Rohit comes calling from the end of the street, "MADAM..."
In nice almost new clothes. He was satisfied with my admiration. Then, "Where is Turiya Akka ?" , He demanded. Went in, claimed the due admiration from her. Pointed out to her, his belt, as she had not given that due notice.
After getting photographed, he left. In a tempest, just as he arrived !
And then ...
A village is about giving, and then giving some more.
Rohit came home. And knocked on the door peremptorily. 'MADAM'. It's usually better to respond to his call immediately. He is very persistent.
I came out and sat on the bench. And he started digging into his pockets for an inexhaustible supply of Amla.
After he gave me the last one, "Oh, but you have taken all ! " And he took back three.
This unthinking generosity is what I see in children and adults in a village. And what has set the bar for me. A bar I am far from reaching.
...
Yuginder is Rohit's younger brother, aged three. He has beaten Rohit, the prince of pranksters, hollow.
He was telling an elaborate and meaningless story when his parents were intently watching a TV serial. In anger that no one was listening to his narration, he grabbed the remote and took it out and threw it into the cow's water bin. His furious father, Simhadri, followed him with a stick and he shouted at him as he ran, 'Nana, you have the ayappa malai'. When th ayyappa austerities are taken on, one oath is not to shout or show anger. The seething father withdrew.
The mother Manila followed him with the blowpipe from the fireplace, as he ran to his uncle's house next door. He told his grandfather how Manila had beaten him blue and black. The grandfather called out in a rage to his daughter-in-law, asking if she had no sense to hit a small child thus. She has to perforce withdraw.
Here's Rohit, back after a break. Blowing into the oodhi burra, the iron pipe, to start up the fire.
He has many uses for the oodhi burra !
One day his mother beat him up - probably with very good reason. He was furious, and four years of age. It was afternoon. He went to the terrace, and with a cloth carefully carried down the iron oodhi burra. His mother was using it to deseed tamarind and had left it there. It was hot from lying on the terrace sun. He went and put it on his mother's back for hitting him. She yelped as it scalded her.
He must have got a phenomenal wallop. But I am sure his soul must have been at peace. 
Ronit comes running and tells me, "Daady has gone out. He is going to get me giftfs..,. ". Rohit lives in a world of make believe.
His mother Manila tells him, "Oye. Mee Daady aavulu kaada ki poynaadu'. (Your father has gone grazing cows !'
#Home
Rohit removed the towel around his neck, rapidly tied it into a panchi, to pose.
14 February 2016 at 23:27 ·
Paalaguttapalle, Dalitwada.
'Who's son are you ?'
Rohit, all of five years - 'Amma's son'.
'What's your Amma's name ?'
Rohit, all of five years - 'Amma'
We have many such deep conversations in the village!
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