Long long ago…
Sachita of My Catharsis has asked me to recount my earliest memory. I thought long and hard. I am not sure which of these actually happened and which are just figments of imagination based on hearsay from my mom and dad. Anyways what I mention below actually happened and might as well pass for my earliest memory without aid from my mom 🙂
I must have been either three or four. My mom can correct me when she reads this. I was seated in one of the two thinnais (concrete ledges set against the wall) that framed the front entrance to our home in Saibaba Colony in Coimbatore. I remember sitting with my legs outstretched since I was leaning back and there was not enough of me to bend and hang over the ledge. My bro was holding the veyli (steel wire fence that was not barbed) and looking at the road. I remember calling out to him and saying “Odi va. Odi va..”. Unlike the smart ass he is now, he actually did respond to my call and ran to me. Remember I was little and he was even smaller. Must have been around one and half. He was just the height of the thinnai and in his eagerness to come rushing he ran hard and banged his forehead on the thinnai. Right in front of me. I remember screaming. I remember my mom, my granddad and my dad I think. After that things get blurry. I remember a lot of blood. I remember appa rushing with him over the shoulder, his shirt bloody. They all came back a few hours later. My bro had his head bandaged. I remember getting yelled at. For the longest time, I would look at the scar on his forehead and feel very sorry for him. I think he still has the scar.
Thanks Sachita for “tagging” me. It was fun thinking of and putting it down in words. Of course, I would love to hear from the following people about their earliest memory.
Akay, Madhuram, UL, Bavani, Spillay, Suman, Rads, Mads, Arch Ravi, Anila, Apar, AparnaSTrichy, Abinaya, SmallTalk, Just Someone, Deepa Palat, Anamika, Mitr, Rekha, Usha, Nita, Roop, SIG, Madhu Sirisha, SK, Rupa, Srividya, Aarathi and Manchus.
And of course anyone else who wants to take this up and have fun with it.
Family Kovai Life Memories nostalgia Earliest Memory nostalgia
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Lakshmi Iyer 
will try and ping back to the post…though it will involve a lot of thinking especially not trying to get help from amma 😀 But good one to keep me from thinking other depressing stuff 😉
Hey.. Thanks for tagging me. That’s a first. I will pingback once I’ve decided on which memory.
Honored at the call 🙂
One of my earliest memories traces back to when i was in my Bala Vihar aka Play School.The Ravi Rickshaw I used to go toppled over in C sector and I remember falling down.When I returned back almost unhurt that day I was greeted by all the Aunties in neighbourhood treating me with choclates and enquiring how it happened.
Things that affect us at such an impressionable age! Thanks Laksh, will put it up as a blog post this weekend.
Once while playing I obstructed my sister’s way with my foot, she toppled and broke her teeth. After 15yrs, she still has to go to dentist once every 2yrs to get it right 😦
My earliest memory is probably arnd the time my sister was born. I was 4.5 years old and was in Chennai staying with the my periamma. We were to meet my mom and sis at the hospital. I was in a pool of tears when she wanted me to cross the road. The blaring bus horns, the incessant noise of engines droning and the heavy traffic scared me to hell. Clutching the elbow of my periamma and the palm of another cousin tight, I did cross the road with nervousness finally. I vaguely recall wearing a red floral frock and pleading with periamma to take me either in an auto or a rikshaw. I couldn’t convince her. We went by walk and met my sister for the first time. She was all wrapped up in a white cloth with just her face uncovered. I least felt she looked like an indian baby and thought god wrongly gave us a Russian baby!
My mom was talking only to me, asking me so many questions on how it felt to be away from her. I recall answering all her questions but she didnt know I had so many questions abt this new person! I didnt bother to shoot them out to her either.
After spending 45 mins with them, we decided to head back home. What a surprise!!! My periamma treated me with a diary milk chocolate and to add to the surprise we went back home in a motor rickshaw!!!
Thanks for taking it up. Though I did suspect this tainted with blood memories. Such incidents always leave a mark.
I can readily recollect my earliest memory Laksh. I’ll send you a mail.
Hey! I am tagged… this is a very FIRST for me…
One of my earliest memories is me sitting in the concrete front porch picking up something from the floor and putting it into my nose, my mom panicking and rushing to the hospital. ( I was breathless for a minute or so, I vaguely recall, not too sure of that) I was just about going to be 3:):) – my mom still talks about it and she says it still sends a shiver down her spine!
Another one is when my sister was born, I was older and I remember going to the hospital in my uncle’s scooter standing in front, clutching a lolipop, not exactly knowing what to expect! I remember that day quite clearly! How she looked and I even recollect what she was wrapped in and a few details of the hospital room. Lots of other events even later, I hv no clue, but this stays in mind!:)
Oops! sorry – too long! thanks though, took me back to those years!
Wow I have been tagged :), this is my first one. Will post it on my blog. Thanks for tagging me laksh
Mine is up too…:)
Oh Laksh… I too feel sorry for your bro . My earliest memory..Oh its way too hard and tough than I thought…but thanks for tagging me and motivating me to post about this.. it will up by the start of your day.
My earliest on my blog. 🙂
The tag post:)
@Apar: Was nice reading your entry. Thanks for taking this up.
@Rekha: Waiting to read your entry.
@Abinaya: I can totally picture the entire incident. Sure must have been nice.
@Suman: Definitely looking forward to reading yours
@Satish: Ahh! I know the pain of guilt. Poor you and your sis! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
@AparnaS: Amazing how much of the environment and the details we remember right? Pretty vivid description. Thanks!
@Sachita: Tell me about it. I am usually not queasy about blood but this incident is something I will carry to my death.
@Madhuram: Waiting for your email.
@JS: The image of you in a scooter with a lollipop in hand is cute 🙂
@Mads: Where is the promised post? 🙂
@UL: Saw it. Very nice!
@Deepa: Is yours up? I did not see it.
@SmallTalk: Saw yours too. very nicely done.
@JS: Will check it out asap.
My first memories up on the blog, Laksh.
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
Finally I wrote the post. Sorry for the delay.