I got such a warm response to my previous column on school May holidays in Dharwar (later Dharwad), that I decided to share another dose of D-nostalgia and childhood memories. While non-stop fun was the main priority all through summer in Dharwar, Amma always encouraged us to learn new skills in a fun way—charcoal drawing, painting, Karnataka leather puppetry making, swimming, etc. Akku, my elder sister, was quick to learn swimming, but I was terrified, I had never seen such a big pool before. All the other tinies splashed about, but I sat petrified on the edge, a Dalda tin tied to my waist for flotation. After many fruitless visits to the pool, someone pushed me into the water. Bas, I remained terrified of swimming, and only decades later, gifted myself swimming lessons for a birthday.

That was unusual, and Amma—Indu Shedde—especially, was remarkably patient with us. She reminds me of the time Akku was admitted to St Teresa’s Convent High School, Santa Cruz. The nuns were covered from head to toe in a long black dress, and Amma says Akku was terrified they may have been witches or some such. Worse, the nun who ran the kindergarten class, locked all the new kids in the class on the first day. A tsunami of wails went up, and the nun handed Akku to Amma, saying she couldn’t control her, and they returned home. Papa had told Amma, whatever happens, don’t force Akku to go to school. As Amma remembers it, for three and a half months from June till mid-September, she took Akku daily to school, dressed her, combed her hair, made her dabba. They would go till the school gate, then Akku would refuse to go in, and Amma would bring her home, and take her again the next day. I’m astounded and deeply moved by Ammas’ extraordinary patience and generosity towards Akku. Even if it was for a month or a week. Hard to imagine today’s mums being that patient and loving.