The Actor in Me.

The first time I went on stage was when I was about 3 years of age. Rotary Club of Mysore ( Those days there was only one club – unlike now with locality-wise identities), had organized a fancy dress at the present Ideal Jawa Rotary School, opposite the present Institution of Engineers, On JLB road. My grandfather, MR. K.M Subba Rao (a founder Member of the Club always encouraged us to take part in such activities) had entered my name in the competition.

I remember (one of those vague memories of infanthood) being made to stand dressed as a Pujari (a priest) reciting the Ganapathi Shloka (a religious stanza in praise of a God) – “Benaka Benaka, Ekadanta ----“. This stage appearance won me a small coat hanger with a pink bunny face near the hook. This coat hanger was around in the house for quite a few years until I lost track of it.

The next appearance on stage was probably the next year (going by the difference of height in the two photos J ). This time it was at the Narasimharaja Sports Club on Lalita Mahal Road, near the foot hills of Chamundi dressed as the traditional soothsayer – “Budubudikeyabvanu”.

I was fully bedecked with multiple clothes – akin the real soothsayer. Judging from the photo below – I probably had a Jubba, vest coat, panche, two to three silk scarves around the neck, turban, one scarf tucked into the cloth tied round the waist, a thick rope dollar around the neck, “budubudike” with a silk scarf tied to it. I am not sure if I won a prize, but the “budubudike” was a prized possession for a few years. It had become a toy for many years.

When my schooling began at CFTRI School, my first proper stage appearance was during the Kindergarten – only one level then; it was a new terminology other than nursery. A group dance with a boy and a girl dancing to an English song – I remember that I was dressing in Black shorts, white shirt, Bow tie and with an elastic “Brace” to hold up the shorts! Similar to the dress in Photo 3 - the difference in the photo is that I was two years older and the necktie was replaced with the bow tie! My dancing partner was a girl named Bharati – who unfortunately passed on while we were in 6^th Standard.

From that year onwards, I was a regular during the Annual School Day functions – Dances, Dance – Dramas, plays, et al. The peak performance came while we were in the 4^th Standard. That year an elaborate Dance Drama based on an episode from the Mahabharata was enacted. This was directed by the mother of one our class mates – Dheeraja Patwardhan – both were proficient classical dancers. My role was that of a vagrant bull – along with another class mater Krishna Kumar – who is tamed by Lord Sri Krishna! The entire dance drama was of 1 ½ hours duration of which my performance was for a total of 15 minutes in two scenes.

This was selected for the Children’s Day celebration competition at New Delhi – to be witnessed by the Late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi! What an opportunity it was! But due to certain issues at home, I could not make it and my role was played by another “not so proficient” schoolmate. This, I learnt later, was the determining factor for the play becoming a flop and not winning any prize at the competition.

This put a brake on my “on-stage” theatrics. The school authorities were so upset on the episode that the next year – while in the 5^th Standard -I was deliberately left out of the School day programmes. This left my spirit dampened to such a level that I lost all interest in stage performances.

Although in the next two years – 6^th and 7^th Standards – I was forced to revive the stage appearances by my Class Teacher – Ms. Sujaya – I merely went through the motions without much zeal.

Now to the brighter side of LIFE. Although I gave up stage appearances, my theatrics continued in REAL LIFE! I can still pull “fast ones” with a straight face! People have commented on my “expressive face” – I am said to convey a lot through my expressions – although my voice does not convey it.

I do not regret having given up “stage” performances – I am fully satisfied playing “roles” in Real Life. The Actor in Me is still Vibrant.

CFTRI SCHOOL

CFTRI School –Part (Building) #1

Year 1967 – Kindergarten - School term had already begun. I remember my mother taking me to school on the first day. The CFTRI School was running in the building beside the Director’s Quarters. There still is an open area between the two buildings that was being used as the Play ground.

The kindergarten class was in the right side shed behind the main building. Toys we had were drums, trumpet (one of my favourites), blocks, etc. There were a total of 34 others in the class. (Can you imagine it now – 35 is just half the class!). We used to get pasteurized milk (a luxury then for the general public), mango pulp bars, etc., from the pilot plant of CFTRI. We even used to get about 2 hours sleep in the afternoon.

The First Standard classes were in the left side shed. The desks were about 2 feet high and we had small wooden chairs. The uniform was a red and white checked shirt with olive green shorts/pinafore skirts, Mrs. Parpia (wife of the then Director of CFTRI, Dr. HAB Parpia) was the headmistress then. I remember an incident that indicates the kind of discipline and nationalism we were exposed to then.

January 30, 1969 it was. As is the norm, at the stroke of 11.00AM, we were all intimated that we would hear a siren when we were all required to stand up in silence for 2 minutes as a mark of respect for the Martyrs’ Day. At the stroke of 11 the siren sounded and we all stood up. It was then that I noticed ‘Aunty’ Parpia just coming round the corner of the main building and there she stood. She had frozen in the postion she was in – one step ahead of the other and head bowed. The importance and the value of that posture comes to my mind every time I have to stand in silence for paying respects to any departed soul.

We had the facility of the School Bus that would pick us up and drop us at our doorstep daily. I would be one of the last to be picked up and one of the last to be dropped off. The route that we took was covering almost the entire city of Mysore. Yadavagiri, Vontikoppal, Bannimantap, Tilak Nagar, Mandi Mohalla, Nazarbad, Ittigegud, Chamundipuram, Vidyaranyapuram, Chamarajapuram, Krishnamurthypuram, Jayanagar, Saraswatipuram – That was almost the entire city in those days (See Map).



The entire route could be covered in about 90 mins. Imagine that now! This facility was available until 1971. Then we had to travel by city bus. What fun we used to have in the school bus. But all that later.

MY SCHOOLING DAYS AT CFTRI SCHOOL

The First memories I have of school are from the Srikantha Shishuvihara, a small primary school in Gita Road immediately behind my house located on Devaparthiva Road, Chamarajapuram, Mysore. I was then about4 ½ years. It was being managed by Mrs. Indramma, wife of eminent lawyer Mr. G.R. Sheshadri. I vaguely remember the entrance to the school situated on the right side passage of the main house. It had a small play area that could be accessed through a small gap in the adjoining wall with a sand pit, and metal swings. I do not remember a slide.

We had a group photo taken

(I at the front left corner)

I don’t think I continued in that school for more than a year. My father who was working in CFTRI had arranged for a seat to be allocated to one of our neighbours’ kid from his quota. They were to shift to Delhi and did not take up the admission. As the effort had already been undertaken, it was decided to use the same allocation and get me admitted to CFTRI School.

Thus began MY SCHOOLING DAYS AT CFTRI SCHOOL.