Hiya All
Here I am bloggin my thoughts, ideas, journals and ofcourse my inevitable ramblings. Greatly appreciate you'll stopping by and add comments if you will. See ya!
Here I am bloggin my thoughts, ideas, journals and ofcourse my inevitable ramblings. Greatly appreciate you'll stopping by and add comments if you will. See ya!
River baths and Card Games
Posted 3rd August 2008 at 08:06 PM by Anandchitra
I have been hearing this all summer so wanted to share here.. During summer holidays my dh used to go and spend time with his cousins. Their day used to begin with taking a bath in the “bharatha pozhai”. Which means The Bharath river. Since there were many kids that age group it must have been an awesome time. Then the troops return back for some very good, very simple home cooked meal. After which they would all sit down for playing CARDS.
So during this summer holidays my dh managed to say this story at least once a day. He was excited to recount taking bath in the river and playing cards. We also play cards when we get a foursome or a six person but it would be so much fun when kids like siblings or cousins can get together and play.
Even a simple game like “Bluff” or “rummy” can end with a lot of fights. Of course if any had played the game “Donkey” you know how everyone else troops up to make you one.The least of these are the popular trumph games. And with so many people to go around with one would get hit the very first round.
These days kids for the most part grow up with not as many cousins or siblings around. So that makes the difference.
I have also had the experience of the river bath in Cauvery River and Vaigai river. Both places where cousins lived. We would plan it the day before and first thing in the morning the whole lot would get ready to walk to the river. Those days it was a given thing to WALK anywhere. I still remember an uncle who would say the distance is just a mile and would set out walking and then the mile would stretch for ever.
So when setting out to take the river bath, we would all wrap up some change of clothes and tuck it in our hands or beneath our elbows. Once at the river for the most part everyone would stay as near the shore line or land as possible. At that time we children would remember all the sad and horror stories of children who were swept away by the tides.
One could see the numerable dhobis or laundry folk washing their innumerable clothes in the water. Also of course the lines of clothing would be put out to dry along the river banks. By the time the dhobi finishes his bath, most of it would be dry. And one can spot the occasional donkey standing by for its load too.
The good part with so many cousins around is that we could play many different games. Be it hide and seek or catch the thief or robber and police, there was space and time and people to play games with.
And then there were the mothers of all these children who routinely churned out the best of dishes. That food might have tasted more yummy after a bath in the river or after a game of fighting over each other in Cards or just plain tasty.
Since most of this would have happened during summer holidays there would be the inevitable curd rice and mangoes.
Either which way the children seemed to come out the winner.
We have so many memories for which our parents did not have to spend a fortune. We were left to entertain ourselves and we had the best of times. No glued to the television set or anything.
We were all well fed and worked out all the energy by playing and running around all the time.
We also had to learn to get along with cousins and get over fights and even out disappointments.
Again, any which way you looked at it we children did emerge winners. Here’s to all of us who took river baths and to those of us who played cards and to some who had a lot of cousins to share ….
Total Comments 25
Comments
 |  AC...Very true..Summer holidays with cousins is very memorable..I have taken bath in many falls(courtallam,ayyanar fall) than river...I enjoy it very much.. Cards..of course..playing till dawn... Good recollection..of memories.. |
  |
| |  AC...I haven't taken a bath in a river..but a lot in courtallam falls...just about 3-4 km from my home in Tenkasi...Yes, summer holidays was always a fun, with cousinsand neighbourhood friends gathering to play indoors in the day and outdoors in the evening...besides, the cards, there was the ludos, chinese checkers, snake and ladders:), chess and what not.. |
 |
| |  Dear AC, That was an awesome one taking us back on a nostaligic trip. Though we could not afford the pleasure of a river bath still we enjoyed that too cards...........omg we were 10 - 12 members and would be playing DONKEY. Don't ask the fun we used to have at the expense of others. Afternoon it was payadhu (leftover rice in water) and mavudu(tender mango pickle). My cousin's place had a lovely mango tree. The raw mangoes were sweet and no trace of any sourness. My aunt used to cut them lenghtwise and with chilli & salt power we used to clean it off in a jiffy. Evenings and night were spend on the portico due to the summer heat with granny telling us stories and the smell of jasmine from the plants emitting.. It was just heavenly. But I feel very sorry for my kids as they miss all these. They have TV & computer games to comensate the warmth and love of the cousins & grannies. |
| |
| |  i was reading ur writeup but my brain was running my childhood pictures, wow... those dips in Ravi river, though were rare and the water was so cold even in summers , but there were so many springs in the hillsides where we would go every day,,,and the (tokris) baskets of mangoes straight from the trees....and the card games..the fights..the gift of being with my near and dear ones was so special.and i;ve my parents to thank for that.we try the same for our kids, though living far off..and it takes a chunk of our savings to go..but still i'd prefer them to have similar memories. thanks to help me revisit those days. |
| |
| |  Dear Ac, That was agreat post.. You took me to the memory lane..Cards ..One of my favorite indoor games..I started playing cards from my 1 st standard.. My father is my Guru  ..Then came my Sis to join us..... It was a wonderful stage in life... I and my sis used to play all kind of games in cards... Rammi,donkey,police,fishing,bank, etc...But with my father only Rammi that too with points nad money ..earned a lot thru this... ON Holidays,in the tour,in the train,hmmm always with cards...Now my DH and sisters DH has joined us... So whenever we are all at home..We five enjoy playing cards..my Mom being the catering service.. Im longing for those days dear...!! Thanx a lot for such a wonderful post which cherished my memories.. |
| |
| |  I don't know why you should do this t me!My dear anandchitra, I really don't know why you should do this to me!Here Iam peacefully sitting ina room before my computer and entertaining myself,where as you took me back to my childhood days and that too bath in the river,very cruel. Thats alright since you are a very good,very special friend,so ok. I spent two years of the most precious period of my life,my childhood in my father's native village.Those days are still etched in my memory,I can not pen those wonderful memories in a Fb my dear,they are many.I want to write a blog on those memories,with your permission and courtesy you,you nly kindled that thought in me. Taking bath in a river....no,there are tears in my eyes,I will get back to you. Your narration was not excellent,it was more than that, you took me to kaveri and made me sit there while you were merrily splashing the water. lovely, lots of love mithila kannan |
| |
| |  Dear Anandchitra Madam, Enjoyed a trip down my memory lane (That too during Aadi month & a day after Aadi 1  .... I am from Triuvanikovil, we lived near to Cauvery and very near to Kollidam. We used to go to Kollidam, once in a year with family and friends. We will spent quality .. |
| |
| | contd... time and used to play cards with 10-12 people and have fun. It was very nice reading your words.. But strictly... we were not allowed to go into the water (as it is always dangerours and the fear of having whirlpool is more).But we do enjoy chatting and playing hide and seek, coco, As Mithila madam rightly said.. "Your narration was not excellent,it was more than that, you took me to kaveri and made me sit there while you were merrily splashing the water" Hats off to you dear. |
| |
| |  Supriya dear The falls are wonderful too!!! And glad you played those card games too.. Somehow I feel our kids never get to see that kind of life.. more relaxed. However I hear everything is changed the world over.. |
| |
| | Dear Saras Looks like we all had a dip at the courtallam falls.. And you know how cold it can be even in summer.. and the force with which the water comes down... I played all those games too .. and even the Thayam.. remember rolling the dice:) |
| |
| | Dear AC.. Cute post. Although I have not played card games or had river baths in the company of cousins, I still remember that when we were young, I used to look forward to family gatherings. My dad has many siblings and when all (or most) of them gather, it is nthg short of a mini-kalyana koothu. It had its own negatives - family politics etc...but as children, I felt we were somewhat oblivious to these. Anyway, adulthood does pollute the innocence of childhood :) Although I like meeting my relatives, it will probably never be the same like when we were children. Thanks and love Pavithra |
| |
| | Dear lallu You have given a much better account than I have.. This summer we played Donkey..its only fun when you have lots of people right? Those days were special because we had so much more freedom and also no worries.. I am sure todays children enjoy in their own way.. only ours was different and ofcourse special to us.. |
| |
| |  Hi AC, You brought back the days we used to spend with out cousins during vacation. The narration as usual was superb and interesting too. I have only watched many waterfalls from far and have clicked pictures but have never gone beneath them for a bath nor have gone in to a river. I have played many Card Games with my cousins for "Points" and "Money" too. Love to read your blogs Acpie. Keep blogging. |
| |
| |  Dear AC, H.u....m I did not get the opportunity to take bath in a river quite often in my childhood as I was brought up in Kancheepuram, where in Palar in summer there will be only sand! But I did get the opportunity to take bath In the Holy Ganga, Yamuna, Triveni at lot of places when we went on a tour. Of course I had bath in Godavari, Kaveri, Thungabadra and Thamirabarani also. But I had played cards at home with cousins, children and grand children at home during holidays. A nice post that took me down memory lane! Love, PS |
| |
| | Dear Muzna Your words really took me to your places of memories along with you.. and your avatar also helped.. Thank you dear. |
| |
| | Brindha dear We have one more thing in common.. so when you visit we can all know what to do right?? I am glad my kid shares our interest.. its always nice to share these special memories dont you think? |
| |
| | Mithila dear.. your kind words leave me speechless with happiness.. and I feel like I am in touch with a long lost friend. I know what you mean about taking you back.. what else to do .. during summer holidays my son had to hear all this every single day.. today also its not so bad.. we do different kinds of travels and yet we get to play cards etc.. just a different setting I feel. Thanks for your very special words.. and also thanks for the nomination. It is really kind of you. |
| |
| |  Dear AC That rekindled all my childhood days. Every summer, all of us cousins and our parents used to get together at our grandparents' home in Tanjore. The main entertainment was playing chozhi, pallanguzhi, cards ( only if thatha was not watching) and going to the temple to collect kundumani. Once in a while, our sweet aunt would reward us with icecream or a movie if we behaved well. We were not allowerd near water without adult company. But I have taken bath in several rivers when my parents went on their temple visits. According to my mom, I have not mastered the art of taking a bath in the river. I used to be terrified of how to manage my clothes in the open with so many people around. True our children don't get to enjoy all those activities these days. |
| |
| | Dear Gowri Glad you liked this blog and was able to go back to those days.. I can imagine how strong some currents were.. and we used to hear so many horror stories of how people were swept away by the tide and currents.. and then no substitution for the card games played.. |
| |
| | Pavi dear you are right its not the same like when we were kids.. now everyone has their own agenda and grown up with responsibilities.. and thats how it should be too.. glad you liked my simple blog:) |
| |
Recent Blog Entries by Anandchitra
- Winter vegetables and more (2nd December 2008)
- Rama's Choice (25th November 2008)
- Come Catch me Fat Ghost (19th November 2008)
- Dare to Dream (12th November 2008)
- Shove from Nest (10th November 2008)
