Nostalgia: '84-'87

I was born in American Hospital, Nellore, AP (my mom's village 'Damaramadugu' is 10kms from here) on 1st June 1984 (Friday) arnd 8.30am. This is enough for you to get a horoscope made for me i guess. lol.

My father had been working in Madras (now, Chennai) since '76. My mom also shifted after her marriage in '82 (she finished her degree and then moved in '83). So eventhough I was born in Nellore, virtually I have been in Chennai for the first 13 years of my life without vacational visits to Andhra.

I dont remember too much of these first three years of my life but my parents keep reminding about some things which happened:

• My first birthday party: Cake from the Taj - thanks to Hong Kong mama (my father's close friend). I guess that was my biggest b'day party for about a decade.
• We used to live in Raja annamalaipuram till '87. It was an independant house with us in the ground floor and the house owners above us. They were Telugu and there were 2 thathas who were very fond of me (both of them are no more), esp., the younger of the two. He used to teach me a lot and I guess what I grasped then are still embedded in me at a sub-conscious level. It seems I was very fond of cocunuts which grew in the compound.
  
• My mom's uncle also was amoung my early teachers. He passed away in '87. Eventhough I was too young to know him vividly, I still remember a few moments I spent with him. He was a great man. Equally great was my father's father who passed away before I was born. Both were farmers but valued education a lot.
• Indira Gandhi was shot 3 months after I was born.

As mentioned before we shifted our house in '87 close to my first school 'Sir M Venkatasubba Rao' where I studied till 8th. My first days at school were horrible. I think for a month or so, I kept returning home early crying like mad.

Rest in next blog.