The Adventure

Raju, Sanju and Pappu were six, five and four years old respectively. The year was 1974 and television was fairly new in India. They were watching TV when there was a bulletin on the Republic Day celebrations to be held in New Delhi. 

Raju got a brain wave that he and his brothers should go to New Delhi to watch the parade. They put together some biscuits and a water bottle in a bag and started out. 

The plan was to walk on the railway tracks which would take them to New Delhi. 

As they started out, they met three year old me and told me to follow them to the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi. So we crossed the road and walked till we had reached the bridge over the railway tracks and took the staircase down to the platform. We got on to the tracks and started walking. 

There was no concept of any direction or anything else for that matter. Just four dumb kids with an idea in their heads. 

We had hardly walked for five minutes when a maid who worked in their house saw us and asked us where we were going. We told her with great joy that we were going to New Delhi for the Republic Day celebrations. 

She took one look at us and caught Raju and Sanju by the ear and said “You are coming home with me!” End of discussion. 

We walked back with her and came back to our homes. 

When news of our little adventure got to their parents, they really got it. When I got back to my home, my dad who had just heard about it, let his fury be known and started yelling at me. I just peed in my shorts. That is my earliest memory of my dad. Hahaha.

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