Age of Innocence

We grew up in a township in Ranchi (now in Jharkhand, but then in the early 1960's, in Bihar). It was just being formed and the houses were new and would often leak during the monsoon rains, the roads unpaved, the gardens and playgrounds being developed, no hospital yet, just an MI room (you can see in the building in the background with the red + sign).

But that age was an age of innocence, of finding happiness in small pleasures and treasures, of playing in whatever facilities were available. Even a heap of sand was a playground, where we could make some tunnel, and imagine a stone (as a car) moving through it as if we were driving a car through a tunnel in a mountain.

This photo is priceless in our family not because of any great photo composition or lighting, exposure, contrast or any such other gimmicks. If I remember right, the camera was a basic pin-hole type camera which took a 120 mm film (good for 16 exposures per roll). It is great because it shows the three of us (siblings) laughing. And laughing for God knows what reason. It is also priceless because we were spontaneous and enjoying the moment. I remember there were many such moments in our childhood, but this photo is the only one that captures our days in Ranchi - the days that we cannot forget, the days that we yearn to go back to.

If you look closely you can see the safety pins holding the blouse of my sister (to the right) in place. She obviously did not believe in "dressing" herself up before being "shot". That came later when she started going to college. We couldn't afford many good dresses anyway, and probably all we had then were a couple of "wearable" but washed and clean clothes. I don't recall ever any of us having worried about that or comparing ourself with other 'well to do' guys in the township. A township life is not easy since in a small place the General Manager's kid is also sharing the same space as a clerk's child. Probably they would have to go to the same school. I don't recall my father ever having to say to me not to move or be friends with some guys just because we wouldn't gell together or we were not of the same 'status'.

An age of innocence perfectly captured for posterity.

When will the Time Machine be ready, man?