Always Saturdays have been worth waiting ......It's the weekends that I awaited from my childhood....It was the rewarding end to a week of a tryst with school,heavy school suitcases and books!!!At La Martiniere,Kolkatta we did have school on Saturdays but when I came home Mummy would be there.She would open the door for me ....or she would be waiting at the bus-stop for me to come by the school-bus.Appa would be at home...On Saturdays it was market day for us.Early morning Appa used to go to the GariahatMarket...to buy the needs of the following week.I would wait for him to come back or at times I would accompany him...it was the potato chips that used to lure me to accompany him...Hot potato chips or salted plain were deliciously hot...and I would love to lean on the comfy sofa at home andhave them...!!!!Potato chips I used to love and I still do....I see to it that I buy a packet every week...!It's not the modern''LAYS'' or ''Pringles''...but the real ones...tasty and salty and also hot!!!!!!!
After coming back from school was another great event ...the three of us(Appa,Mummy and me )used to have lunch together..all the other weekdays it was just me alone on the dining table for a boring lunch served by servants!!!!!Saturdays had my mother serving food cooked by herself...mutton curry,''uralakizhingu mezhukupuratty''or potato fry....'''vazheka errissery ''or raw banana curry....''mor'' or buttermilk...and hot steaming rice.At times there would be my favourite caramel custard pudding!!The ''Saturday lunch '' menu used to differ from week to week but these were repeated often...Till the age of 20 ...till I lost my Appa...this was a must.Another interesting thing is Mummy always was sure I washed my hands before sitting for lunch with soap!!!!!!!!!
After lunch was the siesta with me disturbing the sleep of my dear ones by chatting away to glory or seeing to it that Appa hugged me and slept.We all got up by 5pm and was served tea ..and milk for me...with hot samosas from Binapani Mishti..!!!a nearby sweet shop.Then started the fun...we used to dress up and go out gallavanting!!It used to be either the Saturday Club or the New Market or a friend's or relative's house...or even to the Southern Lake.
New Market was the most exhilirating experience every time we visiteed that place.
''Rehman's'' was an all-available store..Nahoum's'' was the best confectionery where I used to buy my easter eggs and hot cross buns .Kargo's with their sizzling kebab's and rolls!!!The chinese shoe shops,home made cheese,dried fruits etc were also available there.The unique ''Aam Saath''..or Mango jelly was another not to be missed out.We would spend hours there smetimes buying books...or just window shopping.
After these visits used the Saturday dinner..at either the'' Tandoor'' or ''Jimmy's kitchen ''or ''Golden Dragon. ''or just snacks at the ''Gupta's'' or mebbe at ''Kwality's''.These were the easily available during our times there .Now of course there are numerous eat-outs.The Oberoi Grand ,Ritz..or The Park were too formal for us!!!!
By 10pm we would be tired and head home...with the night still young for many on Park Street..Usha Iyer crooning away at Trinca's ...or couples heading into Sub-Zero and cars lined up outside the Magnolia's was a common occurence on Saturday in Kolkatta.
Reaching home and flopping into bed was my only need at that moment....but Mummy used to make it sure I change into my night-pyjamas...I used to not like that one bit but I used to be an obedient daughter then!!!!!!!!!!!After a wash and change I used to crawl into the comfort of the quilt sharedby my Appa.Mind you it was uncomfortable for him but he loved me too much to lemme go...Drifting into a wonderful happy world of sleep where my Appa was with me I used to wake up only on Sunday morning with a good morning call from my dear parents!!!!!!!!Saturdays were lovely ....Iloved Saturdays...!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment