130. Childhood Reminisces – Karol Bagh Memories – 1

I spent the first 18 years of my life in Karol Bagh in New Delhi.  17 years in one house and a year in another one.  There are lot of memories associated with that place.  I am just jotting here what all is coming to me, from those memories😊.

I spent 17 years in block no 5 and 1 year in block 17A, both were quite nearby.  My school was some 15 minutes’ walk from my house and I used to walk to school with my brother and cousins on a daily basis.

During those days, after coming back from school, I and my friends would meet and walk on Ajmal Khan Road.  The school would end at about 415pm.  I would be back at home by 430pm.  My mother would have made some snacks.  I will have the snack and then will finish some portion of homework, if not all.  At about 530pm I will meet my friends and we will spend some 1-1.5 hours roaming in Ajmal Khan Road, from Pusa Road to Original Road, with Arya Samaj Road coming in between😊.  3 of my friends were quite regular – Sashi, Hari and Subbu. Sashi used to stay in block 12. Hari in Old Rajinder Nagar, which was on the other side of Pusa Road.  Subbu used to stay in block 12A.  All of us studied in the same school since the 6^th standard, when I joined the DTEA School.  Sashi, Hari and me were in the same section while Subbu was in a different section. He came to our section from 9^th standard.  I am happy to state that we 4 are still in touch and meet each other, at least 1-2 times a year.  Or at least, on a monthly basis, we keep in touch on phone.  We even go for outings together with our family.  Those walks in Karol Bagh seems to have deepened our friendship😊😊!! A few photos of us being together, from the start of our friendship😊!!

 

CLASS 6

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Recent Photo

Since Hari had to walk for the largest distance, we three used to go to Pusa Road from our home and wait for him to come.  Once Hari came, we will then walk from there to Original Road and then back to Pusa Road, from where all 4 of us will disperse to our respective houses.  During the walk, we will be talking to each other and looking at different shops that would have lined up on both sides of the road. Shops as well as other vendors who would have occupied the footpaths at both sides of the road. 

Sometimes we will go to Punjab Sweet Shop for chaats, Lovely Milk Store for cold/hot milk, jalebis, the lane opposite Lovely for a Gulab Jamun, Roshan Di Kulfi also for Chaats and Kulfi, numerous gol gappa shops, Roopak Stores for Jaljeera.  There was also a mobile kulfi vendor on Arya Samaj Road, where we will savour kulfi for 50 paisa each.  In the block no 17A, after I shifted there, there was also an aalu-chaat vendor.  Till date, I have never had any aalu chaat, that beat the taste that vendor used to provide😊. And my friends also agree to that!  Although, it is another matter that, that vendor was always sweating while serving the aalu chaats😊😊 due to Delhi heat!!  Whether his sweat made the tase better, it is debatable😉!!

During that time, Kwality ice cream was the craze.  We used to have orange stick ice cream for 5 paise, the milk one for 10 paise and choco bar for 15 paise.  Nowadays, I get the same orange stick ice cream from Amul or Walls for Rs 10, of course the size now is bigger than what was available at that time!! 

We used to go to Sashi’s house for playing table tennis. The table was actually the dining table with a couple of geometric boxes being made the net.  He has 2 brothers and a sister.  His sister was very young and rarely played with us.  There was another friend of his eldest brother, who was called “Butter”, who also used to come to play.  We used to play singles as well as doubles match in that small dining table!!  The table was so small in width that when we were playing doubles, we immediately used to move away from the table after hitting our shot, so that our partner can play the next shot😊.  In case we stood at the same place, the partner will not be able to hit the ball!! 

Whenever I used to visit Sashi’s house, his mother will promptly provide coffee in a small tumbler.  And this continued even when he shifted to another place.  If I went during evening time, she will always ask if I needed any snack or tiffin as Sashi too would be having it then.  I last met her at Sashi’s house in Chennai, about 7-8 years back. And the first thing she asked me was, if I will have coffee!!  And I know that when I meet her next at Sashi’s place, her first question would be this only!!

Cheers till next time!!

Today’s Observation

When you point a finger at others, remember that three fingers are pointing at you😊