KNP

I used to go to Kamla Nehru Park when I was a kid to play on that one particular slide. It looked like a house. I would climb up and spend hours up there before I slid down, just to climb back up. My mother or father, whoever was on duty that day would smile and wait patiently on the “par” till I was done. Generally about 2 hours later it was time to go to the lawns and what followed there ranged from playing catch or tag or the frisbee to a 7 year old [Me] running across the field howling his lungs out for no reason. Also there was the grounded air plane that just had to be climbed onto at every visit. It had to be discontinued after I got bigger. Shame, I’d still love to climb on it today.

I still go there every day; whether its to buy supplies or to eat at the food stalls but for some reason a few days back, it dawned upon me that I hadn’t not gone inside the park for almost 6 years! I was amazed and confused at the same time when this realization hit me. How is it possible that I pass by this place at least 2 times a day and haven’t been inside in so long? The only reason I could come up with was, I’m an idiot.

So, I decided to do something about it! I went inside.

Being that it is a public park, you can always look into it from all the streets around it. But, the moment I physically stepped into the garden everything changed. The smells were different, the sounds were different and I suddenly felt a kinship with all the people in the park. All of my childhood memories came flooding back. The twin ficus trees at the entrance, with their peculiar pink flowers. My favourite was/is the one on the right. I don’t quite know why. The play area beyond it with the same slide in the farthest corner, the slide shaped like a rocket and the wooden seat swings. The jungle gym in the opposite corner still painted dark green and blue like before, the site of numerous games of catch where we were not allowed to let our feet touch the ground. Also, the place where we lost a few teeth. As I walked around the play area on the newly paved “Jogging Track” (Used to be a dirt track where we would play in the mud when it rained) I realized that ever since I walked in I had a big grin on my face.
I think that’s how I express that innate happiness you feel when you truly connect with a place that you grew up in and are very attached to.

I followed the track lost in thought when I realized I was in an unfamiliar area of the park. Quite confusing since when I used to come there as a kid I had explored each and every inch of the park, including the area behind the large banyan tree where we were warned not to go because there were no lights there. So a looping path into a secluded corner lawn with no lights and couples cozying up was new! It then struck me that Kamla Nehru Park had expanded! It was bigger than before and a lot cleaner too.

As I walked out of the “shady” corner the grand lawns were right in front of me and in the corner was my beloved airplane. There are now artificial mounds on the lawn. I assume they have been made during the extensive landscaping work that has been going on for the past two years now. Also for some reason the hedges that used to separate the lawns from the pathways have been replace with stone benches. Dislike!

On my way out of the park I realized that my sense of wonder and excitement of going to the park is still as it is. Growing older hasn’t reduced it, (Thank God!!) I can just keep it check or ignore it for a bit longer now I guess. All in all it was a heart warming experience, one I hope to have again soon if not on a regular basis.