Monday, August 29

The Princess I was.....

Note: Long Post... Personal.. on my childhood days... Dont lament later that I didn't warn you before... Now go ahead! :)

That's me... Does anyone have a doubt???

I was the first princess to my parents... Mom still tells me how they survived through the tough life with 250Rs as monthly income of the breadwinner who is my dad.. they had two old ppl to look after, my thathagaru and mammagaru ( as we used to call them) both of old, sick inviting much more burden in the single room (which served as the kitchen, hall and the bedroom). After 5 yrs of their marriage, I was born to them... ( I now feel I would have been an additional burden to them) My parents were never pessimistic nor had negative waves towards life. They managed through the ups and downs.. Thats why, they remained stronger when I was born. Some ppl say - first born daughter is Mahalakshmi while others say - First ehh daughter ah.. haiyooo.... My parents would not have listened to any of these.. Immediately after my birth, we had moved to the office quarters which means we had a bedroom and hall separately and the kitchen with veranda.. (there came my luck?? :) :) At my first year birthday, we had a B &W Television and a wall clock.. My mom still recollects how I would shake my head to the hourly rhythms that Ajanta clock makes and how I would pester others to do it too.. That "DhirrrDhiirrrDhirrr" sound that I made while listening to my favorite piece from the television. I was the apple of their eyes till my sister was born..(and of course, we both became 2 apples of both their  eyes.. howzatt!! ) Dad would take me rounds in his cycle before going to the office and immediately after coming back. Mom recollects a few scenes from my childhood (from 1 year to 2 years old) -
1. The Kuchi Ice that I would get saving half of it for dad
2. That liquid secretion from the ripe mangoes which burnt my skin while dad was plucking them.. Dad stopped plucking mangoes holding me thereafter.
3. Those marks of my two small teeth on dad's forehead, when I bulged up on his head while playing with him.. tearing apart my lip and also leaving dad with a bleeding forehead... Dad seemed to be feeling so bad for me and my pain then....
4. How mom got nice scoldings from dad for letting the iron kadai burn my thigh while cooking in the kitchen.. ( I never left my mom for a minute..)
5. How mom suffers now thinking of those beatings she gave me while I cried for her to be at my side all the time.. Once I had crawled till the bathroom in the early morning where she was washing clothes, outraged she bet me and left me to sleep with dad.. minutes after found me sleeping close to the bathroom door. She should have cried a lot that day.. I am not sure, this incident leaves her teary eyed all the time she recollects it.
6. The first time I experienced the lightning and thunders, I was with dad under a huge tree... When I pass by it now, I still feel being held tight by dad.
7. "Bouthil Ivvamma... Bootulu koora ivvama... " I told my mom for the first time in 2 years, that I would leave her and be with dad while mom was at Ammumma's place for sis's delivery... she was so shocked to see me leave with dad... (Trans: Give me my bottle and also give me my shoes)
8. "Ivala kaake raala ma... " I said when asked abt the untouched snacks... (Trans: There was no crow today!!)
9. Those endless cycle rides to avadi... where I would tell everything to dad... from a sleeping buffalo to the colors of buildings to anything... (hello... I was 1 year old and my dad loved it )
10. Those coins I took off from the Iyer's Harathi Plate when taken to temple... instead of putting one there :P(I was less that an year old.. .dont look at me as a thief... I am not that bad :) Mom had to apologize and return them back to him :D

I just cant stop recollecting all those memories back.. There are a lot more and the list is never ending. After all my parents have given me beautiful 24 years.... Now coming to some of the things I remember so well..

1. The first dance in LKG for the annual day... how mom and dad came back stage to receive me after it's over... Sis was fast asleep :D
2. The school first title at LKG... there were so many prizes that I received on that day, dad still has all of them..
3. Just Pony tail.... :D Mom would plait my hair everyday to the kindergarten.. my teacher then, Vimala miss told her to put - Just a Ponytail... Next day, Mom was combing my hair differently, I asked her why.. She said "Just....." from then, the name of that hairstyle became JUST :D :D and we continue to say so...:D
4. Through LKG to 2nd std... I would have to keep others away from touching my sister... I was and is very possessive abt someone else konchifying her :)
5. Mom struggled to get my hand writing to a better form.. In spite of my earnest struggles, it was one thing that never could come to me... no sentence could be written on a straight line.. while sis wrote like neatly typed - right from her kindergarten.
6. The first class leader post at 5th std.. I was considerably good at studies and had some skills to make ppl quiet.
7. Those 2nd and 1st ranks from 6th std till 10th :) Parents were constant encouragement. I would just be a lazy bundle at home.. not even bothering to get up for anything.. Be it switching on the fan, TV or drinking a glass of water. Mom would always be at my back.. never complaining abt her over workload.. or abt my laziness.
8. Those endless nights of storytelling everyday... (YES... Mom would tell me stories every night.. even now if I am with her ).. Lovely Seethu and her "Aasapothuru"... Wonderful combination..
9. Mom never said no when I would experiment my skills in kitchen.. and till now, she has never said "Your dish sucks... " Even before tasting, she says.."Super Ramya Thalli " :)
10. 1000s of nail polishes dad got and those endless shoppings at fancy shop to all those my dad had stood next to me.. :)
11. That small makeup kit, I got as present from dad when I was in 2nd.. :)
12. Those matching bangles, bindis, flowers... dad is so patient and knows what I loved..
13. That day, when dad heard me thank him n mom for their support to let me achieve as the school topper in 10th and 12th, he kept telling it to everyone around him... whether they liked to listen or not! JAK Tv was watched every day through out to see my name scroll through as the school topper with my marks..
14. Dad stood next to me when I collapsed failing to enter medicine.. I took up Engineering only for his happiness... He always wanted me to enter something other than Arts and Science..
15. Nevertheless to mention abt all the financial crisis and the struggle my parents had... to bring me to this position.

I am now one happily settled in my life... I would never stop to recollect my childhood and how my parents gave their best to help me grow up.. They taught me the value of life.. The struggle beyond it but never letting me experience it.. They taught me the values and morals.. They gave me the confidence.. They gave me the encouragement.. They gave me the best.. best in everything..

Love You Seethu and Nanna.... For Ever.. (cant help the tears in my eyes now )

EDITED TO ADD: Things that my lil A does are worth mentioning (Stay tuned for another post)
1. "Kothi Raadhenti... Nenunnanenti...." - giving me some courage to eat my idlis :D
2. "Amyaaaaaaaaa... Nachumpilli... " - showing me the world thru her eyes...
3. "Amma... Amyaa ni theeskocheddhama... " - The way she missed me...
4. "Amma... Ey Amya pali.. pali pali pali..." - concerned abt me...
5. "Sowmmi... tondadoiiii... " - Teasing her to cry...
6. "Thirathaare Vallu...... " Teaching her the world around..
7. I need to bow my success to her as well... whom I would run to.. at the very last minute.. during my exams.. to prepare the bag and the pencil box.. She was the one to fill ink in my hero pen every day :) She is my lucky charm... :D

Love you toooo....<<ummachiii>>

1 comment:

  1. Just wishing we all could rewind back and and live our life with "THEM" once more :'(

    ReplyDelete