My Grandpa - The man who coloured my childhood!!!

 

The man who coloured my childhood

 Everyone of us should have gone through the best part of our lives without even knowing the fact that those moments are never going to come back again. Having been a part of the never ending rat-race, I have never thought about those fruitful memories. Now that I’m away from all those hustles and bustles of life, my memories often go on a roller-coaster, spiralling back to the past.

I remember, I still remember my carefree days of childhood spent in my grandma’s house. The enchanting village with groves to look through the window; the never ending snacks; the lovely, kind neighbours and their fun-loving children who used to be my partners in crime; the jingling pebbles; sweet-sour mangoes; quirky toys; meddling aunties, etc., Every single thing has formed numerous kaleidoscopic patterns in my heart.

How bindas it was then! No one to stop me from being a queen of my kingdom; jumping over the fence; sleeping until 8 in the morning; spending a whole day doing nothing; not even that demonic WhatsApp to collapse my pure solitude. Those were the days of mirth; I used to wear that imaginary crown that would never give damn to others’ diamonds as it was happy with some of the pebbles I had. More than all of these, I had that one man who would always be there to fulfill all my needs even before that would occur to me.

He’s my Grandpa!!!

Tears well up in my droopy eyes remembering that he is no more with me. It was he who baptized me. However maybe the weather his umbrella would never rest. A man of white robes and black umbrella. I was his first grandchild and I will cherish that legacy forever. This morning I saw him on our wall as a mere portrait. A sudden rush of bittersweet emotions overwhelmed me. I feared if I told that to anyone, it would dilute my love for my childhood superhero. But here I am to write that down. Because, I believe in writing since it immortalizes my feelings.        

Thoughts and feelings still rush in. It’s a terrific ebb and flow of unrecognized emotions. It feels like it all happened yesterday! You fed me with chopped mangoes; took me to temple; let me ride on the huge gigantic elephant that scared me away from the temple; how effortlessly you would lift me as if I were a then-bloomed flower. I would try desperately to escape from your early morning training sessions to let me read that newspaper (would never even leave wedding invitations). But today I wish it could happen now. I even used to feel bad when you pretended to be strict. I never knew that it was merely a façade you made to perfect me. How foolish I used to be! You didn’t mind that though. That’s you.

Even now whenever I cross bakeries, the aroma reminds me of your big shoppers, filled with delicacies. Sweeter than those were your words – “come on ... I’ve bought this that… eat it when it’s still fresh.” Even now I try to find the same divine taste with a perfect tinge of your love. No one can ever replace your place.

You would become a doctor when I was ill; teacher, while teaching good manners; engineer, while coming up with numerous handmade toys; Even a warden, while being a strict disciplinarian. How diverse is your role in my life! How proud you felt, when I scored more (your opinion) in the board exams! How proudly you would foretell my future as if you were an astrologer! How pure your love was! You are my first admirer and even the first cheater! You know why? You told me seeing the dimple on my jaw that it denoted wealth and I would become a billionaire. I still wonder why you told me so. But, had you been here with us, I would have bought a nice pair of slippers and a mobile phone for you. And that would have retrieved my lost imaginary crown!!!