My Obra Days - Sweet Childhood

I. BIG BROTHER, THE PLAYER

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My father worked as a technician in Thermal Power Plant, Obra located in Sonebhadra, Uttar Pradesh in India about 120 km from Varanasi. Obra stands by the side of the Renu & Sone Rivers, tributaries of the Ganges. Sonebhadra district is situated in the range of Kaimur Mountain. This won't be a hyperbole if I say that the whole Sonebhadra is situated in the lap of nature.

We were provided accommodation perfectly fit for our family by UPSEB, the power plant, where my father worked. Our home was located at the corner of our colony with the roads crossing from the front and right side and approximately 100 meters away from the main Khairatiya market and 200 meters from Bus Stand. There was the entry from the front door, which was a drawing room cum first bedroom, connected to the inner one on left side and to the verandah on the straight. Front room cum drawing room possessed a big window while the inner-one had two big windows both opening in the lawn and one door opening in the Verandah. Verandah was limited in its length by the kitchen in the right corner. Half of the courtyard side wall of the verandah was grilled from upside which was joined with a grilled gate for the cross ventilation and ample sunlight in the home, opening in the courtyard. Then there was a toilet and a bathroom in the courtyard on the right side, the shed of a big mango tree in the mid of the courtyard and a cemented tank of water just opposite to the grilled gate. The courtyard was connected to the study room by a door in the middle of the right side wall. The study room often served the purpose of a bedroom too whenever we had guests. Most of the accommodations in Obra were prepared in pairs. We were joint with our neighbor from the left side. There was a big Neem tree on the lawn at the corner of our home on the left side. It would be quite right to say that we had got ample space to play in the courtyard and lawn. The study room was not a part of accommodation provided by UPSEB but it was prepared by the father for our study and obviously for serving the guests.

I've got a brother and a sister and I am the youngest of all. We all were very naughty in our childhood. My brother was wisest, as per our thinking and of course Daredevil too, amongst us. The two trees were a necessary part of our childhood. In summer times they protected from direct radiations and in the winters they were our favorite place of taking milk, tea or coffee on shining holidays. In the daytime, we usually sit there to play (carom, ludo etc.) and to study. We always enjoyed the light breezes playing about their boughs. In the early mornings and evenings, birds filled the air with their cries but we, except my brother, were afraid of sitting there in the late evenings and nights even in the light of lamps. This was due to fear of ghosts and witches implanted in our minds by our elder brother. He told us many stories of ghosts and witches living on our mango tree. When we asked him why was he not afraid of those; he replied that he had made them his friends. And it is true that he always felt free to roam anywhere anytime without any fear.

The reality came to us after a long time.

That day, I and my sister both left the study room at 6 PM. I was then 9 years old, my elder sister was 11 and my elder brother was 14. Our brother came for dinner at 8 PM and after dinner, he went back to the study room. Then after taking milk, we went to bed. By bad luck, our brother missed milk that day. After the emergency duty, our father came home at 10 PM. Mother told him that we, the younger duo, were sleeping and our elder brother was studying. Father became very happy when he heard this. He thought to cater the milk by his hands to his studious child and .............................