MY LIFE JOURNEY-INCIDENTS AND FACTS (6)

6. PRE-COLLEGE DAYS - HOLIDAYS AND INTEREST IN MOVIES

Passing SSLC, in pass class also, those days, was considered a great achievement.  Except for some enquiries from relatives and friends,  for comparing my performance with their near and dear ones,  this event just went off with small token celebration in my house.  Those were the times, we could not afford to distribute even small chocolates, and all my friends and well wishers were found to be in the same category, hence this did not bother me at all.

In a week or so, I was in heaven along with my fellow students on getting the marks card and was going everywhere showing it to relatives and friends. 

There was a long period of break of about 2 months after SSLC for my college career to take off.  I had already made up my mind along with my friends to join Government Pre-University College, which was functioning in the same premises as the high school where I passed out SSLC.  Unlike other prominent colleges like MES and National College, the admission in this government college was open to all without any discrimination between 1st, 2nd and pass class in SSLC.  Further the admission fee was very nominal and freeships  for the entire year were awarded to poor students who could produce certificate of income of parents issued by State Revenue Department. Neither my Parents nor other family members interfered in my decision of choosing the college. 

We had not heard of photocopying or xerox then, and all that we were doing was to  buy printed proforma of mark sheets and other forms (by paying  5 paise per form) and fill the same,  go get gazetted officer's signature who would sign at their convenience after comparing with the originals.  I remember to have spent too many days in getting gazetted officers' signatures, sometimes even begging them.  Many times I was at the receiving end from these officers, as it was  considered a free service and over it,  an act of charity, and I had no choice then.

Spending 2 months of holidays was a big issue and almost 80% of my friends had already gone to their native villages to spend their time with their relatives.  However 8-10 of us had no such privileges as we had no one in our native places to visit (by 1975 most of my relatives from Kanakapura, except few aged,  had relocated to Bangalore).  So our attention started diverting towards bio scope cinema posters pasted on walls at every nook and corner of Malleswaram. Soon we started to stand before the cinema theatres in groups (especially Geethanjali Theatre in Malleswaram and Navrang in Rajajinagar) watching the current running cinema posters and forthcoming movies and listening to comments from elderly groups and black marketeers who also used to be there.  These were the most enjoyable moments in our lives.  At home too, with keen interest, I used to listen to film stories from my eldest brother.

During my childhood days in Kanakapura, I had accompanied  my mother for watching 2-3 movies, but I could not continue with much  interest in Bangalore for many years (except seeing some cinema ads in dailies).  However, during these holidays, after watching cinema posters and listening to stories changed all that.  After repeated requests, my brother sponsored me with just a rupee to watch a movie at a dilapidated theatre called GAJANANA, then located in Yeshwanthpur.  My entire group of 10 walked to Yeshwanthpur and watched a black and white kannada movie starring Dr.Raj Kumar.  Though it was a black and white move, the superb acting of Dr.Raj Kumar with his social messages like respecting parents, elders and society, entered deeply inside my heart and we could relate him to us. We could not think of anybody comparable to his acting, language and dialogue delivery.   In no time, we all became fans of this great actor, who hailed from a humble background and had studied just upto 3rd standard,  became a recipient of Doctorate from Mysore University and various major awards.  Added to his superb acting skills, he was a classical singer too and is the only  lead actor till date to win national award for best singing. His simple living style in real life (white dhoti and shirt) made millions of fans worship him.  His acting style and social message conveyed in epic movie BANGARADA MANUSHYA (which ran for 2 years continuously to packed houses) has made thousands of youngsters stop making  way to cities for employment and instead taking up work in their abandoned agri-fields. This Ajaata Shatru passed away in 2006 after 5 decades of acting career, with crores of people bidding tearful farewell to this great human being.  He was and is fondly remembered as ANNAVRU (elder brother) in Karnataka. He was kidnapped in year 2000 by forest brigand Veerappan and kept as hostage for 107 days.

I have watched most of his movies released since 1975  in Geethanjali, Navrang and Cauvery theatres,  and pre-1975 black and white movies during their re-runs in theatres like Himalaya, States,  Prabhat  and Kempegowda.  Third class tickets, which we  referred as gandhi class, used to cost us just rupee 1 and if it happened to be a morning show,  about 75 paise. Later theatres like Geethanjali, Himalaya, Prabhat, Kempegowda, Sagar and many more have paved way for huge shopping complexes.  At the same time, I had oppotunities to watch 3 english movies in an old theatre called Vijayalakshmi in Balepet, and the best of these movies was Three Commandments.  Later, this theatre also went into history books.

In the morning times of this holiday period, we all used to assemble near my house (I stayed in a main road called Sampige Road, near 18th Cross), and start loitering around cinema theatres and main roads of Malleswaram.  Geetanjali Theatre, Sampige Road, Malleswaram Circle and 8th Cross were the major attractions.  Some in the group, sometimes with small changes, were able to feed the group with groundnuts or biscuit powders, which were available dead cheap.  What electronic news channels broadcast their news now, we were doing the same in those years of middle 1970s as we used to gather news by either having seen the happenings or through hearsay.  Our network was so strong those days that within an hour of any news breaking and with ourselves adding something more to it (called masala), all the households would come to know of it very fast.  Like today's electronic news media, most of the contents were far from reality, but that did not dither us from continuing with it.  We were the actual shopping directory of Malleswaram and to some extent Majestic area.  Having seen most of  Malleswaram, we could give information on anything and everything from eateries/shops/establishments and about their timings and holidays instantly to any body free of cost.  The intention was only to throw out information from our storage and keep our hard disk free for further inflow.

We also had the habit of visiting famous temples in Malleswaram like Mahaganapati Temple, Sri Ramamandira, Kaadu Malleswara Temple, Rayara Matas (1 in east park road and the other in swimming pool extension), Circle Maramma Temple, Maramma Temple, Venugopalaswamy Temple, Muneswara Temple to name some. The earliest Ayyappa Temple in Bangalore was functioning in a small shop on Sampige Road, near 18th Cross (opposite my house) before moving into a new temple complex nearby sometime in the latter half of 90s or beginning of 2000. In those days of 1971-76, A HMT employ (if my memory is correct) already a Gurusamy then, was opening and conducting poojas in this temple only during evenings. I have never missed prasadam in this temple for 6 years between 1971 and 1976 especially during November-January period.   Malleswaram was/is also home to Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt, Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt.  In the recent years, several new temples and Mutts have come up like Shirdi Sai Temple and Sringeri Mutt (branch). There was a  Shirdi Baba Temple functioning in a old shop on Sampige Road, near 6th Cross, and I remember to have participated in Bhajans on many occasions in 1970s.

While few of the yester year eateries/shops/establishments are still continuing with their businesses like Janata Hotel, CTR (now Sri Sagar), Uma Bakery, Girija Stores, Popular Medicals, Uma Bakery,  Asha Sweet Centre, Veena Stores to name some (omission of any shop is not intentional), others have either closed down their operations or in the name of development made way for shopping complexes.  However, landmarks like Malleswaram Asoociation, Malleswaram Society, Gandhi Sahitya Sangha, Seva Sadhan are some still going strong.  Huge showrooms and hotels are now dotting crowded Malleswaram, which was a very peaceful and wonderful place to live then.

Besides the above, during these holidays, we were able to see some Ranji Trophy and local cricket matches played in KSCA and Malleswaram grounds respectively and listen to commentary (both test matches and ranji trophy).

COMING UP - EMERGENCY, PRE-UNIVERSITY DAYS, EARN WHILE YOU LEARN 

 

MY LIFE JOURNEY-INCIDENTS AND FACTS (5)

5. HIGH SCHOOL YEARS

With sports interest especially on cricket taking over studies from 1972 to 1975, from an attentive student I turned into an average student.   Due to demonstration effect, our wants started increasing day after day and meeting these was not possible for our parents, we became rather restless and looked for opportunities elsewhere.  

I passed 8th standard  (high school 1st year in April 1973 at Govt. Boys High School, Malleswaram 18th Cross) with good marks in the class examination, in the same fashion as did in 7th Standard public exams in 1971-72 academic year (Middle School).  

Soon in the 9th standard, bunking classes regularly became the habit as our attention was very fast diverted to other activities (due to demonstration effect as said earlier) like playing games (especially cricket), watching cricket matches in Central College/KSCA grounds, stealing fruits from house compounds (as most of the houses in Malleswaram had huge huge trees of Guava, Jamoon, chikku, mango, custard apple, chakkota, gooseberry), swimming in sankery tank etc. I became an expert along with other school friends in climbing compounds, trees, swimming etc.  However, we were reaching home at regular school leaving time so our parents could not doubt us.  Even teachers were losing their grip on many students.  As said elsewhere the teaching upto 8th standard was superb.  Teachers were also happy to see that mischievous and trouble making students were kept away for completion of  portions (now called syllabus) in time.  Those days, there was no such thing like teachers-parents meet; however some times we were asked to take our parents to class teacher.  This was not enforced strictly, so were escaping this scrutiny easily.  Attendance was not an issue at all, as the roll was called only at the start and no where in the beginning/middle of any of the 7 periods of 45 minutes each from 10.30 AM to 4.30 PM (4 in the morning session and 3 in the afternoon session).  

I remember hilarious moments we had in our Hindi classes then.  Our Hindi Master was already on the verge of retirement, had the habit of closing his eyes for most of the time while delivering his lecture/explaining the subject.  90% of Hindi classes used to be scheduled for the afternoon last period session. At the commencement of the class, one could see some 30 students in the class, but after 10-15 minutes when the master opens his eyes, he would find only 10-12 students.  Though the class was conducted in the first floor of the school building, we had the expertise of jumping from window to the ground by removing window steel bars.  This Hindi Master was so jovial and down to earth person, punishment received from him was nice advise and good hindi story telling in our mother tongue.  Though it was a Hindi class, we hardly used the same as we were conversing only in our mother tongue.

Many times, we were handed punishments by other teachers  and on numerous such occasions, for no mistakes of ours.  Punishments received for genuine mistakes were very few as most of the teachers could understand our living conditions and express solidarity with us.  However,  I cannot forget the severe punishments meted out to us by an english teacher, whose name I do not wish to make public now.  He was punishing us for reasons like not wearing proper uniforms, not wearing slippers, not bringing proper text books/note books, pens etc. (which we could hardly afford much).  His punishment was so severe (he was using  home/scooter key bunch to hit and injure our palms and fingers) and we were bunking his classes many times fearing his heavy handedness.  Unlike the present days, except for fixing a nominal school fee, nothing was freely provided to us by the Government.

With whatever we have learnt and written in the final class examinations, all  of us (about 120 students from 4 sections) were promoted from 9th to 10th standard or SSLC in April 1974, (which was and is still considered as a stepping stone in a student's career).  That time,  there was a policy to promote the entire class with advisory to students from the Head Master/Class Teacher to concentrate on studies for future career etc.  

Till 9th standard we had one teacher for each subject and that changed in 10th standard with teachers for each and every branch of Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.  It was a first time experience for us then, as nowadays right from primary school,  we have teachers for each and every branch of science, mathematics, social science etc.

The studies in 10th standard began on a very positive note with all of us taking the advisory from the Head Master/Class Teachers seriously.  Except for NCC and playing cricket during lunch and after school hours, we devoted much of our time for studies.  For the first time, we were taught quite brilliantly about functioning of calling bell (through diagram and construction), travel of light, sound etc. So was  Pythagoras Theorem in Algebra. The teaching method was so refreshing, we had attended special classes on physics and Algebra (mathematics) to learn more of such things.  We found chemistry and biology  very difficult to understand as there was no lab facility in the school and these teachers were not accustomed to explain to us in local language Kannada, as done by the teachers of physics and maths. The other tough subject was English.  Though medium of instruction was English, we were understanding English if explained properly in our mother toungue Kannada. Our  mother tongue has played a great role in understanding the subjects properly.  Even today, mathematic calculations are done, and english (though proficient now) are understood by lot many people like me in mother tongue only.  

The seriousness shown by us in learning did make us deviate from engaging in other activities like bunking classes to studies.  Playing cricket/sports was restricted to evening and holidays only.  Parents too started showing up at schools to enquire about our progress.  Nearby public library (city central libray) was helpful to us in providing many reference books.  

The under preparedness in science (especially chemistry, biology and english) was bothering us too much and no help was forthcoming either from school or outside.  Even private tuition was very rare in those days.  With this background,  and praying to almighty, we wrote the public examination in March 1975. As already feared,  majority of us could not write confidently in science and english.

During the next one month of the examination, we visited most of the  temples in Bangalore (then not a very big city).   As the result day was fast approaching, fear started gripping and we had to face the reality.  As expected, the result day came in April, and that day due to fear, I had not woken up even at 8 AM and my father was seen asking me repeatedly as to why I had not gone to see the results.  With few of my friends came to my house (as we were staying just 2 minutes away from the school) to accompany, we made it to the school by 8.30 AM.  There was a mad rush to look for the results on the board.  While some were celebrating, others were seen crying.  I could understand the situation.  With lot of hesitation and fear, 4-5 of us went near the result board, by which time one more of my class shouted at me saying that I have passed.  With a sigh of relief and water coming out of my eyes,  I saw the board with my number appearing in just pass class.  All the other 4-5 who came with me had also passed out in just pass class.

Of the 115+ students (total students 120 - a couple of absentees), there were 2 students in 1st class category (with 60% + marks), 5 in 2nd class (between 51 and 60%) and the rest just pass class (35 to 50 %).  As anticipated, my scores in science and english were 35% (just enough to pass).  My family members were atlast happy to see me through, with my mother happiest of all.

This just pass class has taught us a very big lesson in shaping our career goals.  In the next 5 years that followed, we all converted our weakness into strength by hard studies.  There was no one to approach for any help in our further studies.  Life was not easy then and we had to look for opportunities/possibilities elsewhere to reach our goals.  We had understood fully about our household conditions, where it was difficult to eke out living with a single man's earning.  The time was when we were coming across Bangalore no-vacancy boards wherever you go as in today's no parking boards.

NEXT COLLEGE AND VERY HARD DAYS

MY LIFE JOURNEY - INCIDENTS AND FACTS (4)

4. INDIA-WEST INDIES TEST MATCH IN BANGALORE 1974-75

The cricket craze in India was at its peak after India's series win over England in 1971.  People were seen discussing cricket in every nook and corner of Bangalore (and it was the case throughout India).  It was a wonderful period listening to expert views and comments from elders and seniors wherever we went, be in ration shops, firewood and charcoal depos, hotels, flour mills, buses, parks, school etc.  We had the impression that time only cricket is important in life as the game has entered deep inside our daily life.  However, only one class viz., parents were there to remind us that studies were more important and only evenings were meant for any type of sports activity.  Regret to say that this advice did not go much inside our mind.

With so much of interest in cricket, I started watching  some ranji trophy matches played at Central College grounds, Bangalore.  Those days I was a part of a very big gang of cricket buffs in Malleswaram.  All that required that time was Re.1 as entry gate fee for squatters on the ground.  Some of the most memorable matches seen were Mysore vs Hyderabad, Mysore vs Tamil Nadu.  We had enjoyed every minute of these matches having seen with renowned players playing around like Vishwanath, Prasanna, Vijayakrishna, Vijayakumar, Raghunath, Chandra, Venkat, Kirmani, Jayasimha, Abid Ali, Bharat Reddy.  (Recently we lost Mr.Vijayakumar, who was Mysore's opening batsman and medium paced bowler.  RIP).  We had the expertise in reaching Central College grounds by walk/running with barefoot, as we were not even thinking remotely of any other way.  The entire gang of ours was in sync with this arrangement.  Some times, just to save gate entry of Re.1, we were taking an unauthorized entry by jumping compound wall through the cinema theatre "STATE', then a very old structure with its back compound to the Central College grounds.  With test matches becoming fewer and fewerr, our interest grew many folds in watching domestic ranji trophy matches from where budding cricketers were emerging. By 1972-73, the domestic cricket matches shifted to newly built KSCA Stadium (now Chinnaswamy Stadium).  We have watched many matches here that too under the scorching sun, as overheadcover/shelter came after many many years.  We enjoyed in those days the all round performance of left hander B.Vijayakrishna, and batting of Brijesh Patel (nick named Ranji Hero) the most as we could equate with them for their strong attacks and counter attacks, as per our expectations.

Incame 1973, and our State lifted the Ranji Trophy by beating Rajasthan.  Till then it was the monopoly of Bombay, which our team broke.  Erapalli Prasanna was the captain and the team had star players like Chandra, Vishwanath, Sudhakar Rao, Kirmani, Vijayakumar, Vijayakrishna and others.  We enjoyed those joyous moments to the full.    Those days, a ranji trophy match featuring Karnataka and Tamilnadu was attracting crowd of not less than 10000 people.  It is sad that today domestic ranji trophy matches are being played to empty houses (even with free entry).  Even live telecast of these matches have failed to attract the viewers.

1974-75 was the year we were looking for, when the first test between India-West Indies was scheduled to be played in Bangalore's KSCA stadium.  This was the first test match Bangalore was hosting and that too hosting cricket greats West Indies.  There was a mad rush for getting tickets as we witnessed for the first time people queuing up/sleeping overnight outside the stadium to get  tickets and watch the match they were dreaming for many years.  For 14 year olds  like me, radio was the only way to connect to the match.  However, to our surprise, there was an announcement on radio and in schools the decision of Bharat Electronics to put up OB Vans in different schools to show the live relay of the match to students at nominal fee, and our school was one of the few lucky schools in that list.  This was a black and white relay as colour was not heard of that time.  A large classroom was converted into  a standby auditorium covered with black cloth with a 20" TV to relay the match through OB van parked outside.

With my brother hosting, I got an entry pass with lot of struggle and fight with others. We were asked to assemble before the auditorium by 9 AM on the match day.  I could not sleep the whole night before.  Till 11.30 pm we boys in our cluster discussed about our plans and actions (especially carrying whistles and sound making things like bells etc. to make our presence felt) for the next day.  Taking food or eating it was never an issue to be discussed then.  Further security was not an issue at all.

Then came the match day.  I was ready by as early as 6 AM and ready to leave to the venue (just 2 minutes walk from my house).  However, I was allowed to leave only by 8.30 AM.  One can understand my enthusiasm and also anger at this holding back till this time.  It was as if sky was falling on me.  I was checking my entry ticket every now and then which I had kept in a plastic cover so as to keep it safe for 6 days (1 days rest including).  Finally I ran and reached the venue within a minute and saw there a huge gathering already, which made me restless whether I would get entry before the match starts at 10 AM.  I looked a small boy in front of that mad rush.  Someone was heard shouting that huge number of entry tickets have been issued without making proper seating arrangements to all.  This further added to my anger.  Further my height was also a drawback that time and I looked so short that time.  By pleading and squeezing through the crowd I entered the auditorium by 9.50 AM.  As I was not a youth, all my age group was made to sit on the floor.  It was a blessing in disguise, as we floor sitters had been seated within best viewing distance.  The TV was looking like a small  box for those sitting back, who were seen making all types of comments.

It was 9.55 AM and the telecast was still not on due to some technical issues, which were being attended to by BEL engineers.  In the meantime, a person carrying a transistor was shouting at the top of his voice that toss was delayed due to heavy overnight rains around the KSCA stadium and hence starting the match was delayed.  We were just 8 kms away from the stadium and did not have any rains overnight.  This behaviour of Bangalore rains remain the same even today.  Just imagine our position.  This was the 1st Test match in Bangalore and that too inside a brand new KSCA Stadium, where there was no proper underground facilities to drain water early then (The stadium was also not fully completed that time and the authorities have erected temporary thatched roofs over most of the stands).  It was named as Chinnaswamy Stadium many years later and has now boasts of having world class facilities. Nowadays it is a treat to watch any matches there.

Neither the match commenced till 12 noon nor the technicians could repair the fault till then. It was announced lunch through radio without a ball being bowled.  No information was available on pitch inspection, possible time of start etc. We were asked to go out for lunch and assemble again by 12.30 PM.  I did not go for lunch and stayed back with our boys. Having waited patiently, news came at 12.45 PM that match would commence at 1.30 PM, with West Indies having won the toss and chose to bat first.   I was in heaven listening to this, but it was still 45 minutes away and technicians were still repairing.  Soon they announced completion of repair work and they were set for relaying the match by 1.30 PM.  This was welcomed with huge applause and whistling.

When the 1st ball was bowled at 1.30 PM, we all jumped in joy as though something was achieved by us in life. This happened to be the shortest joy in my life as before the second ball was bowled, the relay on the TV started scrolling down continuously and we could neither see nor listen anything.  The technicians again at it but could not set right till the evening.  Our hope for getting it right on the second day was dashed by BEL announcing abandoning the remaining days relay due to major repairs.  This way our dream of watching a test match was shattered.  And again Radio came to our rescue.  Finally, India was comprehensively beaten by West Indies, but Bangalore always remember this match for a long long time as it gave the world Sir. Viv Richards, who started his career and hammered a fantastic century through this venue.

NEXT - COLLEGE AND BEYOND

MY LIFE JOURNEY - INCIDENTS AND FACTS (3)

3. SCHOOL DAYS - CRICKET,  SWIMMING, KITE FLYING ETC.

PLAYING CRICKET

As the saying goes, the poor have huge likings for sports especially in India and we were in sync with this.  A bat shaped wooden plank and a tennis ball were all that required to meet our wants.  Forgetting food and facing wrath of parents, we used to run for kilometres in barefoot to fetch these.  We have not forgotten the fact of standing in groups for hours near a sports and cultural association in Malleswaram for getting their used and discarded tennis balls.  Many parents including mine could be heard advising their kids that sports was not their area of activity, considering it was a rich man's game and also would come in the way of studies, as in their opinion, poor cannot survive without proper education (AND which turned to be true in majority of cases like mine).  

School outside walls and compounds got converted into wickets through brick markings.  Playing cricket before and after school hours became our regular routine, which activity was untiring even without proper food and rest, and reaching home only it turns dark.  Matches were played among ourselves betting pencils. We always ran barefoot in bowling action from home to school and  back, and enroute drank water directly from public taps of water supply board, which was so pure.  

All India Radio and Newspapers were the 2 sources of getting news about current affairs, sports and everything else happening in the country and abroad.  We believed blindly whatever the print media was publishing as true.  The Radio was actually the government's mouth.  Of the two radio stations, MW 1 would broadcast news,  and central and state government programmes, while Vividh Bharathi was meant for broadcasting music, soundtrack of cinemas etc.  People with SW facility could be seen listening to Radio Ceylon especially programme hosted by renowned Radio Jockey of that time Mr.Amin Sayani.  However, listening to SW was not easy due to bandwidth problems.  As cricket buffs, we had to patiently wait till the last minute of the news to hear anything about sports especially cricket.  This was the period between 1971-72 and 1974-75 starting with India's tour of England in 1971.

During those days AIR was broadcasting running commentaries of test matches where India was involved and domestic ranji trophy matches where Mysore (became Karnataka in 1973) was involved.  Most of our households did not have the luxury of owning any Radios at that time.  However, hundreds of cricket enthusiasts were seen on the streets with transistors hooked to their ears and we boys would follow them to listen to the score.  Unlike today, those transistor borne were so happy to mingle with boys of even half of their age in giving their expert comments on the game being played, as though we were in the playing field.  We were also gathering near hotels with radios for listening to running commentary.  Some of the times, we were so angry when AIR  stopped broadcasting the commentary to air any pre-announced programmes (which most of the time were so boring to listen).  Many times, we spent lot of time before these hotels for the commentary to resume.  Sometimes hotels were also resorting to switching off radio due to huge gathering before them.  We celebrated the golden moment of India winning in England when BS Chandrasekhar ran through England in Oval.  Our celebration was so much as if each of us has won the game (and fireworks were not required to do the same).   Nothing stopped us, not even having seen any matches,  in discussing in our age group how great players like Boycott, Dennis Amiss, Tony Greig, Mike Denness, Alan Knott, Chris Old, Vishwanath, Sardesai, Gavaskar, Pataudi, Chdndra, Prasanna, Venkat, Wadekar, Bedi and other greats play and how should should be playing.   These discussions were purely based on our understanding of running commentary. Commentary by Suresh Saraiya (and Tony Cozier during West Indies tour) was a treat to our ears as he was taking us almost to the cricket pitch as if we were playing there.  However others like Anant Setalvad and Baalu Alaganann were known for their common cold and cough and delayed commentary.

SWIMMING

The other regular activity during let off and bunking periods (as we were not giving any importance to Hindi and PT periods) was swimming in the then Gandhadakoti Kere (later christened Sankey Tank) and in a deep pond where the famous Chowdaiah Memorial Hall was constructed in the late seventies).  As we could not play cricket during these let off and bunking periods, we were diverting our activity to swimming. There was no restriction on entry to Sankey tank (as the word security was never heard then and at the most, it was watchman) where hundreds of households staying near sankey tank were also seen washing their clothes and side by side.  Most of us learnt swimming without any coaches and any spendings, except for some restrictions from parents.

KITE FLYING

Kite flying was also an other important sports activity we were engaged in those days.  We could watch affluent class children flying colorful kites using manja threads to cut other kites flying nearby them. Big fights used to take place between various affluent class gangs and have seen many times police interfering in settling the issues between them.  For us, leave manja thread, buying simple kite was not a possibility then.  Necessity to possess them and show our talent/creativity to the affluent class, we started making our kites using cooked rice as paste, news papers, coconut broom sticks, joining discarded threads etc. and were hugely successful in showcasing our creativity.

   

We also played other games like  Kabaddi, Lagori and chinni dand, but not significant though.

 

I do not remember any instance of falling sick in those days due to water borne deceases. Most of us have so many injury markings on our bodies even today reminding of the falls suffered during cricket playing/running/swimming/kite flying days.

We never had the privilege of any family doctors nor clinics we could go for treatment. But we had KC General Hospital and a Public Local Fund Dispensary in 8th cross, Malleswaram,  where doctors and compounders  were so humane, gentle and  very good in treating us free of cost.  Duly sterilized syringes were being used to inject the patients, as disposable syringes were unheard then.  

COMING UP NEXT - INDIA-WINDIES TEST MATCH IN BANGALORE -1974-75

MY LIFE JOURNEY - INCIDENTS AND FACTS (2)

2.  GENERAL ELECTIONS 1971 AND INDIA-PAKISTAN WAR

I was just  11 in 1971, studying in 6th Standard at Government Higher Primary School near Malleswaram Circle, Bangalore.  Having nominated in the school as a News paper headlines reader in school assembly, I gradually cultivated the habit of reading one of the leading local dailies viz. Prajavaani, which a was a household name.  My father was a subscriber to this daily.

As said earlier, I developed  the habit of reading headlines of this newspaper early in the morning so that I could read the same in school assembly properly.  After watching my father's keen interest in reading the daily in detail,  I too cultivated the practice of reading not only the headlines but also the content.  Though sports page was the attraction, in a very short time started understanding the contents of news related to politics and current affairs.  Those were the days, front page of the daily was usually meant to cover news of national importance and how the Government headed by Prime Minister Smt.Indira Gandhi was dealing with various issues. Smt.Indira Gandhi was powerful PM of the country and all the dailies used to praise her in handling the country.

  

I do not want to comment on the split in the congress party as I was a small kid then and do not wish to quote any speeches/statements made/of leaders of many political parties, as there is still no uniformity in singling out one key or particular issue which lead to split.  Except for Congress party (with cow and cough symbol) headed by Smt.Indira Gandhi, no other parties or their leaders were finding their presence in newspapers.  Even within Congress party, except for state leaders like Chief Minister Devraj Urs,  Kengal Hanumanthaiya, Veerendra Patil and few others, we were not aware of any other notable leaders of that time.  During this period, I heard my father talking about many big leaders both in congress and other parties, but I was not matured enough to understand all that.  All I could do was to read the newspaper with limited understanding about politics.  At that time, all I knew through news papers was Prime Minister Smt.Indira Gandhi, was very popular among the masses.

Smt.Indira Gandhi's visit to Bangalore

In 1971, general elections were announced and newspapers started to fill election related news in most of the pages.  Only then I came to know who our MPs,  MLAs and Corporators were.  With election and politics taking most of the newspaper's columns, I restricted my interest to reading sports page and happenings around the city thoroughly and just a glancing on other matters including current affairs.  This decision, I believe, did make me to concentrate on studies properly.  

Suddenly one day I came across a news item that Smt. Gandhi would be visiting Bangalore  for campaigning for the congress party in the lok sabha elections and she would be passing through a main road (Sampige Road) very near to where we were staying then.  I had only listened to my father, uncle and through newspapers many times about her personality.  Now I wanted to see her like thousands of others.  The D day came and I was at a vantage position (near Kaadu Malleswara Temple) along with my sisters at 1 PM. The place was already crowded. There was no announcement as to what time she would arrive and it was only a hearsay of some people about the approximate time.  Even some white dhoti people, who the crowd referred as leaders/party workers, had no idea about the arrival time.  After waiting for almost 5 hours, we went back home.  Soon someone was heard saying that she would arrive by 8 PM.   The craze to see her was such that again we all assembled at the same place by 7 PM and the crowd had almost doubled.  Again, except for some police jeeps making rounds, there was no announcement about her arrival.  Even the so called leaders/workers/followers  looked confused and people even started making fun of them.  The waiting continued and  finally she appeared at early hours 1.30 AM the next day with lot of security around her and what she did was zooming past us in few seconds without having any regard to people waiting patiently to see her for almost a day.  What I noticed further that day was the way so called second line leaders were not even allowed near her by her security.  Unlike present day, the security was not a concern at all as we had not heard other than policemen with lattis.  For the first time, we saw so many security men with rifles around her.  This incident is still in my minds as though it happened yesterday. For some time after this incident, except for sports, I stopped reading all other news in dailies and concentrated on studies.

(Soon elections were held and Congress party emerged victorious and our state Karnataka was in the forefront of getting most of the congress candidates victorious.)  

Then came my favourite sports activity ie. cricket as India was touring England for Test series.  This I would cover in my next post.

India-Pakistan War 1971

The most important event of 1971 was India-Pakistan War.  Pakistan was defeated and East Pakistan was liberated and a new country Bangladesh was born.  During this war period we depended wholly on newspapers, and whatever they published at that time, we believed in toto, as there was no way to verify the authenticity of the same.  However, state run (in fact) controlled All India Radio was  broadcasting hourly updates on the situation.  (It took people like me almost 20 years to understand this war period situation only when electronic media expanded).  

Bangalore, being a strategically important city, was considered  under the radar of the enemy country due to the presence of key defence establishments and manufacturing centres.  Hence, more emphasis was given to secure our city and we went into blackouts for many days.  As a tough measure, entire city households covered their window panes/glasses with black films and during night falling with no street lights, the city had the look of  a ghost city.  During day time, we could hear many planes taking off from Air bases near Bangalore.  Whenever any such sound was heard, people were seen exaggerating and spreading many rumours like attack on us etc.  People of my age group - 11 years, were so afraid and could not sleep for many days.  However, we were very very safe in Bangalore.  We salute the bravery of our soldiers and the grit and determination  of those living in border areas that time (and now).  We always have special place in our heart for patriotic and very brave soldiers from Punjab, who have been our first line of defence.

With Pakistan surrendering to India, having beaten, a new country Bangladesh (earlier East Pakistan) was born.  With this victory, Smt.Indira Gandhi emerged as the most powerful and popular Prime Minister of our country.

MY LIFE JOURNEY - INCIDENTS AND FACTS (1)

1. GROWING UP THROUGH GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS 

Year 1967, Month March.  Our family of eight (parents, 3 brothers and 3 sisters) moved from a small sleepy village/town of  Kanakapura (Kanakanahalli earlier) to Bangalore (a distance of about 60 kms).  This migration was necessitated due to

(a) Our eldest brother's completion of BSc. graduation and Bangalore was believed to be the the place for any employment opportunity to him and 

 

(b) My father was a cloth merchant dealing in both Kanakapura and Bangalore and had just closed down his operations at both places due to losses suffered.

As my father's business flourished during 1950s. we had the luxury of living in a spacious house in Kanakapura till we shifted to Bangalore in 1967 (and which we held in our possession till 1972).  However, all that changed due to my father's not so good financial health for reasons mentioned in (b) above, on shifting to Bangalore, we had to settle down for a small 1 room, hall, kitchen house in the then favourite locality called Malleswaram in Bangalore,  on a monthly rental of about Rs.25 and for a short period we stayed there, our family had to live most of the time at the mercy of owner of the house for using common facilities like  water  or electricity. 

It was the story of riches to rags for us. (We changed our residence too often (7 different places within Malleswaram), but the situation remained the same and in fact living conditions worsened in some.  The premium house we stayed was in a lined house (referred to 'Vataraas' in Bangalore), where for 6 row/opposite lane houses, all we had were 2 common loos.  Even with all the drawbacks we lived happily with our neighbours helping each other with whatever little we possessed, as money was never coming in the way of our contented life then. 

Shortly after arriving at Bangalore, except our elder brother, who had just completed graduation, all 5 of us children joined various schools and colleges in Malleswaram.  In the meantime, as expected, my brother started his employment career in Bharat Electronics Ltd. (PSU), although his salary was no where enough to support our large family. Hence, in order to meet our requirements, the house at Kanakapura was sold off in 1972 for a paltry sum.

Being the youngest of the issues and having just entered my 8th year on coming to Bangalore, I was admitted to a Government Primary School located near  Malleswaram Circle for 3rd standard by paying an admission fee of just 50 paise.  I studied primary education (upto 5th standard)  here and completed my 7th Standard from Malleswaram Government Main Middle School located in the same compound as primary school.

 
This place was a landmark area then surrounded with huge trees and play area with Malleswaram Police Station and KC General Hospital located just opposite.  The open huge playground overseeing the school premises was a treat to watch and play.  It continues to be a landmark area even today for different reasons, and  old timers find it difficult to digest.  Today except for the Main Middle School building, the open places have made way for a huge structures like SSLC Board and other government offices.  This place is now surrounded by huge traffic islands and a fully covered public play ground.  Even the old dungeon eatery opposite the playground "Hotel Moonlight" has undergone changes and has a modern appearance, the other one on Margosa Road "Central Tiffin Room" or simply CTR continues to have the same look and ambience, inspite of changing its name to "Sree Sagar"

For the high school, I was admitted to another landmark school ie.

Government Higher Secondary School for Boys at 18th cross, Malleswaram, a huge stone structure surrounded by gardens and  a very large playground.  Just 200 metres away there existed Gandhadakoti Kere (where one could see lined sandalwood trees during 1970s and 80s)) which has since been remodelled in the name of development and called  as Sankey Tank. We learnt and enjoyed swimming in this tank till 1975.   I passed out 10th standard (SSLC) in April 1975 from this school and joined Government Pre-University college opened newly in the same premises and passed out Pre-University in April 1977. (Now this place also houses among others Pre-University Board and Common Entrance Test Cell,  squeezing large open space).  For few years, while we were in this school/college,  a portion of this government school annexe building was given (whether on lease/rental, I am not sure, but given) to Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women, to function.  Most of the old timers are aware under whose influence/diktat this was given and whose name Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni was.  Students went on strike for some days and even went in procession to Vidhana Soudha against this decision, but the power that be was strong and successful in thwarting this strike. After some years, this college moved into their own premises right across the school road and is now a renowned institution.  This incident was buried inside the carpet in the latter part of 70s.

 

Only a couple of private schools and Colleges like Sharadha Vidya Niketahana, Malleswaram Ladies Association, Central School (later became Kendriya Vidyalaya), MES College and missionery schools like Stella Mary's and Cluny Convent were functioning then, where children from  sound economic background were studying.

The classrooms in our government schools and colleges above mentioned were so huge  with each room accommodating only a moderate strength of 30-35 pupils, as against 70-80 nowadays.  Neither was there any occasion we were asked about our caste by any teacher or school/college authorities nor we were interested in knowing the same from fellow students. Though I belong to what they now call as forward community, there was no occasion to either caste calling or discrimination whatsoever till I completed my pre-university. The teaching staff and teaching methodology was superb.  The teachers were so professional and used to take interest in all round development of students.  Disciplined learning was the order of the day.  We were encouraged to participate in inter school/college debates, sports and other extra curricular activities.  Though 90%of us were from economically poor backgroundand attending school without proper uniform and barefoot soldiers, there was no such thing existed as inferior complex.   Many teachers,  although they were not well paid  (as their salaries were revised upwards only in the 80s)  used to pay fees/examination fees of many poor students (though small amounts,  which many students could not even afford to pay), to make sure they attend school and examinations. I belong to one of these  groups and thank  broad minded teachers for their gesture.  

Joining NCC during the school years was more for that lure of break-fast in a hotel after parade hours costing 40 paisa.  Many of us had to wear uneven sizes of shoes and socks, as it was difficult to get uniform sizes and were punished by NCC officers for the same.  This was the one area, which the government school authorities those days, could not manage properly. Physical Training (PT) was another area, where we were not taught properly about its importance, due to which PT and PT Master were never taken seriously by us and majority of us had developed the art of escaping this period.

Every year through our journey in the school, School Days were conducted, starting with a speech by a chief guest for the ocaasion followed by  various Arts and cultural programmes presented by students.  The most boring and punishment part here was chief guest's lenghty speech, and our age group was not tuned to listen to such speeches with attention. Added to this, students were made to sit on the ground for many hours.  Even today, I do not remember any chief guests, their speeches or their contents. 

Annual Saraswathi Pooja celebration by each and every class before the final examinations was a must those days to pray Goddess Saraswathi and bring out the hidden talents of students.  Here too, all the students were seen participating as one with teachers and Head Master advising and blessing the students.  In today's world, this looks very remote.

I would like to bring other true stories in my next post.  Please read the posts and encourge me to bring in more such facts.