November and Childhood

Nov 1, 2021

November and childhood! Oh! Do the children really understand the seasons, days or calendar? No. All they know is eat, play and merry. Specially during the pandemic, all they know is online classes, test and homework. Below the table it is play and only play. They are losing their childhood.

My memories roll back to the misty November. Curled up like cats on the Muddha- the only seating form in the sun under the neem or tamarind tree we sat with English text books, cramming the spellings or the tables... a part of Arithmetic.

The cheeks would be patched with dryness and cold cream massaged into the skin till they were glittering. We sat in the sun almost dozing, pretence and pretence of studying. We played with tennis ball and bat, cricket. We played rounders and even football. All open air games.

I remember eating raw tamarind with salt coughing to glory till the cheeks turned red, then hiding the coughing by stuffing the handkerchief to avoid a slap or thappad from a senior family member.

Half yearly exam would begin immediately after Diwali holidays. Who cared, exams came for one week only, then all was all and the winter vacations would begin. We would play and play not bothered about the report card. Those were happy holidays. Thirty days hath November. We enjoyed riddles, recitation, ludo, snakes and ladders and stories. Childhood was fun and calendars were meant for moms and school teachers. Oh! What fun!

Bye- bye November!

Suman Sharma

Suman Sharma is a retired Professor, Head of Department of English, Government College, Ajmer. She enjoys participating in sports activities, reading, writing, singing and dancing. She aims to give back to the society which has helped her achieve her goals and dreams.