A summer to remember

From the albums

This picture was taken around 1997-98 at my grandmother Malathi Sinivasa’s residence in Banashankari.

My cousins and I had gone there to spend our summer vacation. Seen in the picture with me are my cousins Arjun, Anjali and Archit.

I must have been just four or five years old when this picture was taken. My maternal grandmother’s house had a large frontyard where every conceivable vegetable and fruit was grown.

My cousins and I would spend hours playing in the garden.

Games like ‘Hide and Seek’, running and catching were our favourite pastimes.

This picture was taken by my mother Jayashri Subhash.

She would always carry a camera with her and never missed taking interesting pictures of myself and the family members.

She has taken some memorable pictures of the family.

I was close to my cousins and other members of the extended family as well. Arjun was the oldest of us and the tallest as well. So we would all listen to him and give him the ‘big brother’ status.

Arjun is a software professional and spends a lot of time travelling the world.

Archit, Anjali and I were the same age and that factor also made us very comfortable in each other’s company.

Archit was considered the smartest and most disciplined among us. Everything he did had a perfection to it. He is also a software engineer.

Anjali and I would hang out a lot. She chose to do medicine and is now doing her specialisation. She recently got married. I am the only child of my parents but I never felt lonely because I was always surrounded by so many people.

I remember that my mother’s family members were all academically oriented. Most of them are doctors and engineers and my cousins too have taken after that.

I completed my school and college from Bengaluru.

After my education, I found my calling in the entertainment industry and chose to become an actor.

I have vivid memories of how the city has evolved from my childhood. I used to travel to school by the bus and when I started college I would commute with my close friend Manisha. We remain good friends even to this day.

The city those days was much more peaceful. One could reach one’s destination so quickly and didn’t have to wait at signals. Today, you can’t imagine the city without traffic jams.

I also grew up in Banashankari and the place continues to have tree-lined roads and is one of the very few places that hasn’t lost its charm.

Looking back, my cousins and I have become busy with our own lives but this photo brings back interesting memories of a childhood filled with love, laughter and interesting moments to treasure for a lifetime.

(As told to Nina C George)