Starlight Dinners
I used to live in Chennai when I was little, near the Santhome beach. Back then, we(parents and me) were an average struggling middle-class family and had bought our first flat without any loans. Naturally for a few years before and a few that followed, we were literally living hand to mouth. In those struggling days, is my most treasured childhood memory etched.
During that period, my parents could not afford to take me out to restaurants often. Our basic necessities were fulfilled, no doubt. But we didn't have the disposable income to spend on enjoyment. So what did they do?
Amma used to come back from work and cook dinner. She'd then pack this up in hot-packs. In the meanwhile, daddy would take out a neatly folded bedsheet from the cupboard and pack three plates and spoons along with it. We'd take all that and walk to the beach. The beach was only 5min away from home. Daddy then would pick a nice clean corner, put the sheet on the sand and amma used to serve us food. And in the starlight , cool sea breeze increasing our appetite, we would happily eat. There were no hawkers in the night, the beach was practically deserted and silent except for the soothing sound of the waves.
After eating, daddy and I would lie down with our heads on each of amma's lap looking at the stars. And he would tell me stories - stories from his childhood, flying kites, pranks that he and his twin would play on others, walking 3 hours everyday to go to school which was in the neighbouring village, stealing mangoes, studying in the next street's light and harassing teachers. Amma would tell me about her childhood stories and city life . I would then shoot my random questions at them about life, people, science, geography, anything, and they would patiently answer. If I was in the mood, I would sing
them a nice Carnatic song. After spending an hour or so like that, daddy would buy me a kucchi-ice(ice cream that you get on a stick) or a pot kulfi. But they never bought for themselves. It never occurred to me that they might be deliberately not spending on themselves to save money....
Eating the ice cream, we would walk back home. All those stories, amma's warm lap and the cool breeze would have me ready to sleep as soon as I lay on the bed.
I don't remember what made those nights so special. Amma cooked nothing special - just ordinary yogurt, rice and potato curry or just coconut rice or just tamarind rice. The days they picked to go were not special holidays or weekends, normal week days picked at random and very often. And those stories were probably repeated many times. The ice cream was definitely not the bait as my thatha(grandpa) used to buy me chocolates or cakes or ice creams stealthily very often. Yet when I remember those nights, it makes me happy, lifts my spirits. Makes me feel as though I was a princess....
The rich had reservations and candle light dinners, we had leftovers and starlight dinners.
So what's your most precious childhood memory?
Similarly - Every weekend I used to visit my cousin, and if Athai had come from Trichy- she'd pack my lunch for Monday noon in ziplock bags etc. I would skip lunch and used to keep all the stuff for myself and another out-station friend. He also used to get something whatever the cook at his place cooked (roti,subzee) and we would sit at Elliot beach facing the roadside and SHARE the HOME made food !!
Childhood memories! Lots of them, will jot down one sometime.
oohhh how sweet a post this is, Divz...loved it...and i used to have that pot kulfi like once in a bluemoon when grandma felt like buying it for us some random nite...and that would make us all so happy...haa, good times :D
Was a big trouble for mom coz I used to give a tough time wen it comes to food. So cleverly my mother handed over this responsibility to Dad. He observed me for a few days and got fed up too. He came up with a solution - he made a stool and every time wen it was my food time - he will put me on the big stool - I hated heights then so would not dare to jump down. And I would be let down only wen I finish my food. Even today few people identify me as the little boy who was made to stand on a stool if he does not have food!
btw, my usual blog has some updates. i am at home-arrest for 2 more weeks till i get up and running, so will be posting often
Sweet post...and I would like to say something over u r last but one line - "rich had reservations, poor had left overs" yada yada...to be honest right now I would rather prefer left overs of wotever food that was cooked by mom to restaurants...:)
ah nice to read..me near santhome school..we also used to like that every friday night..lying down in the marina sand..the family night out on chitra pournami..all cousins wil come over..each aunt will cook something..brilliant..getting drenched in that dirty water..then sundal..bliss..free
@Aparna - oooh thats interesting...
was he just a friend or was some sparks here n there haaaa :P
just kiddng! my athai too from trichy ya, too many similarities, I say!
@Titaxy - thanks sweets. my grandma was strictly instructed not to encourage us eating 'son papdi' from vehicle vedors. but cousins and I pestered the poor soul for Rs.2(that was a lot those days) and buy it anyway! good old times...
@Anand - rofl...stool paiyya
hahahah
@viswajith - me tooo... I would do anything for the potato roll(yesterday's chapati rolled with yesterday's potato fried) she gives me for breakfast!
@soin - it used to be mad at my place too with cousins! and yesss the blissful 'thenga manga pattani sundal'.... i miss it so much that pro'ly if i go there now, I'll hug the first child yelling 'thenga manga pattani sundal' :P
No sparks and stuff, in fact that poor friend is getting married in Feb at Coimbatore. LOL. South Indians and coincidences go together, that Athai is in my blog list too, she is my Dad's cousin ;)
Here is something to share:
Am the only daughter in maternal side and only grandchild who has received bashing from my maternal grandmother (My Paati was known to not lose her temper etc on anyone!). So to flashback - its Bangalore, mid-1993 - Periamma wants to take me and elder bro to Lalbaug. I do some nakhras and they end up leaving me and going. I sat on the verandah wall near the gate in open and it started pouring heavily few mins later!! I still sat there waiting for bro/Periamma to return, and Paati is yelling at me to get in. After 15 minutes, I was pulled in - bashed a lot, and then made to change/given warm water/she dried my hair etc. During all this the other folks returned soon too - cos my bro got bored at Lalbaug (without anyone to tease or hang around with)!
Simply Superb post... you made me nostalgic.
Those little moments makes our life till date isn't it. Ah I lived in the same place :) But thts only during my work life in Chennai. Thanks to ym aunt's place :)
Last line made me feel emotional... "Rich had reservations..."
tht was such a sweet post DP... u made me smile... love ya :)
@Aparna - awww i really liked your bro :) so sweet! my paati spoilt me the most:)
@CM-Chap - Awww thanks :)
@Dido - love ya girl :)
this was amazing :) one of my favourites was when i used to live with my grandparents and i would reign supreme over the roof. but then the house got sold and some dreams were left unfulfilled.
On warm summer days when a/c was unheard of, we would take out 'jamakaalams' to the terrace and lie under the two trees. And I would pour water around our sheets as a child, neatly, diligently to make the breeze coming towards us cooler.
The heat never bothered me. And I remember thinking of the stars strewn across the sky and wondering how they shone so bright.
I met with an accident two weeks back, and on rest now! Only 2 fractures and 1 crack yaa.... :P
As a 2-year old kid, I saw the banner of Frooti (Green b/g with the Mango picture) - Did not know what it was called. The Frooti poster was between two other images - of a cow and a hen. At home, if anyone asked what I wanted - I used to answer 'Cow and hen' (Cow and Hen venummm)!!
Parents were shocked thinking why is he wanting beef and chicken??!?! I kept asking for cow and hen for over 2 months - no one ever got me. One day my uncle took me and Andy out somewhere - and we came across the same posters : Cow-Frooti-Hen ... and I told him - I want Cow and Hen!! On returning home - bro told to parents what the Cow and Hen was... and that day everyone understood - all I wanted was a Frooti !!!
@olive - awww grandparens are the sweetest, isn't it?
@Saya - welcome! there are so many stories to do with 'jamakalams'... i too used to pour water at home on the floor in the eve :-)
@Anand - ohh get well soon! did you sue the driver yet? :P
@Vijay - cow and hen! lol!
on a totally different note...u r names Divya Kiran (celestial rays) eh..:P
Being jobless and still in wait for results, am on a musical journey of 90's Indipop currently! This is where I'd blog more in future than junker (hopefully)
viswajith that sounds like an 80's Telugu actress name :P
Aparna, I hopped there :)
lol...the Divya part is pretty much correct...but rays...the closest hindi or sanskrit equivalent i landed upon was kiran...:P
Wish it was easy to sue oneself! ;)
viswajith, rays to attribute the same name. Divya n many contexts refers to light or rays or lamps :)
Anand, :-)