I am back on Facebook, mainly to promote my blog and seek a larger audience for it. I met some old friends there. Some send me requests seeing me back on FB. I haven't interacted with them for ages, and I don't want to have any contact with them again. But a few are really long lost and cherished friends. One of them was my Maths teacher's son, Anand. He sent me a request on FB today, and that made me very happy. I went on a nostalgic trip to Dombivli, my home town.
I went to tuition at Anand's home. His mom took classes for all subjects, but mainly her strength was Maths. It was very near to my house, and for many years, I enjoyed going to her to learn Maths. My dad had a medical store. And almost all people knew him. He opened the medical store even at 2 am for an emergency. He made many friends in that process, and people respected him for his helping nature. We got to know about one such family and also about aunty, Anand's mother, who taught Maths. Maths was not my favorite subject, and I often had difficulties with it. One fine day, my dad asked me to come along with him to aunty's place, and that was the beginning of one such significant association. That time Anand's family lived in an old building, and I remember going to tuitions in knee-deep water. Soon the old building was demolished, and a very new, modern building was built in no time.
Aunty was a very patient lady. She explained things with great interest. Slowly, many of my school friends also joined the tuition, and we had great fun together in the Maths class. The class was for one hour, mostly, but we always spent more than one hour daily there. We told aunty about everything that happened at school and with neighbors. She never asked us to leave. We talked, chitchatted, laughed, made a lot of noise, but she never lost her patience. Her son, Anand, also became a good friend of ours, and he often sat with us during the tuition to do his school homework.
We often had birthday celebrations at her place. Aunty cooked idlis and sambar for us, and we had a feast at her home. It was like a sweet big family. Slowly, we all grew big, went to different classes, and lost that magical family. Later, I learned that Anand's father passed away suddenly due to a heart attack. We went to meet aunty. We were already in Secondary school, and we had stopped going to tuitions to her. We met her sometimes on the road when we went shopping, She always inquired about us and blessed us every single time.
After a few years, the family shifted to Nahur. I moved to Bangalore, and we lost touch. The people changed, Dombivli has changed so much. When I go back to mom's place, I hardly see any face on the road that I know from yesteryears. Many people have left the city and moved to better options. Many have become so old that they don't get out on the road anymore. I don't recognize the town anymore. I don't identify with it now. Only because my parents are still there, I go there when I come to India.
After almost 20 odd years, we are back in touch, and it feels good. My dad will be delighted to know that I got in touch with Anand and his mom again.
I went to tuition at Anand's home. His mom took classes for all subjects, but mainly her strength was Maths. It was very near to my house, and for many years, I enjoyed going to her to learn Maths. My dad had a medical store. And almost all people knew him. He opened the medical store even at 2 am for an emergency. He made many friends in that process, and people respected him for his helping nature. We got to know about one such family and also about aunty, Anand's mother, who taught Maths. Maths was not my favorite subject, and I often had difficulties with it. One fine day, my dad asked me to come along with him to aunty's place, and that was the beginning of one such significant association. That time Anand's family lived in an old building, and I remember going to tuitions in knee-deep water. Soon the old building was demolished, and a very new, modern building was built in no time.
Aunty was a very patient lady. She explained things with great interest. Slowly, many of my school friends also joined the tuition, and we had great fun together in the Maths class. The class was for one hour, mostly, but we always spent more than one hour daily there. We told aunty about everything that happened at school and with neighbors. She never asked us to leave. We talked, chitchatted, laughed, made a lot of noise, but she never lost her patience. Her son, Anand, also became a good friend of ours, and he often sat with us during the tuition to do his school homework.
We often had birthday celebrations at her place. Aunty cooked idlis and sambar for us, and we had a feast at her home. It was like a sweet big family. Slowly, we all grew big, went to different classes, and lost that magical family. Later, I learned that Anand's father passed away suddenly due to a heart attack. We went to meet aunty. We were already in Secondary school, and we had stopped going to tuitions to her. We met her sometimes on the road when we went shopping, She always inquired about us and blessed us every single time.
After a few years, the family shifted to Nahur. I moved to Bangalore, and we lost touch. The people changed, Dombivli has changed so much. When I go back to mom's place, I hardly see any face on the road that I know from yesteryears. Many people have left the city and moved to better options. Many have become so old that they don't get out on the road anymore. I don't recognize the town anymore. I don't identify with it now. Only because my parents are still there, I go there when I come to India.
After almost 20 odd years, we are back in touch, and it feels good. My dad will be delighted to know that I got in touch with Anand and his mom again.
Hi Mrunalini,
ReplyDeleteIt was great interacting with you after a long long time. All the memories flashed back and it was a nostalgic moment.
Nicely penned down the thoughts and time we spent together.
Felt good.
Stay in touch.