The scent of childhood is the sweetest in a person’s life journey. It brought us back to those years when we were free, energetic, and dreaming about our future journey. Life, however, did take a different turn than we often expected.
I live there no more. It’s just a place in the whole wide world, for many, who are still near the place. The scent of my childhood years leaves me with a plethora of emotions.
On that day, I simply went up the hill and down the catchment area of a man-made water reservoir. The submerged land reminded me of my departed brother and father who no longer grace the place with their tangible sweat of happiness and hard work.
The contour of the submerged land and the trails that we once followed on the darkest night and the moonlit nights were still drawn in my mind. It’s a great pleasure for me to revisit the places with my family. For my children, it is good to explore the roots of their father. Our roots get us grounded in a good way several times.
Here are some of the photographs I took during our short visit. If you are frequenting my site and my books, you will get to know a place where I spent my childhood till my early teen years.
#1 The site near my birthplace.
This is the current site of our old house. There is almost no trace of it. Our house now existed in my mind only. During those days childbirth mostly occurs at home. Thus it is around here that I took that huge cry for survival, which clean up my lungs for the very first time. Although the house is no more, I used to be there in my dreams with my family over and over. Here at this place, I sense the scent of love which binds our family.
I could see myself taking my first step, singing and playing with my childhood friends. Two main reasons that contributed to resettling of our family in the nearby town are the construction of a dam and ethnic conflict during my teenage years.
#2 The submerged fields and lands
I went up the hill where we tend to the cattle. Most of the cultivable- paddy fields, corn fields, and mustard fields were submerged in the water. The monsoon season is the busiest time for working in the paddy field when we were young. We worked from early in the morning, take rest at noon time, and then till dusk before we leave the muddy fields tired and satisfied.
#3 The slope of the hill
The slope of the hill, for us, is a good place to tend our water buffaloes. We built treehouses to oversee the slopes, and we also made fires in our treehouses. It is also a place for growing taro, cucumber, and other vegetables and fruits.
By now, no water buffaloes are to be seen, tractors and machines worked in the small but remaining fields. If things were like before, I would have shown my children how we rode around on the back of the water buffaloes.
#4 Memories of the hills
My teenage years witnessed a conflict among our tribe members who were living in one district. We wielded guns against each other. Sometimes we slept in the bunkers dug up by us. So much hate and propaganda have been spread at that time, which makes us want to take each other’s life.
Looking back it was a necessary evil without much gain for our fighting. The gunshots echoing the hills and small valley were the order of the day. With the flow of time, several hills and valleys become more disputed among the small tribes. The land registration as drawn and given by the Britishers before they left our hills and independent India gave rise to many unsettling disputes and claims in the area. When greed along with the growth of population overpowers human existence, unexpected twists and turns are bound to happen.
#5 The scent of mud
The scent of mud goes well with the scent of my childhood. We tilted the land until it becomes muddy with the right mixture of water and soil. I don’t know how would we smell when we goes to school during my childhood. The scent of mud did not simply go away if you were working every day.
Until today, I can hear the scent of mud being mixed with rotten grass as we toil in the paddy field.
It is not the most enjoyable nor memorable part of my childhood. However, I am glad to have observed the process of agriculture first-hand.
#6 The scent of pine trees
The scent of pine trees is always a reminder of my childhood days. There were a few of them still standing in the places we frequented. These trees seem to be new ones planted some years ago.
I still remember swinging on the branches of the pine trees. We jumped from one tree to another – sometimes racing and in a playful mood. It was dangerous, however, we enjoyed the thrill that it gives us.
When we missed the next branch or when the branches are not strong enough to hold us, we landed on the hard soil. Then we simply rub off the pain until it subsides. And that’s the joy of childhood. We can and can do what our hearts desire.
7 The scent of wild mushrooms
We did not cultivate mushrooms. There were bunches of mushrooms found in the wild. The scent of these wild mushrooms is always a treat as it reminds me of my sweet childhood days. Those mushrooms found in the wild are tastier than those found in metropolitan cities. It probably is because they bring us back to all the sweet memories. However, more than having it as a dish the real joy comes in finding them grow in the wild before they get spoiled again. These are a gift from God.
#8 The scent of vegetables
The Asiatic pennywort is one of the delicacies in our area. We called it ‘tangkuangteh‘ in our local language. Tangkuang literally in our dialect is the terrace built on the slope which holds the water for sowing paddy rice and ‘teh’ means leaves. Thus it literally translates to leave or vegetable growing on the terrace of a paddy field. It was found abundant mostly in the paddy fields and the slopes of the hills. Tangkuangteh is used in vegetable salad, simply boiled for soup.
Sometimes it is mixed with mashed potatoes, red chillies, and fermented fish for a side dish or chutney in homemade foods. The scent of the Asiatic pennywort often brings me back to my mother’s kitchen.
#9 The scent for the Next Generation
The only thing constant in life is change. Thus the places were turned into children’s parks with swimming pools, rock climbing areas, picnic spots, tree houses, boat riding on top of our submerged fields, and amusement parks.
For the next generation, all these will become part of their childhood memories. Before I know it, times has passed by which also reminded me that today is always the good time spent with God. It is good for me to renew my spiritual roots or be deeply rooted in my faith in whatever may come in the future.
If there’s time and the desire to add to it, then I will do it so…
