Memoirs After A Summer Shower

The aroma of soil after the first rain made me think about my childhood. I don’t know how these rain drops have the ability to rewind our memories. Anyhow, these summer showers always remind me of my summer vacations. I can say in pride, that I’d wonderful vacations in my native. Before seven years, I and my family stayed in a town, a little far away from where I stay now. In summer, we used to be in my grand ma’s house for the entire two month.

Summer vacations were simply a time to enjoy and have fun for me and my cousins. A gang of ten of same age-that is the best way to explain about my cousins. We used to get together in the month of April and May. In those times, we were not bothered about TV programs as Doordarshan was the only entertainer. Computer, Internet, Facebook, mobile phones and SMS offers were a topic of discussion in those days. Even now, when we are together, I prefer to keep away my cell phone!

Well! Coming back to vacation… We were not troubled by vacation classes or summer camps. Our camp was in grandma’s house. We get up early morning to go for ‘mango hunt’ in our courtyard. This also includes shouting at neighbors who come to ‘take away’ our mangoes. After getting bags full of mangoes, we come back and get ready to have a bath. Then its ‘devotional time’… We all will march to our family temple. As soon as we reach back, my mother and aunties will be ready with breakfast-yummy dosas!

Then it is play time! We have a variety of outdoor games ranging from hide and seek to cricket. In between, we take rest; have mangoes and lots of water. Soon after lunch, we will shift to indoor games. Later, at 4 pm, we’ll have tea with a bunch of jackfruits. Again, back to outdoor games.

By 5pm, we’ll be ready for swimming. We have a pond, where experts in swimming will dive from the bank and rest will practice with two coconuts tied together making us float on the top of the water. For almost two hours, we’ll have fun in water. By that time sun will disappear and so elders will ask to finish our bath.

My grand ma prefers early dinner for kids. As soon as we finish our bath, plates will be ready for us to have dinner. Then we’ll have long hours of chats, reading Balaramas or watching ‘Jai Hanuman’. By 10pm, all will be half sleepy and there ends the day!

Scribbling all these memories made me go back to those days. Now when my little cousins say vacation is boring, I feel pity for them. Cartoons, reality shows, cell phones and computer games make their days. Summer camps and special classes boom today because of this boredom. I’m lucky that I’d a wonderful school life and holidays.

Rain is all over now! I’ve to check my mails, watch news bulletin and IPL T20. Back to mechanical life….