The very first recollection is a scene where I have rebelled and won. I must have been two and half years old. My sister was recently born and we were in my maternal grandmother’s home at Srirangam. It was festival time there and the temple cart was in procession. It had just reached the far end of the street and I was eagerly waiting for it to pass our house. That is when I was summoned inside. It was for the consumption of castor oil, a ritual that happened at frequent intervals in all households. I didn’t want to consume it and tried to run away. But a strong hand held me and got me to my maternal grandmother’s lap. She seemed like a demon to me, her voice roaring a command, one hand was binding me to her lap and with other she was trying to push the castor oil into my mouth. I was afraid to scream because that will open my mouth. All the power in my limbs couldn’t release me from her hold. No one could prevent her from pushing the goddamn oil down my throat for she was all powerful at the house. Just when it seemed that I have to fail, my father walked into the house. My grandmother had to greet him and in that fraction of second I broke lose from her hold and ran to my father and hugged him tight. That same moment a string of crackers burst outside the house. The procession had reached our doorstep. I ran outside to find a brightly lit cart, nagaswarams playing and drums beating in a crescendo . I had triumphed and the world was celebrating it ….
Oh what a success!
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