A.S.5/2

A.S.5/2. This used to be our address from time immemorial. A.S.5/2 HMT Quarters, Kalamassery to say in full. The small "quarter" of a four in line house. One of the 32 houses of the kind. One of the total 365 quarters in the 900 acre land HMT acquired for factory and colony. That was the so called bright days of industrialization led by Nehru.

This small house has all my earliest memories. The second one from left as seen in the picture. With the bright light. I took this picture when I revisited the place and the new inhabitants in 2005. Seventeen years since we left it. Time enough for a girl be born and turn to her sweetest. But my sweet memories of this house could only grow sweeter.

The cashew nut tree that used to be in the front yard has disappeared. The beautiful henna wall that my dad used to maintain has been orphaned. Kids who used to play around all sorts of games in the evenings have vanished. The charming air of joy seems long dead.

Most part of the colony is now unoccupied. The well lit roads are no longer maintained well. As the once thriving public sector is now struggling to come out of losses, the days of glory are all gone. We were all lucky to have stayed at the best of the times.

Salute to A.S.5/2. This is where I started my journey. When the world was within the four walls of the small house. When time was pulled along with the worker shift sirens of the factory. Starting at morning 5:30 till night 9:30. Once in a while they blow at 3PM and 3:02 PM. The call for silent prayers for someone departed the day before. When people used to care each other.

This is the place where we had the firsts of everything. The first Bajaj scooter which ran for 15 years, still appreciated to 200% of its purchase value when my dad sold to buy a new Chetak. The first fridge which ran for 10 years before being sold out. The first TV - 12inch one - which ran a long time which I later "inherited" and later traded for a new one. The first car which ran only for one year.

This is place where I had my first birthday with no cakes or sweets. This is where I had my 19th also probably. And all the ones in between. That means more than 50% of my life so far. And that too when future was thrive and planning unknown too. Looking back from the point in time of an unknown future and all out planning - Thank God for such a wonderful child life. Prayers for my kids also to have a wonderful memorable life for forever.