Celebrating Nostalgia: Onam with KTMHS Batchmates #Smrithi 88-89
Onam is a celebration of nostalgia, and among all the Onam celebrations I have participated in, the most cherished one was our recent get-together of KTMHS schoolmates, the #Smrithi 88-89 batch.
It has been more than four decades since we all sat together on the same bench as first graders. Though we haven’t seen each other often over the years and even though we live miles apart, there’s truth in the saying, “Though far in distance, we are close at heart.” Like pearls strung together, we remain connected by our hearts.
After a short break, I finally joined in this reunion with great enthusiasm. While I couldn’t attend the earlier gatherings of this group, this event made up for all that I had missed.
It was as if time had turned back—our group of friends turned into those little kids again, playing the very same games we used to love, like the spoon-and-lemon race and chair game. I wonder how much today’s social-media-savvy generation will truly appreciate the simple joys we relived. For them, reading about these things might seem almost surreal.
During lunch breaks at school, we would sit together, unwrap our towels, and share the food our mothers had lovingly packed for us in small steel containers. It felt just the same when we sat down together to enjoy the Onam feast. As we shared the meal, it brought back vivid memories of those long-forgotten afternoons. The sweet treat of ice cream after the feast evoked another beautiful memory—the ice cream vendor who would park outside our school during the interval, ringing his bell and calling us all out to savor a “pal ice” or “kuchi ice.” Those were such sweet and carefree times!
Amongst the clamor of an era that seems long gone, the friends I carry in my heart unexpectedly showered me with an honor I’ll never forget. It was an experience that will always hold a special place in my life, even above the cherished moments of the past and any to come.
I was incredibly happy to receive a shawl of honor from my dear friend Munavvar, who was always at the top of our class back in the day, and a memento from another close friend, Dr. Ajay. The joy of being acknowledged by my childhood friends is indescribable.
Along with my dear friends, I reconnected with our classmates from those days, exchanging stories about our families, our villages, and everything that has changed over the years. Despite the passage of time and the changes that life has brought, that student spirit remains evergreen within each of us.
I don’t know whom to thank more for this experience—perhaps it’s my friend Kalidas, who kept insisting I attend the event, calling me repeatedly to remind me, “You must come, no excuses!” I can’t put into words the happiness of reuniting with everyone after so many years.
To everyone, from the bottom of my heart—thank you. Sending love to all my dear friends.
With love,
Suresh Kumar
