Winter means gajar ka halwa and fish curry with cauliflower... oh! And also sitting with a quilt on the roof and reading a book or maybe studying. I remember a funny incident where my dad, while teaching me maths, had fallen asleep in the sitting position wrapped inside the quilt. I kept calling and when there was no response and I looked up, there he was, bending over my book fast asleep. How we laughed and laughed thinking that mum can scold me but how will she scold dad 😂.
Winter also means memories of picnics. Trips with friends or families or school to the zoo or Lodhi Gardens in Delhi or the Botanical Gardens in Kolkata, or simply to the nearby park with loads of food and games- that’s what winter means. And how can I forget the wait for the Book Fair. I don’t remember the one at Pragati Maidan but I have so many memories of the Kolkata Book Fair held at the Maidan for so many years- the long lines, the crowd in the metro, the consulting of the map to see where the stalls are or where we are. Oh! And also the dust!
Winter also means the peeling of oranges and peas while listening to all the adult gossip, sitting on a charpoy, basking in the afternoon sun. Running around and playing with friends during the winter break or planning with them a trip to the carnival or circus that had newly arrived in town, winter meant all that too. Winter is also known as Christmas Carols, Santa Claus, Rudolf the Reindeer and Christmas trees.
However, for some years now, Winter has only meant sweat and heat and rain and a hot Christmas with an yearning inside the heart to travel back again to a time when I could sleep inside a quilt and get up to a foggy morning, wash my hands and face in cold water and then again rush back inside the quilt to spend some more time rolled in it.
Well written 😊
Beautifully expressed such that I was able to visualise each part of the write-up . Keep it up ✨
I love winter. ❤️