Children’s Day isn’t just an annual affair that we celebrated when we were kids. For grownups it’s also a day when they go down memory lane and get nostalgic about the good old times of childhood. And in doing so, many wish they could go back and relive those days once more. However, reality is that is impossible and we have to live in our present and look forward to the future. With Children’s Day around the corner, Orissa POST interacts with a few youngsters who miss their childhood on this day.
Pratichee Parida from Bhubaneswar, a final year post-graduate student, says, “Most of my childhood memories are associated with my school. It is in school that we make our first friend and learn our first lesson of sharing and caring. I get nostalgic recalling those days. While childhood brings a lot of fond memories, adulthood is all about responsibilities.”
Recalling her childhood days and the fun associated with Children’s Day, she says, “This used to be a day of uninterrupted fun. On this day, our teachers did their best to make us feel special. They would distribute sweets and chocolates and organise a short event every year. Our teachers would explain us the rights and responsibilities of a child. I always wanted to grow up fast but now I realise that childhood was the best phase of my life.”
For Mahesh Sahoo of Puri, childhood is all about great camaraderie among friends. “Getting punished by the teachers is not fun but they become endurable when you find friends standing by your side. My schoolmates and I still recall those days when we used to get punished for breaking rules. We used to take it in our stride when together. These memories have held us together for years. We still meet once or twice a year to celebrate our bonding,” he says.
Sujata Mohanty from Cuttack says, “Deep inside our hearts we all want to be children again. This is a reason, we still organise a reunions every year to relive the childhood memories. I remember how we would share our lunch with each other. Sharing food has been a part of Indian culture and ever since a child is enrolled in a school, he or she is taught to share his/her lunch with classmates and friends. Friends often came to the rescue when we had to empty our lunch boxes to escape from scolding at home.”
S Mahesh Kumar from Bhadrak says, “My childhood is the best part of my life and Children’s Day celebrations will always remain special. I especially miss the annual school picnics. We would wait desperately for our school trips. More than the excitement of visiting a new place, the opportunity to spend an entire day in the company of friends and indulging in unlimited fun would keep me awake the night before the trip. The antakshari which we used to play while on our way to the picnic spot used to be the best episode in the entire trip.”
SOYONG, OP