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This May, when I had been to Mangalore, my sister Akki & I happened to meet Gudda in a temple near our house. It’s been almost around 15 to 16 years since we had seen him last. Akki & I refreshed our memories of Gudda's garden and the joke related to it. That’s when I mentioned to her that I shall soon publish this story on my blog.
My mother was the vice president of Municipal Corporation of Surathkal during those days. During one of our discussions at home, Amma (mother) mentioned about this peon at her office whose gardening skills and creativity was worth a good recognition. Soon we decided to take his help for planning a nice, beautiful garden for our house. This is how we first met Gudda. He converted an otherwise bushy place covered with unwanted plants into an amazingly, attractive garden. The best part of the garden was an arch at the entrance, made of bamboo sticks around which a jasmine creeper twisted and turned. A small passage between the plants was my favorite place to take a stroll. I would sit on my small bicycle and Gudda would push it around the garden.
After our garden was in good shape, Gudda's visit to our house slowly reduced and finally one day, stopped.
A funny story related to this, is what made me write this post. As said, this was more than 16 years ago and I was a kid back then. One evening, we were watching some Television program on Delhi. As soon as they showed some beautiful garden near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Official residence of the President of India) or some other place in New Delhi, my little mind could not help wondering if this garden too was planned by Gudda. I asked that out loudly and it apparently became a big joke to all the elders at home. Few days later when my sister Anu had a competition at school, where in she had to speak about a funny incident, my elder sister Akki wrote down this incident for her. This joke won lot of applause and Anu won first prize for it.
Now, after so many years when Akki & I met Gudda, he was obviously surprised to see us. He had seen us only as kids. We were equally delighted.
No more does the garden decorates our house. We had to clear it out during a renovation. But none of us at home will forget Gudda, his talent & creativity. It might have lost its physical presence but shall always remain in our mind as a beautiful piece of art. And as for the garden joke, it has already become a family story that will be laughed at during every reunion.
My mother was the vice president of Municipal Corporation of Surathkal during those days. During one of our discussions at home, Amma (mother) mentioned about this peon at her office whose gardening skills and creativity was worth a good recognition. Soon we decided to take his help for planning a nice, beautiful garden for our house. This is how we first met Gudda. He converted an otherwise bushy place covered with unwanted plants into an amazingly, attractive garden. The best part of the garden was an arch at the entrance, made of bamboo sticks around which a jasmine creeper twisted and turned. A small passage between the plants was my favorite place to take a stroll. I would sit on my small bicycle and Gudda would push it around the garden.
After our garden was in good shape, Gudda's visit to our house slowly reduced and finally one day, stopped.
A funny story related to this, is what made me write this post. As said, this was more than 16 years ago and I was a kid back then. One evening, we were watching some Television program on Delhi. As soon as they showed some beautiful garden near the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Official residence of the President of India) or some other place in New Delhi, my little mind could not help wondering if this garden too was planned by Gudda. I asked that out loudly and it apparently became a big joke to all the elders at home. Few days later when my sister Anu had a competition at school, where in she had to speak about a funny incident, my elder sister Akki wrote down this incident for her. This joke won lot of applause and Anu won first prize for it.
Now, after so many years when Akki & I met Gudda, he was obviously surprised to see us. He had seen us only as kids. We were equally delighted.
No more does the garden decorates our house. We had to clear it out during a renovation. But none of us at home will forget Gudda, his talent & creativity. It might have lost its physical presence but shall always remain in our mind as a beautiful piece of art. And as for the garden joke, it has already become a family story that will be laughed at during every reunion.
Nice post :)
ReplyDeleteI understand why it became a family joke. Sometimes these family jokes are so lame and yet we end up laughing like mad. And that garden in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan is indeed very beautiful.
Great post Ajeya. It is really beautiful. The little things we experience as kids stay with us for life.
ReplyDeleteI was away on vacation at Wisconsin Dells for the last few days. Will be posting soon again. Really missed all my blogger friends:)