~Take me home~

Went yesterday to my cousin's daughter's birthday. She's grown to her 6th year milestone this year. All the while I was there, she was gushing with the minute details of her month long vacation at our hometown. While driving back home I could not help but go through the memories of my visits there.

Its been one year now since my last visit after a hibernation of 8 long years. Earlier we (dad, mom, me and sis) used to go religiously every year. It was one of the few things I looked forward to along with the summer vacations. The spirit of adventure at that time could not have been any better in any other place for my age.

Going to our hometown was like going back into time. Playing in the muddy slush of the paddy fields, bathing by a small stream, catching a few fishes with obscene contraptions (obscene because I used to be naked, while using the towel to filter out the fishes from the water!). They had all kinds of domesticated animals in the houses we went visiting. Cows, dogs, hens, duck and cats to name a few. And if I was lucky to lay my hands on the young ones of these, I would spend the entire day carrying them around. A few chicks actually died due to my rough handling (my grandfather told me later that a chick's body temperatures is less than humans, so one should not hold them long). Got bit by a dog, mauled by a cat and kicked by a calf. Climbed all kind of trees. In short, did all the wildest things within that one wonder month. But I was a kid then..

As time flew, I joined engineering college and after that the visits came to an abrupt end. While I was at college my grandfather and grandmother expired, so by the time I passed out there was nothing to go back to. Getting a long leave in a s/w firm is a tough ask, also used up the few leaves we get for local adventure. Dad still used to go once every year, but not me. I know I was lousy pig all those eight years, until last year.

Yesterday after seeing the twinkle in my niece's eyes I felt a strong urge to revisit my ancestral house again. Old memories have started haunting me, my roots are calling me again, and By-God I will go back once again and keep going back again and again.

If not this year then definitely next year...