Why Part 2? Because after my 3rd and my sister's 1st standard we moved from Kalayan East to Kalyan West. This town was bigger and we changed school too. Our new school - Holy Cross Convent was closer to our home - Jairam Apartment - both at karnik road. We had to undergo written test to get the admission - and though difficult we wanted to be in Holy Cross and not Old Lourdes because the school had playground with slides and sea-saw! My parents wanted us to get admission there as it was the best school around! As we grew up, it was fun and interesting to speak of and have rivalry between both schools - 'Jo Jeetha wahi sikhandar type' - Ours being Girls only school and theirs mixed,things were interesting.
New school and new friends when in 4th and my first friend there was Saritha Naik, who helped me complete Akkad Bakkad Bambey Bo today after nearly 30 years in Facebook...Not sure if she remembers that. As we moved to secondary school Saritha went to different class and Juhi joined. Also there was Smitha whose sister Rakhee was in the same standard as my sister. So untill Smitha moved to Thane she was my best friend and then Juhi. Loved the visits between our houses, combined studies and cycle races. How we used to spend sooo much of time....over petty things one instance being writing - 'The best way out of difficulties is through it!'
Enjoyed the morning assembly, republic/independence day celebrations, annual day, sports day, singing/dancing competitions, elocution competitions and dramatic competitions. Annual picnics were real fun. It was good to have holiday on Thursday and Sundays. With Karate classes on Thursday. As I was trying to cope with my studies, my sis was more into extra curricular activities and had her own group in her class called 'standing committee' and was friendly with my batch mates too. Weather it be Table Tennis with B.Priya or song drama with Preetha Shenvi - Na doctor benega main, Na engineer benega - Actor kha beta hoo main actor he banega. But ya, learning various knots and going for camps was fun when in guide; we had some schoolies opting Social Service and LTS as well.
Still remember Vani was my great motivator, who would praise me for all small things. There was the naughty group of Michell-Mansi-Monica. Always wondered how Mich could be an all rounder pleasing teachers and every one with her sweet voice and poetry and being around with fun loving girls! Not sure if Bhakti was in that group - but Bhakti and Mansi sat behind me. Prathiba for her Aplam-Chaplam and other dances though she topped every class, Kirti being the school captain and best student, Payal for her blue skirt/lovely dimples-she was the Aamir Khan of our class. Mithali Kini for her - My heart is beating. Natasha for her Pooja Butt look and tom boy styles; Anushka/Pinki/Sailakshmi/Soni and Jaya for their studiousness, Shilpa for her - Rukhey sabh khi kadam, Tara rum pum pum - Koyi aisa geeth gaya karo. Aish for her various songs and style and friend circle with Sana, Thanusree and Sibi. Sibi not only for her question on Pride and Prejudice, but also because she was the daughter of Tilak Uncle who was Panku Uncle's friend. Don't know why and how most of the time, I ended up using her sister Simi's books - who was teased as Pinky/Pinky. Where-ever it was mentioned 'he' in any civics text, simi would have added 'she' near it. We had common friends who left HCCS before completing school to UP - Sajitha and Sunitha; all of us used to meet in one person or others house. Shilpa Talim for her smartness, Sheetal for her handwriting, Prachi for her Shortput, Monika/Krupali being our Gujju Bean, Incia for her style and Bihari dance and Rittu Matta too for her experiments.Don't believe how goregous they have grown up into. There were 3-4 kavita's all sweet in their own way, 2 Mitalis both different in all the ways, 2 Sindhu's, 2 Priya's the neutral silent leader then and now - Sabina.
How studious I felt wearing spects when in 5th; and most teachers did like me - especially Prasanna Miss - don't know why there was a special bonding between us, and she even called on my sisters wedding. Jessi Miss and Lalitha Miss liked my mother and used to advice us especially 'Chinticha Andham illiya, chintichillengil kundam illiya'. Loved Annie Miss's handwriting and Geography classes, Almeda Miss's English classes - for some reason felt proud to have a teacher like her and still do. Sister Mercy both Junior and Senior. There was and is a special place for both of them, one being our headmistress and others advice - which I always carry with me - 'Simple living and high thinking'; did enjoy her Value Education classes as well. There was just one special class by Sr. Mercy - Senior; in which I fell giddy, and slept in the last row - on a Thursday holiday. Our craft and drawing teacher - Bharathi; our PT teacher. Somehow felt sorry about Vikshalakshi miss and loved Beena miss and her stories. Because of the hard work I had been putting to learn Hindi and Marathi - Nigam miss, Geetha Miss, Gokaley Miss and Luis Miss are always fresh in my mind - I ofter used to say MeeraT/Marathi to boost my interest in the subject. Sr. Neeta, Sr. Jaya and Sr. Ranet would always be remembered for their History. All of us used to admire Alice Miss's hair and on asking her what she used she said Johnsons soap! and Oman Miss was a terror for all. For a short time we had P.T.sir instead of miss - all comedy.
How difficult it was to get marks in those days and anything between 75-85% was excellent/distinction; unlike now where every one gets above 90% and all A+. We cried and felt proud to get hold of a bicycle - Thanks to Amma for getting us one with the tight budget with which she had to handle things, and for achan/John and Santhosh for helping us learning how to ride.
Still remember how I cried on 15th February 1992 as it was our school farewell day! Glad that we could all meet again thanks to whatsapp and the advancement in technology. But now no more Akkad Bakkad Bambey Bo solve our problems!
We had our neighbour Rajshree who was of my age but used to go to a Marathi Medium School; so we started enjoying that language and learning it. In our building there were 3 Maharastrian's, 3 Goan's and only one Malayali - us. On feast day of our school, my sister participated in 'Feast Day Greetings' song, and it was there my mother met John's mother - and we become family friends - which grew stronger as we grew up. It was this year when in 4th standard, I read my first story outside school syllabus from Women's Era (is'nt it too ealy for a girl in 4th standard to read women's era even now?) - the story still lingers 'The naughty girl'. My father used to bring magazines from his office library. For me hindi and marathi were tough in new school and found it difficult to catch up with. For which I was always scolded by Rajani Miss, Lathika Miss. Because parents wanted us to excel my mother send me for tuition's to Saroj Miss's house for Hindi and marathi though she used to take tuition for 25-30 children for all classes. Saroj Miss & Anita Rane of Lourdes school where good friends of my mother - the latter still is and the former is no more. Had been there for four years with Shailesh and Ashwin.
We did not leave behind every one from St. Judes. Sindhu, Indu and Sreeram had come to west; Sindhu Menon being in the same school as me, but Indu and Sreeram going to Lourdes. Also there was Sreechand and Smitha children of my mother's school friend from Kerala - See the world is so small - You do not know whom we meet where! Then they were happy just one friend meeting at one place - but today we have reunions in US, Canada, UK, Kerala, Mumbai, and all across the globe - We are connected - Still we belong to one family!
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