Today, I don't exactly remember what's there in my dream; I woke up with a smile, with hints of shy. But I could remember that I was a little kid in that dream. And soon, my thoughts were filled with those days, when I was nothing but everything, innocent but too clever, in a small world that I lived in. So I thought, why not pen them down and see how far I can go? and here I'm, with traces of the earliest footprints of my life.

Whatever the record I have of this period, that is 0 - 5 years of age, most of it is what my mother, relatives and neighbours told me what I was then. Following are the bits I could gather.

Even to this day, when I'm home, all of them say just one thing in common, "ముట్టుకుంటే మచ్చ పడేలా ఉండే వాడివి, ఇలా అయిపోయావేంట్రా? (you were so delicate and fair as a kid, that we hesitated even to touch you!)". I inferred from this, what you think one could. My uncle(mother's elder brother) told me an incident which reinforces the claim made by my neighbours. Once he took me to the farming land where many people are working. Upon seeing me, they asked him, whose kid is SHE? I looked so beautiful in that white gown! I perfectly fit in that! People are all smiles when someone reminds of this incident.

I'm also said..  after my sister was born, I was extremely caring and loving to her that I dint ever allow anyone to take her away from her cradle, by which I stood 24x7, playing with her. They recite my words, in a kid's ascent, "మా....చెల్లీ!!"(sorry, I can't think of an english traslation here). I was brought up in a typical indian village; had lots of friends with whom I played many lovely games; Donga Police, Current Shock, Coconut - 'Oh, Yes', Kothi-Kommachi, Bachalata, Gujjana goollu, Guti-Billa, Kabaddi, to name a few. And I do remember most of my oldest friends: Rakesh-Satish, Ramu-Sandhya, Siva-Bose, Gangadhar, Raju and many.

There's a little sad story behind my nose. It's not what it is today :( :P . My gradma(mother's mother) used to give me bath. But unfortunately, she fell ill and employed a person by name, the great appalamma, and she always concentrated on my nose and rubbed it with all her energy. My tender muscle accustomed to that habitual rubbing and finally took a shape it has today. Whenever I teased my sister, she brings this up and says, "poor appalamma loved you so much, I think mummy is lying. you should have actually been that appalamma's son, misplaced for some reason!"

I also vaguely remember an incident at nursery school(kind of), confirmed by my grandpa(father's father). When I was given a punishment to stand outside the class for an hour or so, the poor school master received some bashing (not physical, though :) ) from my grandpa and thats the last punishment in my whole primary schooling :P . I was also told that I showed my characteristic temper, even at that very tender age, which is the one worst thing I carried a long way. By the time I turned five, the atmosphere is shifted altogether, to a bigger world.

contd here