Most pictures have a story to tell. Some funny, some childish and the others wistful. I shall try to list mine (and anecdotes for which I do not appear to have pictures to back me up with) in a chronological order.
1) I start with a memory that isn't a 'Finnish' memory per se (Nor is it a chronological fit) but is a fond one just around my travel to Finland and is in memory of a favorite uncle.
I was little less than three then and was a 100% into an audio of nursery rhymes sung by yesteryear's 'sensation' in that genre, Preeti Sagar. I used to have it play to me (sometimes sing to me with 'Little Bo Peep' being my favorite) by my grandmother every night just to put me to sleep. Digressing from the topic in hand, another song that my grandfather played to me, especially when I was cross or just lachrymose, was K.L. Saigal's 'So jaa raajkumari'. If you listen to it now with fresh ears you will very likely find it cacophonous and weepy enough to bring even a peppy person's spirits down. But believe me, back then it worked wonders in calming me (Maybe I discerned a likeness or felt some kind of kinship; the singer and I share a similar nasal voice ;-) ). Although now it does make me weepy but for a whole different set of reasons. Returning to the story, I was flying to Helsinki with my mum that night and had reached the airport when it occurred to me that I had left my audio cassette back home. It was way past midnight, so the shops around had already shut down for the day and it was a good hour long drive to my place. My uncle who had come to see me off rushed back even before the meek demands of 'Makka zai" had crossed my lips. And huffing and puffing did he return within two hours, to outstretched arms and a beaming face showering him with kisses.
I was little less than three then and was a 100% into an audio of nursery rhymes sung by yesteryear's 'sensation' in that genre, Preeti Sagar. I used to have it play to me (sometimes sing to me with 'Little Bo Peep' being my favorite) by my grandmother every night just to put me to sleep. Digressing from the topic in hand, another song that my grandfather played to me, especially when I was cross or just lachrymose, was K.L. Saigal's 'So jaa raajkumari'. If you listen to it now with fresh ears you will very likely find it cacophonous and weepy enough to bring even a peppy person's spirits down. But believe me, back then it worked wonders in calming me (Maybe I discerned a likeness or felt some kind of kinship; the singer and I share a similar nasal voice ;-) ). Although now it does make me weepy but for a whole different set of reasons. Returning to the story, I was flying to Helsinki with my mum that night and had reached the airport when it occurred to me that I had left my audio cassette back home. It was way past midnight, so the shops around had already shut down for the day and it was a good hour long drive to my place. My uncle who had come to see me off rushed back even before the meek demands of 'Makka zai" had crossed my lips. And huffing and puffing did he return within two hours, to outstretched arms and a beaming face showering him with kisses.
At his daughter's wedding; the last time ever I laid eyes on him
(Mangalore, Karnataka; 14 November, 2010)
The last trip we took together
(Bekal Fort, Kerala; 18 December, 2009)
For my Bappa, K.N. Rao (1952-2011)
P.S: Love you and miss you Bappa; Mangalore trips aren't the same anymore. I always look around for you even at the slightest hint of tobacco whiff in the air!
2) At the age of two, my mum tutoring me every night about the animals that inhabit the African continent, from a giant orange colored book titled 'Africa'. And the photo of an okapi in particular. Not many people are aware that an animal called okapi exists in our animal kingdom!
3) A kind lady (total stranger) buying me an ice-cream while boarding a boat with my mum. I was little above two; I remember the smiling face pulling my cheeks and chattering in unintelligible Finnish (or was it Russian, Mum?) :)
4) At the age of three, telling my mum that a couple of ladies on the bench beside us were not speaking Finnish. It actually turned out that they were conversing in Swedish. To this day my mum speaks about this incident not without bafflement.
(At the 'Small Lake'; 1985)
5) I have always loved dogs. I have had them as pets; had one around from the day I was born. But somehow I did not pet or cuddle that cute little poodle in the picture. The kind man kept egging me to pet and stroke the bundle of fur. But I just kept edging away. I remember feeling very sad and longing for another chance at petting him once they had walked away. It really was a dear little thing with soulful eyes!
For the next set of memories, keep an eye out for my third post! :)
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