no, I think it was the Indo-pak war, and Achhan (father), had covered all the windows with brown paper. When the siren was heard, we would cover our ears with cotton and crouch under tables/ chairs. I was too small to be afraid, and rather enjoyed the adventure. So did my friends. At nite, we were not supposed to switch on the lights, but everyone would go up on the terrace. It was great fun for us kids.

My greatest grievance was that my bday always fell on a holiday, and I could not wear a new dress to school. So one year, amma let me celebrate my bday earlier, so that I could go to school in my new dress and distribute sweets. However, I remember explaining to everybody,how it was not actually my bday, and that I was celebrating it becos it fell on a holiday!

I hated lunch and dinner those days, and I preferred to survive on air. It was an ordeal-having food, and amma was often exasperated. My friend Geeta would be waiting at the door to go to school together, and I would be pushing down food down my reluctant throat. I loved dancing and always wanted to learn it. I wanted to participate in the dance items that the teachers taught for the Parents day function, but I was never chosen. I used to beg the teacher to include me, but they never complied. All my friends would be there, looking beautiful in colorful dresses and I would watch them with unshed tears. My best friend would however teach me the steps and I would practise diligently at home. I used to be selected for group music, and I kinda liked that too, but then we did not get to wear color dresses, we had to go on stage in our dull grey pinafores! But we got to wear lipstick.