Shakuntala Devi

Lunch time @ School!

Photos: RK/ Rambling with Bellur

Lunch time in school meant loads of fun. Lunch was between 12.10 to 12.40PM. While in Third Standard, myself, Arvind and Suresh Mani ate sitting on a small yellow stone, inside the ground, slightly away from the Back gate. Invariably there would be only two stones. Arvind and Mani would sit on them and I would have to sit on the fine red mud. That meant my navy blue shorts would become partly light blue shorts!

In Fourth standard, I don’t remember going out to eat. Most of us ate sitting in our designated places. Studious thy name was Yours truly!

In Fifth standard, our class was on the first floor. We still ate inside the class, looking out of the window. This was mainly because three teachers – Noor Fathima, Deena Ram Singh and Anwarunnissa came to our class and ate. The aroma from their huge lunch boxes were awesome! Biriyani, Palak Paneer, Veg Kurma…. All three teachers shouted at us when they ate, and felt we were BADMAASH LADKE! The reason for our noise was we played lot of BOOK CRICKET back then!

Sixth and Seventh standards were terrible. For others. Myself and Hanuman were notorious in pulling the chairs JUST before some one sat. We exchanged pencil box contents and ate from others’ lunch boxes. If we had PT period before the lunch break, that was it. We would be playing and suddenly vanish from the ground and enter the empty class. We would know who brought delicious lunch and opened their boxes. Mahim’s round steel carrier was our first target. He would bring yummy Chapati with Alu Matar, Idly Chutney, Palaav! Palaav in a lunch box those days was something very rare.

Priyankaraj was another guy whose lunch was much in demand. The presentation was what attracted us to open his box. Salad, cream biscuits, cakes, and juice in colourful plastic bottles…we loved it!

Chirag, Vinay and Ramadas would give a spoonful of Sweet Avalakki or Rice Bhaath. A spoonful of good food would only make us want more of it!

Myself and Hanuman would fight while eating others’ lunch boxes, as if it was ours. We would leave just a little hoping that we would not be caught, and ALSO out of humanity.

Arvind’s mom used to bring piping hot food for him everyday just before lunch break. Some of us, foodies in the making, envied this. We already knew the value of hot food! She would always take him to one corner of the Stage (on the Back Ground), and spread a pink towel on the floor. Arvind would be ready with hands washed. She would hand him the Happala and open the first steel container with Anna, next with Saaru, and third with either Majjigehuli / Kootu. Curd rice would be ready in a separate box topped with pickles. We would be playing nearby, and keep an eye on Arvind’s progress. We would only wish we were as fortunate as K. Arvind!

Some boys and girls from north would ALWAYS bring thick Chapati with alu/ baingan. One or two from the neighbouring naadu would only bring curd rice with pickle. Some would bring food wrapped in an aluminium foil. Sometimes, they would force us to have a bite, seeing our food fetish. We would ask for another bite, and they would start giving gaalis! Some would be very tough and not share even a morsel with anyone, nor would they ask for a bite.  They would be despised by the foodie group.

Sometimes, some of our classmates would be ill, and sit inside the class during PT period (before lunch break). We would hate it. We would try to send him/her to play or threaten the person of dire consequences if he/she complained. Later we would forcibly give them a small bite, so that they would keep mum.

So lunch time in Sixth and Seventh meant more of play time, as we would have finished lunch. My lunch depended on my mother’s health. She was a class apart in whatever she made! (that’s another post)

 

L-R (kneeling): Parashuram, Gopal, Vinay, Arvind, myself, Praveen, Vijay
L-R (standing): Kalyan Srinivas, Preetham, Sridhar, Ramesh, Vivekananda, Priyankaraj, Mahim, Chirag, Hanuman, Manalan, Suresh Mani

Eighth standard was when we ate sitting on the 18th cross Bus stand Wall. Once, while sitting and eating Dose, an eagle snatched away my green plastic box, only to be dropped empty minutes later.

In Eighth, we would also go out once a while for JB Bakery Bread toast (75 paise each), Agarwal Bhavan Masale Dose and Krishna Stores Pickles/ Nimbehuli peppermint (5 paise). Everyday after the school at 3.10pm, we would haggle with the guy selling Guavas and Mangoes. When we didn’t have money, we would act as assistants to the Guava guy in smearing salt. We hoped he would be impressed with our services, and give a guava/mango piece for FREE!

The Kulfi selling guy was dark and lean, always with a blue checked lungi. 25 paise for Kulfi and a Bread toast was too costly for us. Those days, to collect 1 rupee, it took days.

By Ninth and Tenth standards, some guys had lost the thrill of lunch time, as they had already started worrying about Life after 10th, +2, LIFE after SCHOOL! But some of us still were as bindaas and careless! We used to start having lunch right from the first period. And the entire row would be partners in crime.

Once during Vijayal’s class, she caught me chewing gum. She always addressed me (quiet correctly) as Paramahimsa! The reason she caught me was, she sat on the teacher’s table, and had a good view, (moving her neck  like the jimmy jib camera) of the ongoings ‘under-the table’!

Well it’s lunch time now! Got to go and have lunch from MY box!

Would be fun to know your lunch time stories!

Malleswaram Bomb Blasts 2013

Collage: RK Bellur

Unrest in my mind.

Related posts:

Archive for the ‘Bengaluru Bomb Blasts 2008′ Category

43 Days Sampoorna Bhagavatha Pravachana Maalike by Sriyutha Dr.K.S.Narayanacharya

Design: RK

Pravachanakaararu:
Pravachanakalanidhi, Sri Ramayanacharya, Vedabhushana,
Mahabharathacharya, Bhagavathacharya, Panditharaja
Sriyutha Dr.K.S.Narayanacharya

A Grand Pravachana (in Kannada)
SAMPOORNA SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM

Venue:
Hymamshu Jyoti Kala Peetha
16th Cross, 4th Main, Malleswaram, Bangalore-55

Date:
March 31 to May 12, 2013

Time:
6.15 to 8.15 pm

All are welcome.

***

Kindly spread the word. This will be a rare Pravachan of 6 weeks duration. Acharya is getting on in age, and is only doing 10-15 days Pravachan at the most, and that too, very rarely. He has kindly consented for this programme.

Those desirous of sharing the ‘Kainkaryam’, may please get in touch with me by phone. People, I will need all the assistance-Tanu, Mana, Dhana, that I can get, in making this programme successful. Giving publicity by copying and posting to all contacts, would be a nice beginning.

Many thanks, in advance,
Regards,
Srihari Sr
Bellur Ramakrishna

***

Posts related to KS Narayanacharya on RwB.

Random Jottings on Facebook – 3

ಮೂರನೇ ಕ್ಲಾಸಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ ಸುರೇಶ್ ಮಣಿ ನನಗೆ ಹೇಳಿಕೊಟ್ಟ ಪಾಠ ಇನ್ನೂ ನೆನಪಿದೆ.

ಮಣಿ: ಕೋಳಿ ಕೂಗಿತು.
ರಾಮ: ಯಾವ ಕೋಳಿ?
ಮಣಿ: ಬಾತು ಕೋಳಿ.
ರಾಮ: ಯಾವ ಬಾತು?
ಮಣಿ: ಕೇಸರಿಭಾತು.
ರಾಮ: ಯಾವ ಕೇಸರಿ?
ಮಣಿ: ತಿನ್ನೊ ಕೇಸರಿ.
ರಾಮ: ಯಾವ ತಿನ್ನು?
ಮಣಿ: ಏಟು ತಿನ್ನು.
(ನನಗೆ ಹೊಡೀತಾನೆ).
ರಾಮ: ಯಾವ ಏಟು?
ಮಣಿ: ಗಾಂಧಿ ಏಟು.
ರಾಮ: ಯಾವ ಗಾಂಧಿ?
ಮಣಿ: ಮಹಾತ್ಮ ಗಾಂಧಿ.

ದಿನಕ್ಕೆ ಹತ್ತು ಸಲ ಈ ಆಟ. ಯಾವಾಗ್ಲೂ ನಾನೇ ಏಟು ತಿನ್ನಬೇಕು ಅಂತ ಅವನಾಸೆ. ದಿವಸ, ಮನೇಗೆ ಬರಕ್ಕೆ ಮುಂಚೆ, ಶಾಲೆಯ ಗೇಟ್ ಬಳಿ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಹತ್ತು ಏಟು ಹೋಡೆದು (ಒಂದೆರಡು ಕೊಸರು ಕೊಟ್ಟಿ) ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳೋದೇ ಒಂದಾಟ!

***

Mom to son:

L.A.-ge hogi L-A- meerbeda.
___

Mom to daughter:
Erode-ge hogi ee road mareebeda.

***

don’t know about bengaluru-mysore corridor,
or mumbai-bengaluru corridor
but ನಮ್ ರೋಡಲ್ಲಿ ಇರೋರೆಲ್ಲ ಕಾರಿಡಾರೇ!

***

This morning, for a short stretch, to my left was an AUTO and to my right was an ALTO.

***

Remember those olden day taps with a long white cloth tied to it?

***

You’ve seen the I-PAD. Remember the WE-PAD (Wooden Examination Pad)?!

It’s that time of the year, when exam pads make a quick entry into every student’s life. During my school days, we would inherit the exam pads from our elders. Hence the wooden pad would have been used by our uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers and finally reach us.

The dark brown pad (with rounded edges) would have a smooth surface on the front and a rough textured surface at the back. The front would have a ‘SRI’, ‘OM’, names of some of the previous owners written in various styles, in blue or green ink. Black or Red ink was considered inauspicious! I had written “Da- 2 small vertical lines- Raj” in a self designed stylish 3D font in Kannada when I got the pad sometime in 3rd standard. Before that, I don’t remember using one. I had used blue sketch pen to write this.

I somehow hated to use the pad just for what it was meant for. Hence, as soon as the exams got over, I would use the pad as a cricket bat, a frisbee, a sword, a fan, a TT bat…. and thus the dark brown pad would have some broken edges by late April. I would also test my endurance levels by putting my fingers under the clip… 3 seconds and the fingers would be removed! The pad would have one small needle like thing near the clip. And this would scratch atleast one of my fingers during every exam. During 6th standard, I remember pasting a poster of Rajkumar at the back of the pad.
It was a huge inspiration for me!

My son’s plastic Ben-10 pad brought back these memories this morning.

***

Plastic pencil box always looked weak. And that too if it had a single opening. A magnetic pencil box was a fantasy. I was unable to come to terms with myself for a week when my first brother-in-law gifted me one when I was in 2nd standard. It had totally 5 openings – 2 each on both sides and one in the middle, that made the box look like a small diary book. My friends here were in awe with that box.

Friends in “far off” Cochin school also got to see my magnetic box. I remember boys asking in Malayalam: Idu evadannakitti?!

When I graduated from that to the powerful Geometry box, the main attraction were the Compass, Divider, Set square, blotting paper, and of course, if you managed to have a Hero Pen, then you looked a true HERO!

And then came the Ink sharing programme!

***

The only place
which has offered
a ‘level’ playing field
for a Shastri, Poojara
Pandit, Adhikaari,
Nawab, Merchant,
Maharaja, Yuvaraja,
Engineer, Contractor
is ‘Test’ Cricket!

***

In some old hotels, even today, Bournvita, Horlicks and Badam Powder bottles are not inside the kitchen. They’re kept next to the Cashier.

***

Book Cricket, and other types of Cricket I played!

During 4th and 5th standard, ‘book cricket’ entered our lives. I remember playing it quite intensely with my pal Hanuman in 5th standard. As I contracted Jaundice during that time, I was not allowed to go out and play (missed school for quite some days). I used to play book cricket alone after writing down the names of the players (one team was always India, the other varied Eng, WI, Aus etc..) on two pages (it resembled almost a complete scorecard).

The runs were scored by flipping the book open at random and the last digit of the right-side (even-numbered) page was counted as the number of runs scored. 0 (and sometimes 8) were assigned to special rules, typically a wicket was lost when a person scored 0 and scoring 8 would be substituted for a No ball run and an additional chance. To give an example, if the batting side opened the book at page 26, then 6 runs would be scored. For the toss, what was generally done was that both the players open a page and the one whose last digit is greater wins.

Other types of Cricket that I played: Hand cricket and leg cricket! (self explanatory)

And one of my neighbourhood friends, Umesh, had this indoor Cricket board game, where wickets were placed on a green circular piece of clothing, toy fielders were positioned, boundary ropes were kept and the batsman (i.e. you) had a tiny bat to hit the ball which were, shiny ball bearings, that would be dropped from about 5cms height by another player. If the ball went into the small opening near the feet (V-shaped) of the fielder, it was out. If the ball bearing touched the ropes, it was a boundary.

***

“There was a bit of pressure on me. I just got married, and my wife was worried I should perform. We knew that the new ball would do a bit.”

- Double Centurion Cheteshwar Pujara while receiving the MOM award today.

ಅಪಾರ್ಥ ಮಾಡ್ಕೋಬೇಡ್ರಪ್ಪ!

***

“India deserve a lot of credit.” – Michael Clarke
(Most Indians nowadays are living only on Credit!)

***

unlessyougivespaceforeveryoneandeverythingitwillgetterriblysuffocating.

***

ಒಂದ್ ಕಾರ್ ಇನ್ನೊಂದ್ ಕಾರ್-ಗೆ ಡಿಕ್ಕಿ ಹೊಡೀತು. ಬಂಪರ್ ಜಖಂ.
ಡ್ರೈವರ್ ೧: ಬಂಪರ್ ಹಾಕಿಸ್ಕೋಡಿ.
ಡ್ರೈವರ್ ೨: ಬಂಪರ್ ಪ್ರೈಜ್ ಎಷ್ಟು?

***

ರಿಕ್ಷಾ ಡ್ರೈವರ್ ಗಳಿಗೆ ಶ್ಂಕರ್ ನಾಗ್ ಬಿಟ್ರೆ, ‘ಸಂಜೆ ವಾಣಿ’ನೇ next favourite!

***

Wherever I see LAKME , I invariably read it as LAKUMI.

***

‘Yorkshire Weather’ since morning in Bengaluru. Perfect for Cricket, Frisbee and a long leisurely walk in the market.

***

The strong yet subtle smell that surrounds you in a petty shop – a unique mix of Banana (Pach Baale), Fresh Newspapers rolled between glass bottlles, Magazines hung on thin wires, Cigarette smoke, Chikki, Chewing Gum, Modern Bread, Notebook…. cannot be recreated/ replicated anywhere!

ಪೆಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಅಂಗಡಿಗೆ ಜೈ!

***

Just like a Principal peeping into a class and walking away, the sun peeped once in Bengaluru disappeared.

***

After years of wear and tear, the Geometry box lid would start moving horizontally, a la Chiranjeevi while dancing! Once the Geometry box lid started acting loose, we would put a piece of paper and close it so that it sat tightly!

***

Blue & White Hawaii slipper and a ‘safety pin’! Made for each other (no more)!

***

I played with a short and fat scooter tyre and also a slim and trim cycle tyre… with which tyre did you play?

***

Ajji calls her grandson, who is listening to his i-pod, and asks him to buy get her a new Panchanga. The boy goes to a shop near 8th cross.

Boy: Uncle, Ondh Panchanga kodi.
Shopkeeper: Ontikoppal kodla?
Boy: Bisi idre kodi.
Shopkeeper: ?!?

(Boy thought the shopkeeper was offering him tea in a cup).

***

MET Dept. is getting a clearer picture on the Weather in different places through FB posts than the INSAT-1B* picture!

*FB posts are also a kind of IN-SAT…coz we sit inside and write!

***

ಬಾಗಿಲಿಗೆ ಹಾಕಿರೋ ಬೀಗ ಸ್ಟಕ್ ಆದಾಗ ಗಂಡ ಓಪನ್ ಮಾಡಕ್ಕ್ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ ಪಡೋದು ನೋಡಿ ಹೆಂಡತಿ ಸಲಹೆ ಕೊಡ್ತಾಳೆ:
ಎಣ್ಣೆ ಹಾಕ್ ಬಿಟ್ಟ್ ಟ್ರಯ್ ಮಾಡಿ!

***

While in school, doubts would crop up on a Sunday evening, a day before the exams! Some of us would study late into the night. Seeing this rare occurrence, one or the other member in the house would invariably utter this phrase: YUDDHAKAALE SHASTRAABHYAASA!

***

On the last day of the exam, we would frantically run behind our seniors, asking, begging them to sell their textbooks to us, for half rate. The condition of the textbook would decide the final rate. Dirtier the book, lower the price.

By 9th and 10th std., even the GUIDES would be in demand! Remember MBD Guides (Malhotra Book Depot)!

***

ಗುಂಡಾಯನಮಃ. ಗುಂಡೋಪಂತ್. ಉಂಡಾಡಿಗುಂಡ. ಗುಂಡಪ್ಪ. ಗುಂಡನ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಜೋಕ್ಸು. ಗುಂಡನ ಇಟ್ಕೊಂಡು ಗಾದೆ (ಎಲೆ ಎತ್ತೋ ಗುಂಡ ಅಂದರೆ…)
ವೀ ಲವ್ ಗುಂಡ!

***
ಅಡ್ಡ ರಸ್ತೇಲಿರೋದು ತಪ್ಪಲ್ಲ. ಅಡ್ಡ ದಾರೀಲಿರೋದು ತಪ್ಪು.
ಬೆಳ್ಳೂರ್ ಉವಾಚ

The file is corrupt and cannot be opened!

Aastika-Naastika

Generation Gap!

ನಾವು ರೇಶನ್ ಅಂಗಡಿಗೆ ಅಲೆದಲೆದು ಬೆಳೆದವು ಅಂದು
ಕೇಳುವರು ಈಗಿನವರು “ರೇಶನ್ ಅಂಗಡಿ ಅಂದರೆ” ಏನೆಂದು
ಇದನ್ನ ಜನರೆಲ್ಲರೂ ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ ಜನ-ರೇಶನ್ ಗ್ಯಾಪ್ ಎಂದು!

***

Wear Helmet

Design: RK Bellur / RwB

ಗಾಡಿ ಓಡಿಸೋವಾಗ ಇದನ್ನ…
ಮನೇಲಿ ಮರೀಬೊದು.
ಕೈಗೆ ಹಾಕ್ಕೊಬೋದು.
ಸೀಟಿನ್ ಕೆಳಗೆ ಇಡ್ಬೋದು.
ಟ್ಯಾಂಕಿನ ಮೇಲೆ ಇಡ್ಬೋದು.
ಪಿಲಿಯನ್ ರೈಡರ್ ಕೈಲಿ ಕೊಡ್ಬೋದು.
ಬೈಕಿನ ಹ್ಯಾಂಡಲ್/ಕನ್ನಡಿಗೆ ನೇತಾಕ್ಬೋದು.

ತಲೆಗೂ ಹಾಕ್ಕೊಬೋದು.

ಹೆಲ್ಮೆಟ್ (ತಲೆಗೆ) ಹಾಕ್ಕೊಂಡ್ರೋ…ಬದ್ಕದ್ರಿ!

ಕಲೆ: ರಾಮಕೃಷ್ಣ ಬೆಳ್ಳೂರು

 

***

Related post:

Impose Helmet Rule: Letter to the Editor

Helmets are a must

Begging in Railway Station – Cartoon

Cartoon: RK

Also visit the Cartoon page on RwB.