Hi!
Here is my first post! Though I created my blog a week back, I was waiting for a 'kavi samaya'-a moment of inspiration to write. The middler in yesterday's Deccan Herald was ' Games children played' by Maya Jaypal and it took me to my childhood and the games we played.
None of our games needed any sophisticated gadgets or equipment. We did not have the adult looking Barbies or the US military heroes or the cartoon super heroes.All we had were twigs and leaves shed by the trees(trees were in plenty:)and stones of various shapes and sizes.If one of us was very lucky and struck gold, we would have a piece of broken china to play hop scotch(kunte bille)
So we played hop scotch, lagori, 'joot aata', I spy, current-sheroff (till today I dont know what that means), treasure hunt,dark room,'kunt hidio aata'(you have to hop on one leg and try to catch someone)and soooo many other games. There were many indoor games too.'Chowka - bhara', 5 stones, kavade (cowrie shells) -to name a few.
The famous pediatrician.Benjamin Spock wrote that, the simpler the toys, the more creative a child gets. So true! We were creative. We were so impressed by Bengalooru's Lal bag and Mysore's (ok, Mandya's) Brindavan gardens that we created our own paradises in sand using colourful pieces of glass bangles , pebbles,broom sticks and seeds of eucalyptus trees.The bangles served as fences or colourful fountains or neon lamps. eucalyptus seeds (are they seeds?) when stuck to broom sticks became our street lamps!We would forget ourselves in the world of architecture and landscaping till our mothers reminded us that it was time to get in! If I get a chance I would like to do it even now!
ps:Glass bangle pieces were also available in plenty because everyone wore them-children, young girls,
teenagers, women-young and old.)
Here is my first post! Though I created my blog a week back, I was waiting for a 'kavi samaya'-a moment of inspiration to write. The middler in yesterday's Deccan Herald was ' Games children played' by Maya Jaypal and it took me to my childhood and the games we played.
None of our games needed any sophisticated gadgets or equipment. We did not have the adult looking Barbies or the US military heroes or the cartoon super heroes.All we had were twigs and leaves shed by the trees(trees were in plenty:)and stones of various shapes and sizes.If one of us was very lucky and struck gold, we would have a piece of broken china to play hop scotch(kunte bille)
So we played hop scotch, lagori, 'joot aata', I spy, current-sheroff (till today I dont know what that means), treasure hunt,dark room,'kunt hidio aata'(you have to hop on one leg and try to catch someone)and soooo many other games. There were many indoor games too.'Chowka - bhara', 5 stones, kavade (cowrie shells) -to name a few.
The famous pediatrician.Benjamin Spock wrote that, the simpler the toys, the more creative a child gets. So true! We were creative. We were so impressed by Bengalooru's Lal bag and Mysore's (ok, Mandya's) Brindavan gardens that we created our own paradises in sand using colourful pieces of glass bangles , pebbles,broom sticks and seeds of eucalyptus trees.The bangles served as fences or colourful fountains or neon lamps. eucalyptus seeds (are they seeds?) when stuck to broom sticks became our street lamps!We would forget ourselves in the world of architecture and landscaping till our mothers reminded us that it was time to get in! If I get a chance I would like to do it even now!
ps:Glass bangle pieces were also available in plenty because everyone wore them-children, young girls,
teenagers, women-young and old.)
Yey! I am the first to comment ! Welcome to the blog world!
ReplyDeleteYes, the present day kids have so many objects to play with. But playing with friends in the open, amidst nature, exploring things around them... no tension, no need of any security.. Oh! It was a different world. I am sorry for today's kids for they are deprived of all this pleasure.
Do you remember that we used to try eating all sorts of unknown things and also raw guava, peas, beans etc directly from plants in the gardens?
Well written and well reminded of olden days!
keep blogging
akka
Niiiiice! :)
ReplyDeleteLovely to see you here!
ReplyDelete"If you want a child to be creative, don't give her anything"
Ahh.... the pleasures of carving a cave in a sand hill, the feel of the cool, slightly moist sand around your hands, and the giggles when you reached your friend's fingers who is doing the same from the other end!