By Savitri Narayanan
“Listen, I have an idea,” said Golu as he jumped down from the branch of the mango tree.
After the hearty lunch, as usual the children had wandered outdoors.
The elders relaxed indoors in their own ways. Dadaji and Tauji had closed the door of the eastern room and dozed off on the beds. In the hall, the TV was on. Mummyji and Taiji were sprawled on the floor.
‘Wonder if they’re watching TV or taking their afternoon nap,’ Kapil laughed as they peeped in through the window.
“I have a fantastic idea,” Golu persisted, “It’s an exciting, fun idea!”
“Come on, what’s your idea?” asked Kapil.
“We too want to hear if it’s fun,” Mehek and Anuj along with Pinky too joined them under the mango tree.
“Let’s have a dress-up parade,” Golu said dramatically.
The family was assembled in its ancestral home in Meerut for Diwali. As usual, they stayed on till the schools reopened. Left to themselves, the children often went wild and got into mischief. They got scoldings and at times beatings, too, but had great fun! Being the eldest, and creative, also, Golu often came up with ideas which the others happily accepted.
“We’re fortunate to have a full audience,” said Golu as if he was speaking on a stage.
In a sense, it was true. When the Mehrotra family got together, the house came alive. Apart from the siblings, often some uncles and a distant relative or two too joined in.
“Let’s have a dress-up parade for entertainment tonight!”
As a practice after dinner, all came down to the large verandah at the back. Dadaji would relax in his armchair with his box of betelnuts on the table beside. He meticulously cleaned the betel leaves, smeared a bit of lime, placed a few tiny pieces of areca nut, folded it over and enjoyed chewing it for a long time. Despite the mouthful, Dadaji joined the conversations. Children often sang songs, danced or did mimicry to the delight of the family.
“What’s a dress-up parade?” Pinky asked the question which was obviously in everyone’s mind.
“It’s like this,” said Golu pleased to be the focus, all eyes and ears glued on him. “Once we finish our dinner, we won’t hang around, we’ll wash our hands and go upstairs to dress-up!”
“Dress-up as what?”
“There are umpteen ideas, just think,” Golu egged them on.
“I can be a monkey,” said Mehek, “I know how to make a long tail, Tauji taught me!”
“I’ll be an elephant,” said Golu, “I can make a trunk with a black dupatta!”
“Dadiji taught me too,” said Anuj.
“We can’t have two elephants!”
“No worries! You be the elephant, I’ll become a bird.”
“I’ll help you; I also know how to make the wings out of dupattas.”
As they sat around and discussed, the dress-up parade took shape and turned colourful in their minds!
***
After dinner, usually, one by one all came over to the verandah at the back. Dadaji was relishing his betel leaves, Dadiji stretched her legs on the charpoi. Taiji too found her space beside Dadiji.
“Where are the children,” Chachiji looked around.
Nobody paid any attention as they settled down and continued their chit-chat.
There seemed to be no end to the discussions and updates about the various relatives who lived far and near! Who married whom, who went where, who appeared and passed which exams and who got a baby- the talk went on and on with juicy bits of gossip in between.
“Where are the children?” It was Dadaji who spoke this time, “They’ve disappeared! Bahu, take a look, what are they up to!”
Mummyji had just got up to look for them, when it happened!
The air turned noisy! Banging of drums, cling-clang of the bells, trumpets, whistles and what not! The verandah resounded with high- decibel, hilarious music!
Then the participants were on the stage. One followed by the other they emerged from the far door of the dining room. A bird with open wings, a tusker with its long trunk, a dancing doll, a ghost, a fairy and even a huge tortoise – the verandah was transformed into the stage of an auditorium!
“Here we are, here we are
Out on a parade, a fancy fun parade
We’re having fun, aren’t you? Aren’t you?
Sing with us, dance with us
For you this parade!”
All were amused and delighted.
‘See the tusker’s trunk!’, ‘Isn’t the ghost scary!’, ‘The fairy has my dupatta!’, ‘The monkey’s chatter is cute!’
They watched the parade indulgently and exchanged notes.
“Well done children, we all know how good you’re in acting, today you’ve proved it again!”
When Dadaji spoke, the drums, trumpets, bells and whistles grew quiet.
“Excellent actors, you’re always up to tricks! Today you deserve a treat,” Dadaji turned to Mummyji, “Bahu, go and get some laddus for our little artists!”
That was good news for the children. They could never have enough of the boondi laddus stored in the jar! Here they were getting a treat!
The cymbals, trumpets, drums and whistles burst into music again and the children continued to dance.
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(Savitri Narayanan is retired educationist at present in Goa. A mother and grandmother loves reading, writing, and travelling.)
