Thank you Ruchi And Dipika for allowing me to board on this Wonderful Speakeasy Blogging Challenge2.1, which unfortunately I missed last time. I must say that working with you two hard-working influential souls is such an amazing experience.
My Span Of Travel
Living in the USA has never been an issue of traveling and collecting memories. I have countless cherishable moments of some adventurous, some full of fun, some thrilling, some boring, some surprising trips, some prepared, even some unprepared travel stories in my kitty.For this challenge, I choose precious childhood travel memories.
Adding to this, it’s been 5 years since I have visited India. It is not that I don’t want to, but somehow every year, my plans refused to succeed. Likewise, last year, this year in 2020 also my long list was ready, where India visit was at the top on the scoreboard. Who thought of tiny virus will play a catalyst to fail my plans one more time. And now I am literally craving to visit my home, my nation India. Kyunki, Ghar Yaad Aata Hai Mujhe!
From childhood to young college days in India, I hardly got the liberty to visit any city beyond the state UP (Uttar Pradesh) until I got my first placement in Bharti Airtel Ltd. Which provided me opportunities to visit the various states for training and seminar purpose. And of course, after my marriage list continued to become long of witnessing multiple states, countries, and its beauty.
Unlike others, my travel zone had always been excessively narrow in my childhood. I belong to Uttar Pradesh, India. Where Varanasi, and Allahabad had been my two common spots of travel for several years.
Yes, we used to have a pre-fixed monotonous calendar for the whole year, be it any vacay, festival, or family functions, we pack our bags and visit grandparents, my ancestor’s home to which we named GHAR. Yes, I hardly remember any moment when we called it Varanasi home or village, or Dadaji ka Ghar; it was merely GHAR. ( Yahi Ghar Yaad Aata hai Mujhe)
It was a rule made by my Papa, who believed that to travel around the world is something we will have unlimited time and opportunities, contrast to it minimal days to spend with our grandparents, who are aging old and not ready to leave their village at any cost. Be the reason of their elated face, the brightness of their eyes when they come to know that we would come to visit them is no less than a blessing, value it, they rarely demand anything from us.
Sometimes it was really depressing for me to see my low score vacation plans compared to my friend’s exciting vacays. However, later I realized those were the best memories of my life till now. I must confess, “Papa, you were so right.”
Priceless Memories Of My Rountined Travel To Grandpa’s Home
As soon as my final exams end before the tension of exam results clutched our happiness, mommy gets all our bags and briefcases packed for straight two and a half months for the grand commencement of our traditional monotonous holiday.
First in Varanasi and then to my Maternal Uncle’s place, Allahabad. Here are some precious memories of my travel celebration at GHAR.
1). Drinking milk in my favorite yellow Bournvita mug, no fun can beat the joy of those day’s breakfast when my Grandma bought yellow cups for all our cousins because she wanted to dilute all the reasons of the possible fights among her grandkids. Isn’t it cute?
2). Watching Ramayan on Doordarshan and being forced by grandpa to sit folded hands throughout the episode, waiting for Table fan to turn our side was the real struggle. sounds funny! No Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hotstar could able to match the delightedness of those moments.
3). The indomitable spirit of taking a shower by fetching the water from our own well also on the tube well was the real mirth. Though I have fewer pics of those lovely moments, priceless memories are still ranking high in front of any beach fun.
4). Sleeping Time was no less than any Supreme court hearing session after preparing the bed for everyone on the terrace. We all put our point and the deeds of the entire day before either grandpa or Uncle or Aunt(my dad’s sisters my Bua) Why we had a fight? Why did not we share with everyone if bought something edible from the shop?
5). During the Diwali festival, watching the 10 days of Ramleela of the village was the craze of the next level; after having dinner in the early hours, we used to go for the Ramleela show. Memories of buying those hot roasted peanuts in winter nights are still fresh in my mind.
6). Making Mud House in Diwali, DIY of colors for rangoli, next morning, collecting the used Diya was the biggest challenge for all cousins; everybody wanted the most of Diyas, making deals in the night in case we woke up late.
7). Poppins Challenge was the most famous challenge in our house. Whenever my Grandpa goes for grocery shopping to the city, he never forgot to bring Poppins candy for all of us, which only received by those who succeeded in doing Shirshasan(a form of exercise). No sweets can take the place of those Poppins candy.
8). I miss the ambiance of Hanuman Temple that located in my Ghar’s premise, the soothing chanting Shlokas of Sunderkand, Hanuman Jayanti celebration, and sleepless nights of its preparation everything.
9). My memories of Childhood would be incomplete if I forget to mention the Whistle of Train. My grandpa never looked at the clock to check the time he used to be so confident about the passing train that supposed to cross from the railway line that goes by in front of our house, the guessing of time was so bang on I must say.
Ah!! Let me come back from those days!!!! I know It is almost impossible for me to mention the countless fun in just one post.
Sadly, I have lost many of my loved ones in these five years whom I was connected by heart, I won’t be able to see them anymore even by my every best effort, I could not recreate those memories.
At present the big village’s house that we proudly and lovingly named GHAR is vacant. Time has have changed many things, but the feeling can’t be changed unless we call for it. Though I have traveled to many cities, living on the foreign land, I still miss my monotonous pre-fixed travel to Ghar so badly and you know why? because Ghar Yaad Aata Hai Mujhe!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have to accept what life serves us. Keep going, collect memories as much as you can. You may have limited time but the memories does not have expiry date so go make most of it. Ending my post with the famous say
“Life is a journey, not a destination.”
The only song I listen to whenever I miss my home, my family, my village, my Ghar. As the wordings of this song mirrors the exact image of my Ghar and my feeling for it !!!
This Blogpost is part of the SpeakEasy Blogging Challenge by Dipika and Ruchi
Copyright © Archana Srivastava
This article is the property of the author Archana Srivastava (archuswords.com). Any unauthorized use or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author is strictly prohibited.
Hey Archana, The smile on my face turned into a nostalgic grin as I read through your post…however, towards the end, I was choking with tears…its true..childhood memories are priceless….
Your post was so relatable…I resonated with the Ramayan and Poppins challenge a lot…keep writing such wonderful posts – they are a pleasure to read…
Undoubtedly, you can’t uproot your emotions and love by stay far away from that land. I hope soon you will make a plan to India trip.
I remember rules from my dad too for every summer vacation trip to nani ka ghar and babu ka ghar !! These memories are never-ending and glad you shared this post
This has been the most nostalgic trip down the memory lane. Visiting grandparents and the extended family and following Diwali rituals. All those simpler moments have given us lifetime of happiness. 🙂
Such a nostalgic post. When i was a kid, my family was in Muscat and my moms side family in India .. n v use to visit evry 2 years to meet nana n nani and all Masi’s mama’s n cousins and it use to be craze.. childhood and its memories are just fabulous. Now we all cousins are scattered in different part of the world and miss these meet ups at Nanas house so much.
That was really touching.. even in my childhood days any vacation would mean that I would be going to my Nani’s house with mum.. and that has been an usual practise for some years..
Such a nostalgic post , took me back to time when we used to visit the grandparents house and enjoyed the time there. LoVED reading the Poppins anecdote. hope u travel to India soon.
Loved this archu ya for all us grandma’s home is heaven on earth. Can’t agree more. It always has a special place in our lives.🤗
That is such a beautiful post. Even I miss those days from my childhood. In fact even in our childhood travel for us for all about going to daddi and nani house and the unlimited we cousins had and the love and scolding we got from dadi and nani. That time was best and travel was best too.
Visiting grandparents home during summer vacations are the most beautiful childhood memories for me too. Meeting all your cousins and hogging food like crazy, Night outse ,shopping and roming aimlessly were so much fun. Thanks for making me revisit those memories.
Those mud making hours would fly, building gharaondas. Pricessless memories. We also used to visit nani’s house during sumemr hols and enagge in so many role plays and star gazing.
Your emotional post took me back to my childhood days. All our cousins used to have a gala time there. Those are our sweet memories
My childhood memories of visiting my grandparents every summer vacation just flashed before my eyes & I became teary eyed. Such beautiful childhood memories. I feel you dear, I haven’t met my parents just since a year and can understand how it must be for you not to visit your country for 5 years. This too shall pass and that’s the hope, until then we need to relive our beautiful happy memories so we can manifest positivity in our lives.
Ah! Your emotional post took me back to my childhood days. The memories we made during that golden period can’t be recreated now, that’s my feeling. We should live each moment understanding that this is not going to come again. Lovely read:)
Wow Archana !! very beautifully written and it was so so touching.. Those old GOLD days, the best part of our lives. Yes I miss my childhood days a lot too , it’s full of fun, full of energy, full of happiness without any tensions or burden.. traveling to our grandparents those days during vacations by train and the journey and so many moments, all this is really unforgettable. I can relate very well when it’s been a long time and we have not visited India, for me it’s around 4 years .. I hope we get chance to visit India very soon after this pandemic is over.. Archana, you have really beautifully laid out this article. Just loved it !! Keep writing !! Lots is hugs and beat wishes !! Mujhe ghar yaad aata hai !!…….
I can feel your emotions through your words, Archana. 5 years is a long time to stay away from one’s own country & people. The childhood memories that you have shared from your visit to Ghar are so heart touching. I could resonate with those memories, feeling the taste of poppins in my mouth right now 😀 & I badly miss those nights on the terrace when we used to live in a big joint family.
An absolutely lovely article! I agree with you that in our childhood while we went only to our aunt or grandparents house for vacations but it is indeed one of the memories that I too do cherish. I wonder What kind of memories will the children growing up today have when they are adults when they look back…they will not have these simpler Joys that we all grew up with and that kind of makes me have so much gratitude for the fact that we did get
Every year as kids our travel was limited to Nani Ka Ghar and your post really took me down memory lane recollecting all those moments with grandparents and cousins. I agree with you nothing is more precious than those moments.
oh yes. when you are away from your home, town and country . You surely do miss ghar a lot.. I can totally feel you . Every little thing remind of good time spend with family and folks. Grandpa’s ghar is nothing but heaven …
Such an emotional post Archana, I recollect all my old memory. It is like my whole childhood vacation in front of me. The most memorable to take out the water from our GHAR ka well. Though we used to visit my granny once in 5 year but always excited to this holiday.
Omg! Archana, this post is absolutely nostalgic and literally gave me tears thinking about all those precious moments of my childhood. I can completely understand how difficult it must have been to stay from one’s own country, from near and dear ones. Watching Ramayan, eating Poppins, sleeping on the terrace, playing with cousins -fighting and love them crazily are such memorable moments.
Back then we all had a ghar, our grandparents who held all the family together. Today, unfortunately our kids live in a world where care and love are replaced by privacy and personal space.
This post spelled Nostalgia for me! Simple yet the most beautiful memories of our life are indeed in doing little things with our family. I had a smile on while reading this entire post.
Thank you for sharing such precious moments with us Archana.
Your post made me so emotional. When I was till class 5 we were a big joint family, and our dadaji was so so strict yet he pampered us the most. Loved your post to every word.
Childhood days are the best! Loved your blog and could connect to your memories. I remembered my days when I used to be out of India and couldn’t come home every year.
Hey Archana, I agree with you that childhood memories can’t be combined in just one post. I truly appreciate your parents instilling in you the importance of visiting grandparents and that the world can wait.
My grandmother used to play colours with gems and she would ask me which colour is in her hand? My father always played Hanuman Chlisa after he came from the bath and we would listen to it by default that now in my in laws house, I miss that. I remember watching Ramayan, Mahabharat and The jungle Book on DD on Sundays.
Lovely post indeed!
Though I couldn’t relate to the monotonous ritual of visiting grandparents house and all that because we were busy struggling to make ends meet in the Gulf. But I can totally agree with you that our moms and grandparents houses are the Ghar for us.. like I say… Home is where my mom is…
That’s so beautiful Archana. I took a pause after reading your post and then came back to reply you. Ghar. How beautiful the word is. Your memory travel brought me back to my childhood too. All of them are so relevant to mine. Yes some are different but I could feel the essence of maternal house or ancestral house. And the warmth of grandparents. Your post is very nostalgic Archu. Loved it.
what to say Archana..you know with this theme, I am already feeling so emotional and nostalgic. And your post has made me more emotional. 5 years..I could understand how hard it must be for you..I had felt same emotions so many times, when I did not get a chance to visit my own country and family for long years. coming back to your childhood memories..then I again co-relate with you. like you, we also had a ritual of visiting my grandma and my mama’s place during vacations. I still missed those golden days of childhood so much. last year, when I visited India and my girls get a chance to visit my grand ma’s place..I was the happiest person. a big hug from my side to you. loved the post from core of my heart.
Thank you so much Surbhi for resonating my thoughts, indeed its a best feeling to take our kids to our ancestor’s house. Hugs dear❤️
What a heart-touching post, dear. I had an emotional connection while reading the post. You made me go back to my own childhood days and I could visualize the way you described. Lovely write up.
Thanks a lot dear for liking the post, glad to know it made you feel connected from your childhood memories. 🙂
I can say this with full honesty that this is the best blog post I have read so far. So heart- touching. The mention of the mud house during Diwali days brought a smile and so many memories alive. It was a very honest, raw and beautiful write-up. Loved it thoroughly, Archana.
Your post touched my heart, Archana. Your yearning for home is so apparent through your words, and the memories you shared are so warm. Hope you get to visit soon, and also hope this post wins you the challenge.
Thank you so much Mayuri for liking the post.