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.

My “Independence Day”– or was it?

During my childhood days I was known for my ‘gluttonous’ hunger. I had a “stomach clock” – I mean body clock related to the stomach – that was very very accurate and would not tolerate any variation in feeding time.

My tolerance towards hunger was very low. The minute my mind decided I was hungry, I HAD to eat something. This mindset is probably the cause for what I am today – “roly – poly” during childhood and overweight now (although, I prefer to stress that is by only 10-12 Kgs). It could be any thing solid – liquid food would not do. Raagi – hurittu (popped – ragi flour mixed with sugar, milk, ghee), meNasinapudi anna (cooked rice mixed with chilli powder and oil), avalakki mosaru (puffed rice with curds), avalakki kaai bella (puffed rice with coconut gratings and jaggery), etc. Even the required quantity was not too much. But I had to EAT.

Not eating when I was hungry would send hunger pangs like I had not eaten for days. I would sweat. I would get nausea. My hands would tremble. I would feel like I would almost collapse. Such was my intolerance towards an empty stomach.

Coming home from school one evening, I was at my ravenous best. Throwing aside my school bag, I had a quick wash (if it were not for the rule that “NO ENTRY TO DINING AREA WITHOUT WASH” I probably would have avoided it) and rushed to the kitchen with my “HOTTE HASHIVU” (translated to “I am Hungry”) shout. I was not greeted with any eatable but with the advice to wait for 5 minutes. Obviously my mother was busy pounding something (No mixies/grinders in those days). I was not in the mood for any excuses that day. I “demanded” that I be attended to immediately. But who heard the demands of a 9 year old.

I, then made my declaration of “Independence”. I threatned to “run” (“walk” would have been a more appropriate word for it) away from home. I got a cool “let me see you do it” reply from my mother from whom I least expected it. I had thought that that threat would get me something to eat. But now my reputation was at stake. Do I keep my threat or do I meekly surrender to the situation and wait those few minutes?? In the heat of the moment, I decided to make my threat come true. Banging the front door, off I went onto the streets. I had “run” away from home.

I was then about 9 years of age. My knowledge about Mysore and its localities was restricted to what I had traveled with the elders. I had never gone out alone further than Devaparthiva Road and Gita Road (See my other post “Walk the Walk – With an Elephant”).

I reached the end of Devaparthiva Road near the Aralikatte (Banayan Tree) at the north end took the familiar right turn towards Ramaswamy Circle. As I approached the junction of Gita Road, hard reality struck. I was not confidant of going any further – I was not aware of any other roads!!! With no other way out I went along Gita Road, rounded back towards Devaparthiva Road, back in front of our house (to see if anyone was searching for me) and along the same route once again. I had nowhere else to go – I was not confidant of going anywhere else!

I meekly walked back into the house. I was greeted with the “Yaake, yelligu hogalillava?” (didn’t you go anywhere”). It was a great eye opener. I realized that I had not grown up to the extent of “running” away from home. I also realized that if I had waited in the house for those 5 minutes, I would have got my food. If only I had the patience, I would have saved the the extra effort of walking for 20 minutes on an already empty stomach.

I have since gained control of my hunger pangs – although the same cannot be said about my overall weight.

Every time I am hungry and feel like demanding food, this incident acts as a great reminder to calm me down.

Upakarma – The annual thread Ceremony.

With the approach of the full moon day in the month of Shraavana – the day when the male Yajurvedis change their sacred thread, brings back memories of the function that was being celebrated in our house.

The formal ceremony consists of a fire – ritual (Homa); puja of the rishis; tarpana (offering of water in a particular way) to the rishis and the change of the sacred thread – a sort of renewal of the pledge to undertake the path of Vedic Adhyayana (Vedic Learning). Uptill 1976, this ritual was being organized in our house. We would have about 20 – 30 people from our neighbourhood and some relatives too congregating for the ritual.

The purohit would come in at 5.30 in the morning and the rituals would go on till 8.00. So the preparations would have to be completed the previous night itself. This was an occasion which we looked out for. I had my initiation (Upanayana) in 1974. But right from the age of about 6 years I was involved in the ritual – as I was allowed to wear the “yagnopaveeta” (janivaara – holy thread) – albeit a “kaLLa janivaara (illegal janivara).

I would be woken up at 5.15 in the morning, made to complete the morning duties, wrapped with a silk “maguta”, smeared with “vibhuti” (the holy ash) and would take my reserved place beside our father and grandfather.

The wooden planks would be arranged inside the periphery of the hall accommodating about 18 persons. There was one aged person who used to attend but unable to squat on the ground. We used to give him a wooden chair and table to do the rituals and he would be seated on one of the adjoining rooms. Additional persons were accommodated in the verandah.

The “homa kunDa” and the platform for the “rishi pooja” would be in arranged the previous night itself. I was allowed to do the puja and most of the rituals except the “rishi tarpana” until 1974 – as I was still not initiated.

The first interesting part was when we were required to do the “yagnopaveeta daana” – giving a set of the sacred thread along with “dakshine” to elders and take their blessings before “yagnopaveeta dharaNa” – the process of putting on the sacred thread. Our grandfather would provide me with my own set of 10 sacred threads and coins for the process.

The second interesting part was when all the participants would circle around the “homa kunDa” and the “rishis” in “pradakshiNa”. As we walked around to the chanting of mantrams, the wooden planks would make a sound wheneven someone stepped on the edges and the plank would rise and fall. It was merriment for me as the planks would keep going “katak-katak” during the entire process of about 5 minutes by the time we completed three rounds.

The puja would end with the distribution of “prasadam” - “satvada hittu” – a combination of rice flour, til seeds, ghee and cut fruits (banana, guava, sweet lime, fresh grapes, etc.).

The guests would have breakfast of hot “tatte” idlis and chutney accompanied by hot coffee before leaving. Always coming back the next year.

This event, unfortunately, stopped on the demise of our grandfather in 1976 and our family purohit a few years later. The ususal guests started to go to temples for the ritual or like me, started changing the sacred thread in their house itself with a simple 5 minute process.

I was fortunate to attend a similar elaborate ritual when a neighbour of ours, Mr. Aralikatte Chandrashekar, took up the initiative and has started it in his house. The ritual came back to our house of one year – during which Mr. Chandrashekar’s mother had expired.

Every year during the Upakarma day, whether I am able to attend the elaborate ritual or not, the memories of the Upakarma in our house remains fresh.

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.

Walk the "Walk" - With an Elephant

It was around 10.30 - 11.00 AM. The slow and rhythemic 'dong-dong' was music to the ears. It still is - although it is never heard of in Bangalore. It could mean only one thing. AN ELEPHANT WAS APPROACHING.

The children in the street all ran out to greet the elephant. It was in the northern half of Devaparthiva Road. Being too young - about 3 1/2 years? - I was naturally not allowed to cross the Vani Vilasa Road. I had to wait impatiently for the elephant to cross the road and come to our half. It ambled across and as was the routine in such situations, almost every house offered it some rice, jaggery, fruits(optional) and puja to the 'living form' of Lord Ganesha. Our turn too came. The rituals were conducted and off went the elephant to the next house. I naturally followed the elephant to the next house. As the elephant moved out of our street, everyone went back into their houses.

That was when our house went into pandemonium.

The rest of the story was conveyed to me at a later age.

I was "missing" from the house. I had not come back. Naturally my mother and grandmother thought that I might have gone to a neighbour's place to play. A search conducted at the usual house drew a blank. I was not in any of the houses. That was when the panic crept in. A rapid search and enquiry were equally unfruitful. Then someone thought of the idea that I may have followed the elephant. The elephant was now near the Eshwara Temple on Gita Road. Off ran my mother and my brother on his bicycle.

LO! there I was. Watching the elephant in awe. I had been located. Although the distance is not over 200 meters, it was the longest I had walked at that age - unaccompanied by any known people.

It is a walk to remember. This incident is still being remembered everytime an elephant approaches our house in Mysore.