Gleaming, Ringing Raleigh

My dad had a black Raleigh bicycle. Every weekend he would clean and oil it and keep it in top condition. Even after many years of use on the rough Indian roads, it was in great shape and looked new. Father would always test the bell..I remember the sound to this day.

When I went to IIT my dad bought me a used Raleigh bike as well- this was a green one. I used it for five years and then brought it back home.

Spending time with Lucy

Everyone in our family is fond of the Lucy Show. My dad was also hooked and he would watch it anytime it was on. We did not have many sitcoms at the time, but this was very good. When I was at IIT it used to air on Sunday mornings.

Going to our grandparents' village

When I was in school, the best part of summer was going to our native village. We would first go to Nellore, where our father grew up. The we would go to our village, home of our mother and her parents. The village was only a couple of miles from the Ocean. It was a truly amazing setting, with coconut and palm trees everywhere. Some years, my father would be on a tour and he would come to the village in his Jeep. This was always a big deal, and all the local children would come to see it. My father was greatly loved in the village, and he was a favorite of his mother-in-law. It was a great experience- the joy of childhood.

Rolling up Half sleeves

I always remember father wearing half sleeved shirts. Of course, being in Hyderabad, it made perfect sense. The funny thing is that I am always wearing full-sleeved shirts. When I was at IIT, I used to wear Kurtas which were also full-sleeved. Perhaps I felt that my arms were rather thin, or I wanted to look formal, or both- I have always dressed fully. Of course when I run I am often wearing T-shirts and tank tops and shorts. Father used to wear shorts when playing table tennis with me or when cleaning around the house.

Da(r)d

As the song "Na Jane Kya Hua" from Dard is playing in the background, I am winding down my day and thinking about the music I enjoyed with my father. I re-discovered an old song by Mukesh and Lata - "Ibddaye Ishq Mein Hum" (I had thought it was Suman Kalyanpur, but my brother set me right). My father had songs from Aradhana- Na Hrudayamulo nidurinche cheli- was a favorite of mine. I had memozied its lyrics. Another favorite of mine from my father's collections was 'Atu panupu itu nuvvu."This was a wonderful composition by Master Venu. My dad had a great fondness for rhythm, something I also inherited.

Dad'd Favorite Foods

My dad had a sweet tooth, and he loved sweet stuff. Mangoes,especially the kind called Banginapalli, were his favorites. He also liked a type of bananas that were very sweet. His favorite prepared desserts were laddu and mysore paku. One of my favorite memories of desserts is having Tutti Frutti or Vanilla Ice Cream at Hav-Mor in Hyderabad after we got our report cards at the end of the school year, in April.

North Indian Food

My dad and mom spent many years in Northern India. My mom was telling me today that my father would eat chapatis a lot in Northern India. As my parents lived in tents, they had a cook who would make the meals. My dad would always invite his friends to eat at our place.