my grandma's place

my memories are vast. If i take a look back, it takes hardly a second to go to the age when i was three. I can see myself in a short sleeveless white frock, with uncombed hair, looking outside and enjoying the beautiful dawn at grandma's place. I can still hear the noises of nature;the chirping sound of insects and unknown birds and can still feel the smell of wet sand. The dew drops on the grass and the wet courtyard used to kiss ma small feet wishing me a good morning. There was an old man who used to wave hands at me on his way back from morning walk. I don't remember his name.Probably my grandma would know it. She gets up with me early in the morning. My nights used to end hearing stories told by her. I loved to sleep hugging her. Our mornings used to start with the light smell of jasmine flowers from the buds kept in the corner of the room the previous night. Even now the smell of a blooming jasmine bud reminds me of my grandma's room, her bed and those days of my childhood.
It was just on the summer holidays, we used to be there.Though I was not into school, i had a sister who was in school. It used to be the happiest moments because all of our cousins used to be there too. our days used to filled with fun.There were two huge trees in the back of the house and the shade of the trees used to be our play-field. Even kids from neighborhood used to join us. Fights were an inevitable part of all the games. Since i was the youngest, I used to be given the role which none wants. This used to make me feel sad and question them and even fighting. At last they gave a solution, it went like this 'c'mon, when meera (rakhi aunt's daughter) grows to the age of three, she would be the one doing all these'. A smile used to appear on my face showing agreement to the condition. But what used to run in my mind was all imagination about meera being given my role and me myself one among the elder gang. Evenings used to be the time for hide and seek. it used to be the winding up part for all the games of a day. There were lots of places to hide. But i used to go with some of my cousins.The deep fear in me always stopped me from hiding in an isolated place.
Another attraction of grandma's home was river beside the compound. The very long time taking bath also used to be full of games. But I used to keep myself away form most of the games due to the reason tat i was too small and dint know swimming. Either my mom or any of the aunts used to accompany us. But none used to be in their control.i used to pass time sitting on a rock seeing the games and watching the small fishes in the water. there were so many bamboo trees on the bank which seemed to be dancing always in the wind.
There was a hill nearby and a temple on top of it.  We cousins led by my mom were another interesting part. there was a huge banyan tree on the top of the hill. We used to locate our grandma's home from the top of the hill.There was a big tree with white and yellow flowers on it near her home's gate. That used to be the end of all fun on a normal day. Then that was the time for dinner and back to grandma.
I used to really love the way grandma scolding my mother when she scolds me. my mother always used to scold me for not doing things at the moment she asks me to do and if not done, she used to say this dialogue' i have never seen a kid like you'. If grandma happens to hear it she used to support us and say ' my grandchildren are in all ways better than my children'. I used to give a smile with full satisfaction as a reply to grandma. grandma would be set for sleeping with her jasmine buds, light-colored bedspread  and a mind full of stories to tell me. As she starts telling stories, i used to imagine each and every incidents and characters in my mind with full excitement. At last she used to chant some prayers in the middle of which i would be asleep entering into my own colourful dreaworld.........