Kindergarten

Go on, have your laugh. But lets see how many can recognize me in this kindergarten pic.
I wish I remembered more of my kindergarten days. However there are a few things that do stand out in my memory.

I spent the first three years at "Arya Wonderland". It had one big swing, and I never got a place in it. The bullies used to scare me away.

I had a friend, Sasmita (third from right, bottom row) , in KG-I. We used to share our tiffin boxes. I sincerely wish I could remember more about her and our friendship back then. I completely lost contact with her after joining Std 1 in a boy's school. I met her once on a train journey after 1st sem at IIT, but I couldn't see any trace of my old friend in her.
Somehow, we tend to keep with us the old image of friends we haven't met in a long time. The heart finds it difficult to acknowledge the change a person might have undergone just as we ourselves have changed. Thats why people find it shocking when they hear so and so is smoking now, or so and so has a girlfriend.

I was the shortest in my class (till std 7!) and used to stand at the front of the queue during morning assembly. Few realize that this was one of the primary reasons I couldn't indulge in any mischief in my younger days and not because I was shy!

I was placed 1st in a frog race when I was in KG-I. I don't remember winning a "1st" prize ever again!

Our house had a huge open space adjoining it back then. Half the colony came to play there. My friends ranged from college guys to prep girls. Games we played were just as varied; cricket, footer, lock-and-key, kabbaddi, cooking, making-houses-with-twigs-and-leaves, kite flying and catch-catch. I was horrible at kite flying. That blasted thing never went higher than my head :(

My dad had a Rajdoot (still has! ) back then. I used to envy kids who had scooters. My sole dream for some time back then was to ride a scooter in that space between the driver and the handle where one stands on the footrest. I finally realized my dreams in KG-II :)

I studied three years, nursery, KG-I, KG-II at the same school and it'd be another 3 years before I realize that KG meant kindergarten after I complained to my parents why wasn't I sent to a kindergarten school like everybody else!