(At home during the Corona lockdown, I decide to do some spring cleaning and come upon a bunch of albums where termites are having a ball. These happen to be of my folks from their years when they were younger than I am and dapper than I ever will be.
As I show them the cleaned photographs, some make them visibly excited while some a little poignant, memories flooding of people close to them who have passed on. This article is also a note to myself that nothing remains – probably not even memories.
Here I record their conversations. A kind of travel back in time.)
“This was just before we went to Nigeria.”
“Yes 1980.”
“It was a good trip, a honeymoon delayed by nearly a decade.”
“And after we had all the children.”
“Guess why you are looking a bit worried.”
“No, it was the photographer.”
“What about the photographer?”
“He made you put your arms around me amidst all that crowd, I remember I was shy.”
“Do you think I wouldn’t have otherwise?”
“No, I don’t think so. You were embarrassed too.”
***
“These are my besties from college. I wonder where they are now.”
“From Maharajas College?”
“Yes. We hired a photographer who came to the hostel.”
“A photographer came to the ladies’ hostel?”
“The final exams were over and we were leaving campus.”
“Okay, must be why the warden relaxed the rules.”
“The other option was to go to the beach or the park, just us girls with one guy. I don’t think she would have allowed it.”
“I don’t think so either.”
“Surely you remember how strict she was.”
“Oh yes, how can I forget.”
“The photographer was very smart too.”
“Yes?”
“I still remember after the shoot he made us buy albums. Each one cost Rs 18.”
***
“Who is this sardar? Do you remember?”
“Sardar? I don’t think we had any sardar friends.”
“I thought so too.”
“He must have been a colleague of my twin brother.”
“Yes. This was the reception your brother threw for us in Bangalore.”
“God, I don’t remember him at all.”
“But here it looks like you guys hit it off well.”
“Must have been the alcohol.”
“Yes, there was a lot of alcohol.”
“The party was at the air force station.”
“I also remember drinking – from your glass only.”
“He tried to give you a glass but you wouldn’t take.”
“There were too many people.”
“Those were fun days. I miss him.”
“Who?”
“My brother.”
***
“This was at the Palai town hall.”
“Yes, I think he won some prize too.”
“He won the second prize.”
“Ah, right.”
“He drew a helicopter flying over coconut trees.”
“Ha ha. Like it was flooding then.”
“The organisers loved it and we were invited for a party too later that evening.”
“You remember all that.”
“Yes, there they also presented him with a set of glass tumblers as prize.”
“Your memory…”
“We were worried as he was born a leftie.”
***
“This, of course, was from our dating years.”
“Yes, when you would come to Ernakulam to meet me. I was still a student.”
“We would go for movies and then to Bolghatty Island.”
“And you would give me all these cute hand-made gifts.”
“What is this? Ah, a new year card.”
“You would sign your name as Joe; guess you fancied yourself to be a foreigner.”
“That was the name I had chosen for myself when I went to the MIT.”
“Good you didn’t. Else you would have married some foreigner only.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“What is ‘do badaan’”?
“I’m not sure. ‘Do’ is two. And ‘badaan.’”?
“Birds?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe.”
***
“Look at those eyes, full of dreams.”
“This was shot in a studio, right?”
“They were brimming with a purpose, too.”
“Where did you get the black coat from? Don’t remember seeing you in one.”
“With my high rank, I could have gotten into MBBS.”
“Is that your degree certificate that is rolled up?”
“I would have become a doctor if you hadn’t come in the way.”
“What’s for lunch?”
***
“Do you remember the lady standing next to you?”
“Of course, your grandmother.”
“Yes, my father’s mother. She is the one who practically brought me up.”
“Who would accompany you to all your important exams.”
“Wow, you remember. Yes, the same one.”
“The famed beauty.”
“Yes, men would hide behind bushes to get a glimpse of her.”
“I have heard that.”
“So she would be escorted by her brothers to church.”
“She was one of the few in your family who took to me.”
“Yes, she liked you very much.”
“She also said I was looking good in my new suit. I will not forget that.”
“You were looking dapper.”
“She was the only one who said that.”
***
“Yes, yes, yes. I found you.”
“Where?”
“This, here.”
“Yes.”
“And here is your twin brother.”
“Yes.”
“But he is in a different colour shirt.”
“He always wanted to stand out.”
“Who is this guy next to you?”
“No idea.”
“Hey, it is Noble! The guy who later became a photographer.”
“I don’t remember.”
“Look at him. Standing to one side. Back towards you.”
“Where? Oh.”
“He always thought he was some movie star.”
“Ha ha.”
“Yeah, he was a scamp alright.”
“I don’t know.”
“Drat, I shouldn’t talk mean about dead people.”
“Is he dead?”
“I don’t know.”
***
“Look at my mother, isn’t she a stunner?”
“I have never seen this one. Where was this?”
“Of course you have. But you have forgotten.”
“Maybe.”
“I bought her this bag with my first salary.”
“Which bag? Oh.”
“Then I took her to a studio and took this photograph.”
“Which studio?”
“I don’t remember. But I remember she was very happy.”
“She looks happy.”
“She was happy. And she was very proud of me.”
“You were the first working woman in the family, right?”
“Yes. I was also the first one to go out and study, to play sports…”
“And who spoke her heart.”
“Yes, that too.”
***
“You gave me this.”
“Whose signature is that?”
“That is yours. Remember you used to have a penname for a while?”
“Really?”
“A cute drawing, I always loved it. But never understood the words though.”
“Zaina, I think was an automobile company. I might have arranged a scooter from there.”
“Sridhar, of course, is the cinema hall. It’s still there.”
“Digits entangled…digits means limbs.”
“Limbs? Like hand and legs?”
“Yes. And James Bond.”
“Good you used a penname.”
***
“The green looks funny, like a patch of moss.”
“It is colour added later.”
“Why add colour later?”
“There were only black and white photographs then.”
“Then they should have left it black and white. Like the rest.”
“You asked them to colour it.”
“But I’m sure I didn’t know it would turn out like this. Like an extended smudge or a moss.”
“Maybe. But a little late now don’t you think?”
***
“Who is this couple?”
“I have no idea.”
“I am sure we must have known them pretty good.”
“Yes, why else would we keep their photograph?”
“Remember we too had a similar photo – sitting on a rock next to water.”
“Is it water? Yes, yes.”
“Do you remember?”
“The couple?”
***
“Mom, do you remember anything from the 1971 war with Pakistan?”
“I don’t remember the war with Pakistan but another one from the same year.”
“Another war?”
“Yes, the one I started with your dad – we got married that year.”
I don’t know if I should weep or smile. I miss home. I miss growing up. What they say is not true…you don’t miss the moment when you take pictures, you give them life. And who else would understand this better than you!
Moments end. So do memories. Your beautifully crafted story tells us that photographs are not frozen moments. They are are fluid; they help us understand that “a moment might be a thousand different things” at a thousand different times.
Let’s hear it for the memory keeper son!!!
All thanks to the animated conversations of folks! These are near-verbatim reproductions only. Love you!