The idea of forming gangs is something I have found it hard to understand. Gangs just gets formed. Oops groups is what I meant. Now I haven't studied psychology, but my master of all trades father says he had studied psychology as a subject. Probably that had some impact on me, I keep thinking about the possible permutations and combinations that ever led to the formation of a group.
It was the month of June, and for the first time in my life I wore the white n blue uniform that the school kids at PALLIKKUTH L.P SCHOOL, CHANDAPARAMB wore when I used to be a mute spectator at the "anganvadi" (play school cum kindergarten). I was pretty reluctant to go the play school, but the big ground, the long building, and loads of children including the ones from my family and neighbourhood always made me eager to be part of this wonderful world called schooling.
I was ready with my uniform, and I hated it that only my shirt was tucked inside my shorts, while the others had it out. When I got my first school kit, that had slate with my name written on it and pencil, mother informed me that I would be going to school with andu, muthu, immalu. Now immalu was in 4th grade so she was the most senior and andu was in 2nd.
I and muthu were going for the first time to school. We both were to join school together, we both had the same nickname and we both are family. My parents had to prepend my date of birth to 26th of may from July cause I had to be five to join grade one.
The bonding between us were always amazing, we played outside every now and then we got a chance to. During recess I walked to the extreme corner on the right of the big ground and looked at the kids at the anganvaadi and felt I have achieved glory. There were kids from all sides of the village, the west, east, south, north and the centre.
Year passed by, immalu got promoted to 5th grade and left for the U.P school. We were only 3 guys since then and we started mingling more with kids from other sides. We were from the centre, and we had other kids who joined us, but we made all the decisions as to what to play and where to play. Unknowingly we formed a group, and thanks to the mainstream Indian cinema, we enacted the gangs.
We walked together, made a cricket team of our own, and some times had fights with the kids from the other side. But we always won, none of the kids actually dared much against us cause my uncle was the senior Arabic teacher at the school.
That was the time when a guy from the railway gate side came to me and challenged me to stick chewing gum on the hair of a guy from the east side. That was a simple job, I didn't think twice, I had a big babool in my mouth that I took in my hand stuck on his head between his hair. I walked back to the guy who challenged with a punk rock bgm I never heard before in my life. But that was more of a self realization for me of the fact that chewing gum if stuck on hair hardly came of it without pain.
The boy was crying and for the first time in life I felt betrayed by the guy who knowingly challenged me. The recess was almost over and the bell was about to ring when the half bald Gopalakrishnan, the senior teacher at the school called me to the varanda outside the staff room. And kids had gathered around in huge amount as if there was a magic show happening, I was in the center with him and the kid with chewing gum on his head was crying. He pulled my hands out, took a step back and waked me with a stick. My hand was red, swollen, and I cried bad.
Andu probably ran out of the school compound and called NANA PA (grandpa) who was just outside at the tea shop. When he came to see me, I cried further, he was always over protective about me.
He took me out to the tea shop and got me "pazhampori" and tea. Later he dropped me back to school and shouted at the teacher for having beaten me so bad, and hell yeah me and my gang did hi fi. We some times sang songs about the baldness of the teacher who bate me. We rejoiced our victory, random kids praised us, others stayed away.
That formed my first group that turned into a gang even before we realized that we were a group of kids with similar liking and love for each other.
T.R.K
It was the month of June, and for the first time in my life I wore the white n blue uniform that the school kids at PALLIKKUTH L.P SCHOOL, CHANDAPARAMB wore when I used to be a mute spectator at the "anganvadi" (play school cum kindergarten). I was pretty reluctant to go the play school, but the big ground, the long building, and loads of children including the ones from my family and neighbourhood always made me eager to be part of this wonderful world called schooling.
I was ready with my uniform, and I hated it that only my shirt was tucked inside my shorts, while the others had it out. When I got my first school kit, that had slate with my name written on it and pencil, mother informed me that I would be going to school with andu, muthu, immalu. Now immalu was in 4th grade so she was the most senior and andu was in 2nd.
I and muthu were going for the first time to school. We both were to join school together, we both had the same nickname and we both are family. My parents had to prepend my date of birth to 26th of may from July cause I had to be five to join grade one.
The bonding between us were always amazing, we played outside every now and then we got a chance to. During recess I walked to the extreme corner on the right of the big ground and looked at the kids at the anganvaadi and felt I have achieved glory. There were kids from all sides of the village, the west, east, south, north and the centre.
Year passed by, immalu got promoted to 5th grade and left for the U.P school. We were only 3 guys since then and we started mingling more with kids from other sides. We were from the centre, and we had other kids who joined us, but we made all the decisions as to what to play and where to play. Unknowingly we formed a group, and thanks to the mainstream Indian cinema, we enacted the gangs.
We walked together, made a cricket team of our own, and some times had fights with the kids from the other side. But we always won, none of the kids actually dared much against us cause my uncle was the senior Arabic teacher at the school.
That was the time when a guy from the railway gate side came to me and challenged me to stick chewing gum on the hair of a guy from the east side. That was a simple job, I didn't think twice, I had a big babool in my mouth that I took in my hand stuck on his head between his hair. I walked back to the guy who challenged with a punk rock bgm I never heard before in my life. But that was more of a self realization for me of the fact that chewing gum if stuck on hair hardly came of it without pain.
The boy was crying and for the first time in life I felt betrayed by the guy who knowingly challenged me. The recess was almost over and the bell was about to ring when the half bald Gopalakrishnan, the senior teacher at the school called me to the varanda outside the staff room. And kids had gathered around in huge amount as if there was a magic show happening, I was in the center with him and the kid with chewing gum on his head was crying. He pulled my hands out, took a step back and waked me with a stick. My hand was red, swollen, and I cried bad.
Andu probably ran out of the school compound and called NANA PA (grandpa) who was just outside at the tea shop. When he came to see me, I cried further, he was always over protective about me.
He took me out to the tea shop and got me "pazhampori" and tea. Later he dropped me back to school and shouted at the teacher for having beaten me so bad, and hell yeah me and my gang did hi fi. We some times sang songs about the baldness of the teacher who bate me. We rejoiced our victory, random kids praised us, others stayed away.
That formed my first group that turned into a gang even before we realized that we were a group of kids with similar liking and love for each other.
T.R.K
Nice one as always, this once i did with arshi hehehehhe.
ReplyDeleteHehe..that was a nice naughty little childhood memory! Quite harmless innocent a prank at the cost of making your kiddo friend cry..You were a bully of sorts eh kiddo Thariq? :)
ReplyDeleteI as a kid was a very coy shy timid looking girl..used to neatly dress to school.I hardly did any mischief in class but was a regular victim of small pranks and pranksters..one of such incident was, when after school I was dropped at a day care center(as both my parents were working)..there I had two brother sister duo Samar and Meenal by name. Meenal used to be two years elder to me, she used to wait for her bait to arrive and that was of course me. I and Samar just of 5-6 years were classmates. She used to take care of her brother very well but roll her eyes at me literally trying to be her bully best.
One such day during the afternoons,when the lady at day care used to take a nap,Meenal told me,"I will take you outside and make you feel a thrilling tingling sensation and this happens after touching an object"..poor innocent me nodded her head in agreement trying to make her feel very happy not realizing what was in store for me..I very obediently followed her with Samar in tow. She took us to an open Electricity junction box where there were many wires and screws behind a small shutter which was left partially open.She grabbed my hand, pulled my index finger, which I too reluctantly offered to her,(as I didnt want to annoy her fearing her pinches later on for disobeying her)She very carefully but menacingly pressed the tip of my index finger on one of the screws staring at us with lots of copper wires hanging around..I felt a strange tingling sensation..sending a weird sting across my whole body and this devilishly grinning Meenal asks..Kaisa laga ? tere ko maza aaya ? Before I could retort, she repeated the act again.I too realized by this time about the danger and pushed her away crying loudly,weeping and yet she managed to lightly place my finger, sending the tingling sensation through my hand again..
I ran back to the center with Samar too behind me, trying to console me..Meenal did get a spanking on her hand from her dad, later on as the Lady at the Day care center had complained to her dad..Some how I didnt feel any anger towards Meenal, as I was told by my mother that, Meenal is being brought up by a single parent as she had lost her mother after Samar's birth..so may be she doesnt get the affection and care she deserves or craves for, which makes her naughty & a prankster..
And the Bubble gum part too..I have experienced (the poor me) I went along with my parents to watch a movie..and I used to be this petite small girl sitting on a huge rexin seat to watch the movie. During one such movie outing at the cinema theatre..some one had purposely stuck a chewed bubble gum on the seat where a person would relaxingly lean and sit..The gooey sticky awful chewing gum got stuck in my stylishly cut thick bob cut hair..and ewwww!!I felt so bad along with my mom who had no choice but to cut my hair which looked very shabby and dirty, hair strands stuck with each other forming a sticky smelly lump..I cried a lot that day cursing the brat who did this"Mahapaapam""Ishwaran ayale viddila"used to be my dialogue in form of a curse, as I was brought up with this gospel and understanding that God Punishes all the wrong doers and their doings..these words were a part of my staple diet of sorts in my growing years..hehehe..and I still religiously believe it.
There are many different childhood memories that I can remember that really made an impact on how my personality is today. I never thought that these events would have any effect in shaping my personality now because they happened so long ago, but I can see that it has. Sympathy and empathy for others, looking for good in everyone and thinking that everything happens for a reason, never bear grudges against anyone or anything, to remain inquisitive and cheerful,always have the child like wonder..etc are the valuable lessons of childhood
I sure enjoyed reading this post of yours..I too travelled back in time ..
ReplyDeleteThank you kiddo Thariq..Your gang was real boisterous and naughty .. you being a bully leader..hehe
Bear my comments now..:D
Btw..I sadly share with you now..Samar is no more..He had finished his studies at IIT Mumbai..would have been a great Personality working in some Multi national firm as a CEO.. Unfortunately A bad undetected case of Jaundice took his precious life..Am Really really sad about this great loss of great human being..
ReplyDeleteOh may god rest him in peace ! It was nice to read how the person on the other side feels after a chewing gum got stuck on her hair:-P
ReplyDelete