"Sweet" Moments in Time

The blistering summer months, though perpetually cursed by all, have always ensured plenty to rejoice about too, especially for the younger strata of Society. The much awaited two-month School Vacation falls in the peak of summer. Nostalgic memories of those days haunt us even now. As kids we used to spend our summer holidays at our hometown of Nilambur in Kerala. I cannot recall ever being bothered by the torrid heat. We would always be playing outdoors going in only at mealtimes. All of us cousins together would devise wonderful games to play, probably games at which today's children would scoff. The highlight of the day was the evening bath in the river flowing quite near our house. The splashing about and swimming in the cool fresh water was a delightful experience. We had plenty of mango trees at home and I remember the joy of seeing them laden with fruit. The slightest breeze would bring the ripe mangoes crashing down and we tried to outdo each other to retrieve the fallen fruits. Then the best part was eating it straight away with the sticky juice dripping all over our arms and staining our dresses! After having our fill, the rest of the mangoes would be passed on to Grandma who would work her magic on them and bring forth delicious dishes. Now when I go out to buy some fruits and look on in disbelief at the unearthly prices that the hawkers are asking for the mediocre-looking mangoes, I wistfully think back on the abundance and health of the luscious fruits that were ours to enjoy

-PR

16/04/2025